[Andy_L]

"Best Hand for South" I'm guessing this was borne of a couple of main reasons: Make South hands more interesting from a bidding point of view and trying to tip the balance with respect to South becoming declarer in more than South's normal share of hands. With the addition of switching seats when North is declarer South is now playing all the hands where either North or South are declarer... given "Best Hand for South" I'd guess South now plays about 65% of all hands.

So... advantages and disadvantages to all things. Advantages of "Best Hand for South" GIB play are: South bids more interesting hands and South plays approximately 65% (guess) of all hands dealt. Disadvantage of "Best Hand for South" GIB play are: distortion of bridge bidding and play. In the bidding and play we all take advantage (unfair advantage) of knowing South's HCP's are equal to or better than any other at the table. This knowledge creates the bidding and play distortion... and can be habit creating when playing lots of hands... bad habit creating.

"Random Hand" GIB tourneys are already in effect as $1 GIB tourneys... I'm asking for consideration in adding a $0.25 Random Hand tourney to the mix and evaluating how it received.

[1eyedjack]

No objection to the suggestion in the final sentence, and whatever the merits of the argument put forward I am all in favour of variety. But I take issue with one of the earlier statements:

Quote

In the bidding and play we all take advantage (unfair advantage) of knowing South's HCP's are equal to or better than any other at the table.

The phrase "we all take advantage" is entirely inconsistent with the subsequent qualification "(unfair advantage)". If we all do it, then it is a level playing field and there is no capacity for unfairness.
Arguably, the capacity of an individual human player to take maximum advantage of this information may vary between humans, so that while the information is available to all, to take best advantage requires an exercise of skill worthy of reward.

Speaking personally, I think that I am capable of resisting the temptation to extend "habits" formed in this environment to other areas of the game, but I suppose that it might be a concern for others.

The proof of the pudding would be in the popularity of the events, which as you say does require that alternatives are made available to compete in the market.

[cloa513]

Unfair advantage against GIBs but who cares about them.