We have done away with sit-outs, for once and for all. When we have a half-table in the game, we enter the computer as a participant in the game, in order to make a full table.

When it would otherwise be your turn to sit out, instead you play against the computer. Your score vs. the computer counts in the game. The computer is always disqualified, so it doesn't take away your masterpoints - in fact, the awards actually increase because the game is larger.

Everybody appreciates playing against "Ace O'Matic." In fact, some people are disappointed when we have full tables of "flesh & blood" players and they don't get to play the computer!

You can learn more about how this works by clicking here.

Don't forget, every session this week will be a Club Championship. This means extra masterpoints for you!

We have always held the opinion that playing directors could do neither a good job directing nor playing while running a game. And for the director to play to make a half-table, creating a sit-out for everybody in the game, well... that's just wrong. So, in the past, we have occasionionally sent the single player home.

However, now that we never have any sit-outs, since the computer enters the game when we do have half-tables, we will accomodate all singles, even if that makes a half-table.

A diamond loser is unavoidable, so you must guess the whereabouts of the ♥Q. And then there is the small matter of the club suit. Did you take the finesse at trick one?

 

Surprisingly, it's not necessary. We've already determined that you need to bring in the hearts, and if that is the case, then the fourth round of hearts can be used to pitch the club loser.

 

Hop up with the ♣A, and draw trumps, ending on the board. Who has the ♥Q? Surely East. West's bidding showed both minors (usually five-five) and later he followed to three spade tricks. That doesn't leave room for many hearts.

 

Run the ♥J and West (predictably) shows out. Another heart finesse; cash the ♥A; over to the ♦A; then the club loser goes on the ♥K. Making twelve tricks, losing just a diamond.

Getting the heart suit right did not require rocket science. Realizing that the club finesse was not needed? Not so obvious. The winning train of thought was: I must lose a diamond... so I cannot lose a heart... if I don't lose a heart then I can park the losing club on the fourth round of hearts.