BRIDGE

North responds with a transfer bid to make his partner declarer in a spade contract and thereby avoid a lead through South's potential tenaces in the side suits. He then raises to 5S to suggest a slam. South has a suitable hand and accepts the try. How would you play 6S when West leads a trump?

You win in the dummy and draw a second round of trumps. You then have a choice of finesses in no fewer than three suits.

Should you finesse the jack of hearts, the queen of diamonds or the jack of clubs? It's a trick question (no pun intended). If you make any of these plays and the finesse loses, you will have to guess what to do next. The 100 per cent line is to finesse the eight of hearts.

West wins with the 10 but he must give you a trick on his return. It makes no difference if East rises with the nine of hearts, of course.

You will cover with the jack, losing to West's queen, and your A- K-8 will then be a tenace against West's 10-5-3.

DAVID BIRD

CHESS

This unpretentious but tricky little puzzle defeats many would- be solvers.

Black (to play) makes a move; White makes his reply; Black makes a second move; then White checkmates. How do they do it? Playing chess online is an increasing attraction for many chessplayers. You can do it from your own home and avoid the trek to your club on a rainy evening. Most internet games are played at speed (though slow games are also available). The top sites for strong players are chessclub.com and playchess.com. Both have many grandmaster regulars, and England's top pair, Michael Adams and Nigel Short, are among the best on playchess.

Average or novice players should try instantchess.com, a free site with pleasant visual graphics and a large number of visitors. You will often find an opponent there within seconds, and you will rarely have to wait longer than a minute.

LEONARD BARDEN

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