| After many years of little progress, at
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| | purchase software to improve Bridge
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| the end of the twentieth century computer
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| | skills, and earn money playing Bridge.
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| bridge made big strides forward. In 1996,
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| | These are for fee services.
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| the American Contract Bridge League
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| | Some national contract bridge
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| (ACBL) initiated official World
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| | organizations now offer online bridge
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| Championships Computer Bridge, to be held
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| | play to their members including the
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| annually along with a major bridge event.
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| | English Bridge Union, the Dutch Bridge
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| The first Computer Bridge Championship
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| | Union and the Australian Bridge
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| took place in 1997 at the North American
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| | Federation. MSN and Yahoo! Games have
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| Bridge Championships in Albuquerque, New
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| | several online rubber bridge rooms. In
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| Mexico.
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| | 2001, World Bridge Federation has issued
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| Strong bridge playing programs such as
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| | a special edition of the lawbook adapted
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| Jack (World Champion computer bridge
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| | for internet and other electronic forms
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| 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006) and
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| | of the game.
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| Wbridge5 (World Champion computer bridge
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| | Advantages of playing bridge online are:
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| 2005) probably rank among the top few
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| | Flexible choice of when to play.
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| thousand human pairs worldwide. A series
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| | Choice of opponent skill level.
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| of articles published in 2005 and 2006 in
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| | Player rating system that attempts to
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| the Dutch bridge magazine IMP describes
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| | measure ability without regard to the
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| matches between Jack and seven top Dutch
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| | number of games played or the number of
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| pairs. A total of 196 boards were played.
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| | years spent accumulating masterpoints
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| Overall, the program Jack lost, but with
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| | Fewer restrictions on which conventions
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| a small margin (359 versus 385 imps).
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| | can be used.
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| There are several free and some
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| | Unauthorised information cannot be
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| subscription-based servers available for
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| | passsed by tone of voice or body
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| playing bridge on the Internet. OKbridge
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| | language.
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| [1] is the oldest of the still-running
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| | Detailed records may be kept, to help
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| Internet Bridge services; players of all
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| | resolve complaints.
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| standards, from beginners to world
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| | The software prevents plays and calls
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| champions may be found playing there.
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| | that are against the laws.
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| SWAN Games is a more recent competitor.
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| | Disadvantage are:
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| Bridge Base Online is the biggest online
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| | A greatly reduced social element.
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| bridge club in the world, and provides
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| | Increased opportunities to cheat, using
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| the largest variety of services and games
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| | IM technology
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| for free. There are also premium features
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| | Players dropping out after a few hands
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| like options to earn ACBL masterpoints,
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