Australian Bridge is published in a large-page format every two months. It aims at duplicate players, but includes several instructional articles for those hoping to reach a respectable club standard.

There is a bidding panel, where experts answer five problems. Afterward, the problems, the votes of the experts and the readers, many comments from both groups, and, usually, the original deal are put onto the magazine's website. Of course, the deal does not necessarily prove anything, but it is interesting to see if one's choice would have worked well at the time.

In this example, look only at the South hand. You are playing in a duplicate. With everyone vulnerable, West's one-club opening is passed around to you. What would you do, if anything? The logical choices are pass and three no-trump.

Fifty-two percent of experts, including myself, went for three no-trump. Even if West had ace-nine-fifth of clubs, perhaps he would lead one. Just 29 percent of experts opted to pass. With the readers, though, 37 percent passed, only 15 percent bid three no-trump, and 32 percent made a takeout double (which is particularly dangerous with such short majors).

As you can see, three no-trump makes easily, even after a spade lead. Declarer drives out the club ace and loses one club and three spades.

At the bridge club where the deal was played, almost every A-flight pair played in three no-trump, but only three of the 18 less-experienced B-flighters got there, mirroring the magazine vote.

Full details are at www.australian bridge.com.

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