Tell us a bit about yourself - where do live, do you have any pets?

I was born in China and I'm 66 years old. I was a mechanical design engineer before retiring. I immigrated to the United States in 2015 and joined the ACBL at the end of that year. Now I'm a US citizen and live in Fort Mill South Carolina, a small town near Charlotte. I started playing bridge in 1973 and have won several provincial and municipal championships in China. I love this game so much and play more than 20,000 cards every year. I don't have pets but my granddaughters have some little fish.

When did you realise you might actually win the Fall NABC Robot 2021?

The second day of the game ended, my points ranked third (A3/B2/C1), but on day three I was on 60.31% of the winning rate, so I held on to being first of Strat C (Ed. players with fewer 500 Masterpoints®).

Did you play in the NABC practices, and if so, did they help you prepare?

I didn't participate in the practice matches, but I think it would be helpful to participate in the practice matches.

Have you played the previous editions of the NABC Robot Individual? Why did you decide to join in this time?

I have played the NABC Robot Individual several times. But if you want to win the championship, you need luck.

Walk us though your NABC Robot experience. Any boards you found interesting or challenging?

When I played in this NABC Robot Individual, some boards were indeed interesting. 

B3, many players wouldn't compete 4♣ in this situation.

B10, most players would bid 7♠.

B21, many players wouldn't stop at 4♥, but I thought, over 4♥ is a trap.

B8, to complete 6NT, you must squeeze East.

What tips would you give to players who are new to playing with robots?

When you're new to playing with robots, my suggestion is just make a  "Normal" play. When fighting with robots, the test is your bridge foundation. The robots are sometimes shrewd but sometimes they're clumsy, and we have to take advantage of this.

What else do you like to do with your free time?

I play bridge every day. Besides that, I like cooking, reading, traveling, and also now, I like playing with my granddaughters.