Bridge auctions start from a randomised array of opening bids. However, what follows is entirely free from uncontrollable randomising eventualities. One pair at the table will certainly assume or wrestle control from the other.
Each player, only blessed with perfect knowledge of his/her hand, strives to form a picture of what the other three around the table might be holding . The auction therefore proceeds on the basis of " past imperfect information ".
Clearly, the skill of any declarer in bridge consists in deducing or inferring the lie of the cards in the other players' hands, initially by means of the auction, and subsequently by playing the cards in such a way as to uncover existing information in time, in order to take advantage of it. This means in effect that once the auction is over, the game moves on from a position of imperfect information to one of information perfecting.
Expert players distinguish themselves from the rest in that they operate with near perfect information as opposed to imperfect information. The expert player's view of the unseen hands is so comprehensive and complete, it is no surprise that they triumph over those whose knowledge of the unseen hands is imperfect, uncertain and fragmented.
Indeed, average players feel " lucky " when a finesse comes off, whereas the expert takes the finesse often with the sure knowledge it will be successful. Should the expert know that it is doomed to fail, alternative lines of play are then considered before one is put into action. Many commentators claim that experts have that gift of institution because they always seem to arrive at the correct decisions, but they are wrong. Although much emphasis is place on their intrinsic power of analysis, the real secret of their success lies upon their store of structured knowledge. Not only do they recall every particular detail of the hand in play, but they also tap into a store of knowledge based on past experience of hands similar in nature and layout.
A weaker player confronted with a difficult problem might well go into the tank, contemplating what to do for the best, but usually failing to recognise the right way to continue, whereas the player with the store of structured knowledge spots the right play immediately. Not only is the store extensively filled but retrieval is fast and efficient, such is his/her well organised system of neural connections.
At this point, one needs to look at a theory called " information chunking ", an innate ability which all top class bridge players seem to possess. They employ mind models based on meaningful patterns called " chunks ". This enables them to manipulate vast amounts of stored information in a very structured way. Mere mortals may have the same information available to them, but because their cluttered minds resemble one huge garbage tip, the strain of sifting through the scattered debris for nuggets of wisdom becomes too much. At the table it is easier for them to guess.
Therefore, in conclusion, bridge experts seem to possess a special attribute, which is over and above an ability to store structured knowledge and to reason by deductive analysis solutions to tricky problems . This other gift is known as creative intelligence, with thoroughly embraces the concept of synthesis. They build and construct from all the component pieces of past and present knowledge, table presence and experience, a detailed picture of the "situation" at the table........ which provides them with crucial answers to all the essential questions.
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