To run the program, you need for the executable to be in the same directory as the three support files mb.txt, eval.dat, and Comments.txt. You will need to copy Comments.txt from the directory where it currently is, probably something like languages/american in the overall gib directory. For the command or argument line, you enter a sequence of switches, arguments, and a file name. -c -T 50 h0 has the c and T switches, an argument of 50 for the T switch, and file h0. T and m both accept arguments. You can combine switches, so that the above command line could be -cT 50 h0 Switches follow. If a number is supplied, the given number is the default and you only need to include the switch if you want to override that default. -A used to solve bidding problems as in the master solvers' club; resets various parameters to consider more alternatives and use more time -C some ascii output appears in color -D 0 sets certain debugging flags (you don't want to do this) -F read system details from sys.ns sys.ew -G n e read system details from specified files -H read the file (or stdin) as a hand record -P terminate Borel simulation early (you don't want to do this) -R think on opponents' time (not available under Windows; you don't want to do this) -T 60 time (secs) for one GIB to play one hand, on average -N play North -E play East -S play South (the default is to play south only) -W play West (GIB can play more than one position) -Z play no seats -I IMP scoring -J matchpoint scoring -K n e total point scoring, n is N/S part score and e is E/W part score -L par scoring -U use with -L for "Bernasconi mode". Long thinking times, large samples, special bidding rules. For par contest at world championship. -M psyche freely (*very* freely) -Q process the macro database (you don't want to do this) -V rebuild eval.dat file (you can't do this) -X check syntax of the bidding database -Y f read bid descriptions from specified file -a l r provide diagnostics when analyzing bidding sequence of length l and detailed diagnostics when trying to match rule with id r -b describe the meaning of a bidding sequence (enter the sequence, followed by a ? or = The format used is similar to Meadowlark's internal format) -c show CPU time used -d analyze hand in double dummy mode -f f output tracing information to the file f -g 1.2 weighting given for signalling correctly -h display the hand -i f execute the commands in file f -j do not claim or concede when defending, and add additional carriage returns in certain places (used with java interface) -l 0 set breadth cutoff to n (0 = no cutoff) -m 50 50 number of deals to analyze to pick a play (250 is absolute max) first number is when declaring, second is when defending -o 0.5 set opponents' bidding quality (0 = weak; 1 = omniscient) -p 0.55 if auction's continuing is less likely than this, do Borel sim -q terminate when convenient -r 0 set random number seed -s provide a summary of the analysis -t provide a full trace of the analysis -u run in mode appropriate for UI (don't exit on abnormal condition, etc) -v display double dummy result in a sentence -w wander around in search space after double dummy analysis is done -x exit -z always make the book bid The supplied file can be in one of three formats: The DEFAULT format, the DOUBLE DUMMY format, or the HAND RECORD format. DEFAULT FORMAT. Most of the time, you should just answer the questions that GIB asks. Some of the answers are expected in specific formats; when GIB asks for a hand, it expects something like a2.432.a432.akqj where the suit order is spades, hearts, diamonds and then clubs. The periods obviously matter. Case doesn't. Any bid or card played can be "q", which means quit this hand and proceed to the next one. A card played can be "y", which means that you want to concede the rest of the tricks. It can also be "z", which means that you want to claim the rest of the tricks. If "z", GIB may ask you to enter your hand, which means the cards that you held at the *beginning* of the deal in question. GIB will also claim or concede on its own periodically. Any bid or card played can be !, which means to back up over the previous action. It can be =, which means give a hint. The bid or card can also be preceded by +, which means that the computer should not make the *next* play (even if it is the machine's turn). Finally, a card can be @, which means you want to know the current double dummy result on the deal. As an example, here is a sample default format input file: a2.432.a432.akqj GIB's hand s south is the dealer b both are vul (possibilities are b/n/e/-) 6n p p p auction (somewhat abbreviated!) sq W leads SQ k43.akq5.k5.5432 dummy's hand sk s5 s2 rest of trick 1 (GIB's plays forced) c5 ct cj c6 trick 2 cq c7 c4 s6 etc h4 h6 ha h8 c3 s7 ck c8 ca c9 c2 s8 This might produce the following output: Enter player: S Enter my hand: A2.432.A432.AKQJ Enter dealer: S Enter vul (none, N/S, E/W, both): B Enter bid (and meaning) for S: 6N Enter bid (and meaning) for W: P Enter bid (and meaning) for N: P Enter bid (and meaning) for E: P Enter play (and meaning) for W: SQ (1 1 SJ) Enter dummy's hand: K43.AKQ5.K5.5432 Enter play (and meaning) for N: SK Enter play (and meaning) for E: S5 Enter play (and meaning) for S: S2 Enter play (and meaning) for N: C5 Enter play (and meaning) for E: CT Enter play (and meaning) for S: CJ Enter play (and meaning) for W: C6 Enter play (and meaning) for S: CQ Enter play (and meaning) for W: C7 Enter play (and meaning) for N: C4 Enter play (and meaning) for E: S6 Enter play (and meaning) for S: H4 Enter play (and meaning) for W: H6 Enter play (and meaning) for N: HA Enter play (and meaning) for E: H8 Enter play (and meaning) for N: C3 Enter play (and meaning) for E: S7 Enter play (and meaning) for S: CK Enter play (and meaning) for W: C8 Enter play (and meaning) for S: CA Enter play (and meaning) for W: C9 Enter play (and meaning) for N: C2 Enter play (and meaning) for E: S8 Enter play (and meaning) for S: S 4 3 H K Q 5 D K 5 C --- S A H 3 2 D A 4 3 2 C --- South to lead; 6N vul (6 tricks taken) I play D3 (5.68 secs) Enter play (and meaning) for W: DOUBLE DUMMY FORMAT Here is a sample: w q98.2.qjt98.8 n kj5.akq3..j65 e t76.jt98.3.kt s a42.7654.5.a2 w s dq The first four lines give the cards held by the four players in a format similar to that used in the single dummy analysis. Next is the name of the opening leader (n, e, s or w) followed by the strain in which the analysis is to take place (c, d, h, s or n for no trump). This information can be followed with a list of cards that have been played before the double dummy analysis begins. HAND RECORD FORMAT q.qj74.t4.aqjt94 t63.9832.q8.8765 ak9754.t.aj732.3 j82.ak65.k965.k2 w - The four lines are the hands for N, E, S and W respectively. W is the dealer and no one is vulnerable in this example. The vulnerability must be N, E, B or -. EXAMINING THE SEARCH SPACE If you use the w switch (double dummy mode only), you will be asked for a command after the analysis is complete. Commands: b back up (retract last play) c show cached values h show current situation and cache msr make the given move, playing the card of rank r in suit s. You would enter "mda" to play the diamond ace, etc. Use t for ten. p show legal moves and their values (may take a while) q quit wandering s show legal moves v evaluate current position x show history of moves entered so far ? show this list GIBSON EXPLANATIONS If you run with the -s switch on a problem where GIBson appears, you'll get diagnostics that look like this. This particular hand is run as bridge -scHLU par where the switches mean: s show summaries of the analysis c show CPU times H entire hand is in file L par mode U Bernasconi mode GIB automatically plays South. Here's the file par: akq.ak3.kqj3.jt8 8.qjt875.95.kq74 97432.962.a8.a32 jt65.4.t7642.965 e - 2h p p x p 3s p 4h p 5c p 6s p p p h4 The N/E/S/W hands, E deals at love all (choices are - for none vul, n s or b). Then the auction. West leads the H4. GIBson reports: dealt 250 at 2.75 secs A 250 deal sample is dealt in 2.75 seconds. Analysis start. (36020 nodes, 3.97 sec) All of the sample deals are analyzed at double dummy. No guarantees. (40216 nodes, 4.13 sec) There is no "perfect" line that makes the hand every time it can be made ........................................................ (more .s) Gibson thinks. Sampling complete! 99699 nodes, 10.51 sec. 3 current target(s): 36C 37D 11H 23S -> 12 44C 44D 11H 44S -> 12 35C 35D 11H 44S + C9 SJ ST - CK CQ -> 12 After 10.51 seconds, GIBson has found a line that makes whenever West has 3-6 clubs, 3-7 diamonds, a stiff heart and 2-3 spades OR 4=1=4=4 exactly, OR 4 spades, a stiff heart, and 3+ in each minor with West holding the SJT and C9, and E holding the CKQ. Score is 211 This line makes on *about* 211 of the 250 deals. (There are some scalings inserted based on the opening lead.) ............................................. Sampling complete! 140430 nodes, 13.55 sec. 2 current target(s): 33C 55D 11H 44S -> 12 56C 34D 11H 33S + CK ST - CQ SJ -> 12 Previous line is better. Score is 50 Another possible line, but it's not as good as the previous one and the analysis is curtailed early. ...................................... Sampling complete! 255547 nodes, 20.62 sec. 1 current target(s): 35C 56D 11H 23S + CK - CQ SJ -> 12 Previous line is better. Score is 80 ...................................... Sampling complete! 266456 nodes, 21.58 sec. 1 current target(s): 33C 55D 11H 44S -> 12 Previous line is better. Score is 23 ...................................... Sampling complete! 266456 nodes, 21.58 sec. 1 current target(s): 35C 56D 11H 23S + CK - CQ SJ -> 12 Previous line is better. Score is 80 ...................................... Sampling complete! 266456 nodes, 21.58 sec. 1 current target(s): 33C 55D 11H 44S -> 12 Previous line is better. Score is 23 expanding target Now GIB tries to see if it can generalize the earlier line a bit ............... 27C 27D 11H 23S -> 12 44C 44D 11H 44S -> 12 25C 37D 11H 24S + C9 - CK CQ -> 12 It can. The requirement that W hold the SJT turned out to be unnecessary. Checking for bogus discovery plays. Sometimes the analysis causes GIB to find some bogus "discovery" plays that reflect correlations in the sample but not real life. This part of the analysis checks for that. expanding target Again. ........ 27C 27D 11H 23S -> 12 44C 44D 11H 44S -> 12 15C 37D 11H 24S + C9 - CK CQ -> 12 hill climbing to 20 new possibilities Another attempt to generalize the known line, but it doesn't work. .................... Analysis complete! 285155 nodes, 22.66 sec. 3 current target(s): 27C 27D 11H 23S -> 12 44C 44D 11H 44S -> 12 15C 37D 11H 24S + C9 - CK CQ -> 12 Total run time: 22.66 sec GIBson is done! It has found a line that works if West has 2-3 spades, a stiff heart, and 2-7 in each minor, or 4=1=4=4, or 2-4 spades, a stiff heart, 1-5 clubs and 3-7 diamonds, provided that West holds the C9 but not the K or Q. (This is the crucial line in the problem as set by Bernasconi.) And that line involves playing ... I play HA ... the heart Ace.