101 OnLy ThE BeSt GaMeS 6

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Text File | 1996-07-12 | 11.3 KB | 387 lines

CONTRACT BRIDGE BRIDGEX.EXE requires a PC/AT compatible computer with a COLOR monitor (the command line switch "/b" can be used to activate a black and white mode for laptops). If a MOUSE is present in the system, it is auto- matically supported. The MOUSE is used by placing the cursor on the character to be input and clicking the LEFT button. In general, all the input prompts in the program can be answered using the MOUSE. The program bids, plays and scores rubber matches of Contract Bridge. You will always bid and play the SOUTH hand, and if NORTH-SOUTH are declarers you will play both hands. Hands are evaluated according to the Goren Point-Count method, and standard bidding methods are used. The following special practices and conventions are recognized: * Short Club Openers * No Trump Weak Signal Bids * Preemptive Openers * Stayman 2 Club Convention * Take-Out Doubles * Blackwood Slam Convention The computer will always bid in a very straightforward manner. For example, an opening bid of one in a suit requires a minimum of 13 or 14 points and a biddable suit containing at least 4 cards. On opening bid of one NOTRUMP requires 16 to 18 high card points and a balanced hand. Note that only strong 2 openers are recognized. A one-over-one response to an opening bid shows nominal responder points. A two-over-one response shows better that average points. Jump raises and jump shifts from either the opener or responder show a very strong hand. The Short Club is used as a last resort to show opening points but no good suit. If the responder has no good suit as well, the answering bid will be one DIAMOND (also a false bid). Note that the program can also respond with NOTRUMP as a signal bid to show a weak hand. An opening bid of three in a suit is Preemptive (showing 10 to 11 points and a long suit). It should only be answered with a hand containing opening points. The Take-Out Double is used in the first round of bidding to show strength or a void in the opponents' suit. It requires a better than opening hand, and demands that the partner respond (even with zero points). The Stayman Convention is used to respond to an opening bid of one NOTRUMP. It asks the opener to name the best major suit. The Blackwood Convention is the principal means used by the program to get to slam. You can use the "Configure the Bidding" option on the Main Menu to TURN OFF any of the six special conventions described above. Your selection will stay in effect as long as the current session of Contract Bridge is running. Your partner, NORTH, will bid each hand so that game may be produced by the most economical feasible contract. Enter [B] to make the computer ignore the partial score during the bidding of a hand. Note that the suggested contract may change as the bidding develops, and that partners may not reach the best contract. Also, the program may deviate from the bidding conventions if unusual distribution or a poor fit is indicated. Abbreviations used for the bidding are as follows: C = CLUBS D = DIAMONDS H = HEARTS S = SPADES NT = NOTRUMP D = DOUBLE R = REDOUBLE P = PASS To bid a suit, enter the value of the bid, followed by the appropriate abbreviation. You can also use the "Bid Box" to select bids using the MOUSE. For example, to bid 1NT, click on the [1] and then click on the [N]. Press [ENTER], or place the MOUSE cursor in the center of the screen and click the LEFT MOUSE button, to make the computer bid for you. Enter a question mark [?] to see an estimate of the best contract. The current rubber score may be viewed by entering the word [SCORE], or by clicking the LEFT MOUSE button on the letter [S] in the Bid Box. Enter [Q], press [ESCAPE], or click the RIGHT MOUSE button to quit the bidding and allow a new deal. An illegal bid will cause an error message and a prompt to bid again. Play of the hand is according to common practice. The program can signal using discards (sometimes), finesse when appropriate, duck, ruff, and attempt squeeze plays. For the declarers, emphasis is placed on drawing trumps early. But this may be abandoned if control of the contract would be lost. In general, emphasis is also placed on establishing potential winners in good suits (especially in NOTRUMP). To play a card using the MOUSE, place the cursor on the character representing the value of the card and click the LEFT button. To play a card using the keyboard, enter the two characters representing the value and the suit. Note that the TEN of each suit is represented by the letter T. Some typical card designations are: 1C 2D 3H 4S 5C 6D 7H 8S 9C TD JH KS AC If you are using a MOUSE, the options described below will be displayed in a "Play Box" box on the playing screen. Click the LEFT MOUSE button on the desired item to select it. Press [ENTER], or place the MOUSE cursor in the CENTER REGION of the screen and click the LEFT button, to make the computer generate the play for you. Enter [L] to automatically follow suit with the lowest card in your hand. Enter [H] to automatically follow suit with the highest card in your hand. Entering a question mark [?] will show you an estimate of the best card to be played. Enter [V] if you would