I am now able to preepare computer generated hands for us to play in our Duplicate Bridge session every second Monday.
The software I am using (SB Dealer from ScoreBridge) is programmed to provide a random deal to mimic dealing at the table when the cards have been thoroughly shuffled. There is no selection of particular types of deal.
Why use computer generated hands?
The deal is guaranteed to be random
It is likely that hands dealt at the table will be “flatter” than computer generated hands, as would be the case if the cards are not properly shuffled. Mathematical research has shown that seven interweave or riffle shuffles are required to randomise the cards in a pack. This does not always happen at the table, so dealing at the table does not produce properly randomised hands.
A hand record is available
It makes going through the results (particularly the travellers) on the web much more interesting – nobody can remember all the hands in a session.
If you want to improve your play, it is important to review what happened at the table. Having a record of the hands is the best way to do this. It enables you to see what partner had in the bidding and play.
It allows you to see that you and partner are using the same system, it enables you to identify your weaknesses: when you have missed a game you should have bid or bid one you should not have, for instance.
Of course, If you are not interested in this sort of post-mortem, then you have lost nothing, but those who want to improve find them vital.
Finally, computer dealing avoids the chore of dealing at the table as well as distracting task of filling in the Curtain Cards manually during the first round of play.
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