[SimonFa]

I recently bought Bridgemaster 2000, at the recommendation of a fellow forum member, because I wanted to improve my declarer play. Its an excellent programme and I've really enjoyed the challenges it sets. So far it has concentrated a lot on safety plays, something I hadn't really considered although I had read about them.

Last night, playing teams, I found myself in a 4♥contract that was relatively easy if a trump a finesse through dummy worked. Previously I would have just gone for it knowing that the rest of the field had the same problem and it didn't really matter if it lost because it was the same for everyone.

However, thanks to Bridgemaster 2000 I then considered what would happen with the distribution and realised I needed to guard against a 4-1 split and couldn't do anything against a 5-0 split. So when the finesse worked I made the safety play of losing a trump to guard against 4-1.

As expected trumps were 3-2 and most teams made 11 against my 10. I appreciate that this is teams so it didn't matter and I shall console myself on two points - it was the correct thing to do in teams (and we were vulnerable) and the only other player who appears to have made the play was one of the strongest in my seat.

I had read about safety plays but it is one thing reading a dry book and another playing against a bridge programme that always wins unless you get the the declarer play spot on. I now look forward to getting my just rewards for the investment in time and money and understanding other declarer useful plays from Bridgemaster 2000.

Regards,

Simon

PS Thanks to the forum member who recommended Bridgemaster 2000, I haven't got time to go though old posts and find out who you were, but great tip.

[shyams]

Nice post, Simon.

I may be tempted to buy the software as well.

[the_dude]

It's been a few years since I did BM2000 .. but I had an amazing hand 2 weeks ago that puts it in perspective.

In BM2000 .. I still remember a slam hand in a trump contract where you have a side suit with Kx in dummy opposite Axxxx in your hand. The safety play, of course, is to play low to dummy's king .. then play back and if RHO follows you duck. This protected against a 5-1 break in the side suit along with a bad trump break iirc - allowing you to achieve a full cross ruff.

When I originally did BM2000, I remember thinking, "This is more like a puzzle game than bridge, because no one is really going to duck the Ace at the table!"

Well, last week an eerily similar hand came up .. the side suit broke 5-1 .. and ducking the Ace was the proper safety play! Alas my partner played it and apparently he never bought BM2000... I couldn't believe it.

So no matter how contrived some of those hands seem, BM2000 has been invaluable for me in working out all of these different plays, and they really do come up

[JLOGIC]

Bridgemaster is the perfect program for improving your play. Sounds like you are absorbing what you learned, great job.

[Gerben42]

Agree 100%. If you have little time to train declarer play on your own, Bridge Master should be the way to do so. If you have more time, Bridge Master should still be part of it.

BTW: Virtual European Championship (Martens) is Bridge Master in book form!

Note to self: When will I finally start listening to my own advice?

[nigel_k]

BridgeMaster's stunning original soundtrack is worth the purchase price on its own.