like to view all the hands during play. After each trick has been played you will see the prompt PRESS ANY KEY. Press or click on [U] to replay the trick without affecting the scoring, or press any other key to continue. The rubber score may be reviewed by entering the word [SCORE] on the keyboard, or by clicking the LEFT MOUSE button on the letter [S] in the Play Box. Entering [Q], pressing [ESCAPE], or clicking the RIGHT MOUSE button will terminate the play without scoring the contract. In order to speed the play of the hand, the following special options are available: Enter [CC] to claim the contract, or enter [SC] to surrender the contract. To claim the remaining tricks, enter [CT]. To surrender the remaining tricks, enter [ST]. An illegal play will cause an error message and a prompt to play again. After the contract is finished, the hands may be REVIEWED and/or REPLAYED. The hands in a REPLAY may be ROTATED by assigning them to different players. If you replay a hand note that only the original contract will be scored. You can also generate a REPORT describing the most recent hand (if it has been played to completion). The report will be written to disk as an ASCII text file, and will record who was the dealer, the cards in each hand, the bidding sequence, the play for each trick, and the results of the contract. This allows you to compare contracts with friends, and to send suggestions about the program to the author. Note that this feature is only available in the REGISTERED VERSION of the program. Hands can also be ENTERED from the keyboard and replayed. You will be prompted for the SOUTH, WEST and NORTH hands. Press [ENTER] alone to change suits, and press the appropriate character key to select a card. To use the MOUSE, click the LEFT MOUSE button to change suits. Then place the cursor on the desired card character at the bottom of the screen and click the LEFT button. The EAST hand will be filled in auto- matically with the remaining cards. The hands and current rubber score can be SAVED to disk at any time in a specified directory. You can use any legal DOS file name. This allows you to quit the rubber, and take up where you left off later. It is also handy for saving an individual hand that you want to replay and analyze later. When a hand is LOADED from disk, the rubber score is loaded as well. Note that rubber scoring is continued only after a new hand is dealt. The SAVE and LOAD options are only available in the REGISTERED VERSION of the program. At any point in a rubber you can return to the Main Menu to review the HELP file, SAVE a hand to disk, SHELL to DOS, etc. When you select "Play Contract Bridge" again, you will be returned to the next deal in the rubber with the score intact. Depending on your machine, the speed of the game may be too fast for your liking. Entering [F] when it is your turn to bid or play will cause the computer to wait for a key press after each player bids or plays, effectively allowing you to control the pace of the game. Enter [F] again to make the program return to its normal fast mode of play. A general note on input conventions: Default responses to input prompts are marked by an asterisk [*]. You can press the [ESCAPE] key at any time to back progressively out of the program. In general, the RIGHT MOUSE button is treated as an [ESCAPE] key press, and the LEFT MOUSE button is treated as an [ENTER] key press. SUMMARY OF SPECIAL COMMANDS During Bidding: [ENTER] Make computer bid for you [?] Show estimate of best contract [B] Make partner ignore partial score [S]/[SCORE] View current score [F] Toggle Fast/Slow mode [Q]/[ESCAPE] Quit the bidding During Play: [ENTER] Make computer play for you [?] Suggest card to play [L] Follow suit with the lowest card [H] Follow suit with the highest card [V] View hands during play [U] Undo trick [CC] Claim contract (declarer) [SC] Surrender contract (defender) [CT] Claim remaining tricks [ST] Surrender remaining tricks [S]/[SCORE] View current score [F] Toggle Fast/Slow mode [Q]/[ESCAPE] Quit the contract General: [ENTER] Select default response (marked by *) [ESCAPE] Progressively back out of the program Mouse: [LEFT BUTTON] Select input (same as ENTER). [RIGHT BUTTON] Same as ESCAPE. As to the level of play to expect, the program is best suited for recreational players who enjoy informal games of Rubber Bridge. The bidding and play are NOT at the tournament level, but most players should find themselves both challenged and entertained by the program. Although BRIDGEX.EXE is not a tutorial on how to play Contract Bridge, you can learn to play the game using the program and a good book on Bridge. Many such books may be found at your local book store. SHAREWARE CONTRACT BRIDGE is distributed as Shareware. Feel free to share the program and its files with others. However, if you continue to use CONTRACT BRIDGE, you must register the program by sending $19 US to: Robert Lindsay Wells 1405 Lynn Avenue Clearwater, FL 34615 When you register, you will receive the latest version of CONTRACT BRIDGE with all shareware reminders and limitations removed, an instruction booklet, one free upgrade to any future version, a handy Text Editor (READ) as a bonus utility, and three months of technical support by telephone or E-Mail. Please register today!