The internet comes to bridge magazines

In the last 12 months, two bridge magazines have gone from printed editions to email versions. This greatly reduces costs and allows for a much bigger product. For example, the October edition of Bridge

Magazine ( bridgemagazine.co.uk) ran to 98 pages. And it appears monthly. This problem was set by Julian Pottage in his “Test Your Defence” column. Look at the West and North hands. Against five diamonds, West led the spade king, asking partner to give count. ( Against five clubs and higher, it is a good idea to play that an ace lead asks for attitude and a king lead requests count.) When East plays the two, it shows three ( an odd number). So West continues with the spade queen: 10, four, nine. What should West do next? In the bidding, South’s two- no- trump rebid was artificial, showing a weak three- club raise or weak three- diamond rebid. Three spades was game- forcing, asking South to bid three notrump with a spade stopper. East’s second spade play was a suit- preference signal. With the heart ace, he would have dropped his spade jack. His four showed the club queen. ( If East has neither of those honours, the contract is unbeatable.) If West shifts to, say, a heart, South takes the trick, cashes his diamond ace and queen, plays three rounds of clubs, ruffing the last high in his hand, leads a trump to dummy’s king and runs the clubs to get home. However, if West continues with his spade ace at trick three, making dummy ruff, South must go down one.