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Bridge - What's new |
   
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September 9th - 2026
An Advanced option already existed for developments after a 1 of a major opening, when followed by a suit overcall without jump. An Advanced option is now available for situations where the intervention is a takeout double. When this option is enabled, some bids remain the same as they would be without the double, while others differ slightly or are newly introduced, such as the Truscott 2NT (or Jordan 2NT) and the fit-jump bids. This new advanced option currently applies only to major-suit openings, but it will soon be extended to the 1 of a minor openings.
If you have already enabled the Advanced option for a suit overcall, no action is required, as the same option will automatically be enabled for a takeout double. However, you can modify your preferences regarding this topic, by opening the rule preferences on the Bidding / Developments / After intervention page.
Note that I took the opportunity to improve the developments of a redouble after a takeout double, as they contained quite a few errors. See deal N°10 in the last corrections file (accessible via the Examples menu).
In defense, the computer players were already capable of eliminating a blocking card to allow their partner to get the lead. This is the counter-strategy to the declarer's technique known as Ducking to the safe hand, where, during a ducking play, the declarer attempts to put the less dangerous defender on lead. However, the computer players could only do this when following suit. They have now learned to execute this play in another situation, one that is perhaps even rarer.
I won't tell you the specific situation in which this elimination of a blocking card occurs; it will be up to you to work it out when studying the deals N°1 to 8 in the last corrections file (accessible via the Examples menu). It's up to you to play!
In the card play explanations displayed alongside each play decision (at the top right of the window), the Success rate section was already translated into Spanish, but the main explanation, such as Establishing honor tricks in Diamonds or Throwing East in with a Club, was not. Because while these main texts are embedded in the program (in French for the French version and English for the English version), they were not yet part of the language files. This has now been done for the Spanish file, although the translations will likely need improvement. As a result, the program can now display the following two images:
In English
In Spanish
High-level bridge players do not need texts explaining the computer's decisions (except when they are very surprised by its style of play). Most of the time, they can deduce the computer's reasoning by analyzing the playing situation. However, beginners, or players unfamiliar with certain techniques, may have difficulty understanding the reason for a decision. If a user, without having read the explanation above, sees the computer (playing South) lead the Ace of Spades, then the King of Spades, and finally a low losing Club, he might well think: "The computer doesn't know what to play. It's cashing its last two winning Spades and playing a low Club at random. It's pure luck if in the end it makes its contract!".
Now, that is not at all what happens. The playing engine analyzes that if South puts East on lead with a Club, the latter will be forced to play either a Diamond or a Spade. If he plays a Diamond towards Dummy's Ace-Queen tenace, he will give away a trick to the declarer. But if he plays a Spade, he can force South or North to take the lead without gaining anything. The engine therefore checks whether South can eliminate the Spades from East's hand by playing the Ace and King of Spades. That is not the case, but by playing this way, he eliminates all Spades from both the declarer's and Dummy's hands. And since there are trumps in these two hands, any Spade led by East will result in a ruff and discard. Finally, it remains to check that the ruff and discard actually makes declarer win a trick, that this last one does not go down by putting East on lead, and, lastly, that the elimination of the partnership's Spades can end up in a hand holding a Club, allowing the throw-in play to be achieved. This is the entire process the playing engine performs, and which a beginner must learn to carry out in order to improve.
Of course, the explanation does not detail every step of the reasoning behind a specific decision. However, it demonstrates that bridge is rarely a game of chance and guides the user in his efforts to understand various playing techniques. If a beginner studies a deal and encounters the explanation shown in the image above, he can try playing a Club before eliminating the Spades and see that the contract fails. He can eliminate the Spades, put East on lead, and then test his possible leads to see how the declarer wins a trick in all cases. Through this study process prompted by the explanation, he should gradually come to realize that the technique known as Elimination and throw-in plays is not actually that difficult to master.
I hope the explanations translated into Spanish will help Spanish-speaking beginners practice and improve. Translating them into Italian and German will be more difficult for me, as I have very little knowledge of those languages. I cannot rely on automatic translation software or websites, given that they do not know most technical bridge terms and do not understand the true meaning of the sentences they translate. The same applies to professional translators, who rarely play card games and even less bridge.
I am particularly interested in the technical terms and expressions found in books and used by bridge instructors. If you can provide a good translation of even a single explanatory sentence, please feel free to send me an example deal along with your proposed translation. Because from just one sentence, I can often translate a dozen similar texts which require only minor variations that automated translation tools can handle. The bridge students will be grateful to you. So too will the clubs, which may soon see the arrival of new players capable of holding their own at the table, and, who knows, even competing with the best!
Please note that if you have trouble translating an explanatory sentence, I can help you by changing the sentence structure or using different words, as there are often English expressions that cannot be translated literally into every language. In any case, I will conduct my own research to verify your suggestion and help you improve it if necessary.
Thanks to all those who have proposed these enhancements.
Best wishes
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Improvements in the playing level
