Since Chess champion Garri Kasparow was defeated by 'Deep Blue', computer analyses earn even more respect then they did before. There were two hands from the first RAMA match on Wednesday that deserved some of these deeper thoughts. Here´s the result of an overnight computer analysis by 'Deeper Blue', the next generation, who concentrates on challenging Bridge champions.

Board 4. Dealer West. Game All K Q 10 8 6 4 2 6 3 A Q 7 9 A 7 5 J 9 3 Q 10 7 A K 5 4 2 J 8 6 4 K 2 10 7 5 A J 4 — J 9 8 10 9 5 3 K Q 8 6 3 2

The human declarer, East, suffered from a spade-club cross ruff and finished three down in 4 after the lead of 10. 'Deeper Blue' found a way of making the contract!

North wins the first trick with the ace and returns his stiff club. East wins with the ace, cashes K and plays a heart to the 10. He now ruffs out North´s Q, cashes A and continues with a heart to the queen. Now he can discard a club on the J and endplay North by playing a small spade. North can win the trick, but with nothing left but spades, has to led a spade in to East/West´s combined spade tenace.

On the next board 'Deeper Blue' came up with an interesting technical detail analysing the play in 3 NT with East as declarer.

Board 6. Dealer East. EW Game 10 5 3 Q 9 2 K Q 3 A Q 10 8 J 9 2 A Q 8 7 A 4 3 K J 7 5 J 6 4 A 8 7 J 9 7 4 K 3 K 6 4 10 8 6 10 9 5 2 6 5 2

North leads Q, South playing the ten, and switches to a small club, which is the right move if partner holds exactly J doubleton. Here A and another club would have defeated the contract, but still there´s a lot in the play. North wins in hand with 9 and plays a spade to queen and king. South returns a club to North´s ace, who then turns to 10. West takes the jack and finesses successfully in hearts. From here declarer can´t go wrong anymore as hearts break 3-3. Still 'Deeper Blue' would like to draw attention to the fact that declarer can succeed no matter how the heart suit breaks.

The machine´s suggested line is, to cash your spade winners (discarding 7 from hand) and play K and heart to the ace. If the suit breaks you have nine easy tricks, if North shows out on the third round, you endplay him with the J and score two diamond tricks subsequently.