World champion - again

Five wins in six years and runner up the sixth time, it sure sounds is if the Dutch bridge program Jack deserves to be called "the world's best bridge program"! Last year it lost the world champion title to the French program Wbridge5, but this year Jack recaptured the title when the world championship for computers was played in Verona, Italy June 17th - 22nd.

Seven programs took part. First they played a full round-robin, with IMP scoring, in which Jack won all its matches and scored 20 WP more than the second best team: 1) Jack, the Netherlands, 124 2) Micro Bridge, Japan, 104 3) WBridge5, France, 102 4) Q-plus Bridge, Germany, 99.

In one of the semifinals, Jack crushed Q-plus Bridge: 239-41, while Micro Bridge beat the reigning champ, WBridge5, in a tight encounter (141-133). The final, played over 64 boards, was easily won by Jack: 217-54.

Bridge is a game with many rules of thumb. One of them says that "the five-level belongs to the opponents". It means that it is rarely right to bid one more at such a high level. The rule is usually sound, but there are exceptions from it, like this deal where Jack won 15 IMP by declaring high-level contracts at both tables.

West dealer, neither side vulnerable

- A Q 10 6 5 4 A K Q 6 3 Q J A 10 7 4 J 7 3 2 J 10 2 4 2 N W O Z Q J 9 8 3 2 - 8 4 A K 10 8 7   K 6 5 K 9 8 9 7 5 9 6 5 3

With Jack North-South, North opened with 1 heart. East bid 2 hearts (spades and a minor) and South doubled, to show a hand worth a raise to 2 hearts. West bid 2 spades, North jumped to 4 diamonds, East bid 4 spades and South doubled (questionable). With such big distribution, North didn't want to defend, and when nothing happened on his 5 hearts, Jack soon could register +450 to North-South.

At the other table, WBridge5 opened the North hand with 2 clubs (strong and artificial). East overcalled 2 spades, South doubled (at least 5-6 HCP) and West raised to 4 spades. North pressed on with 5 hearts, but East also had a nice distributional hand and went on to 5 spades, doubled by South. With the king of trumps onside and no bad surprises in the club suit, Jack had no trouble making that contract too.