The convenience of playing online has converted many players from regular club habitués to chronic computer contestants. There are dozens of games every week on the three main websites (see Appendix A), and it's fair to say you can play any time of the day or night online. The primary websites also offer dozens of games that award ACBL masterpoints (see Chapter 18) in games as short as twelve deals.

You don't have to play in a structured game, however. You and your partner can simply invite two other players to join you at a table, and you play until you need to stop — half a dozen deals or 100. It's up to you.

The Internet is also a resource for learning from the best players in the world. Most of the major matches — certainly the world championships — can be viewed live on Bridge Base Online (see Appendix A). There is also a complete record of the bidding and play for review later if you can't or don't want to stay up to watch a bridge match in China.

You also can take bridge classes online, consult with experts about your problem hands and bidding systems, and there are numerous web-sites with an incredible amount of information and instruction. See Appendix A for more information.