2 comments about Doubles (Official Better Bridge).

1. Very thorough and informative. Lots of examples. This knowledge will put you way ahead with your partnerships for modern day doubles.
   
   I love the Better Bridge Series by Audrey Grant. Always understandable.



2. As always, this book by Audrey Grant is a winner. It adds to the skills acquired in her previous books and gives insights into some things that you normally don't think about.

No comments about 100 Winning Duplicate Tips: For the Improving Tournament Player (Master Bridge Series).

5 comments about Standard Bidding With Sayc.

1. OK, I have barely studied the first chapter but already my statistic of rubbers won and net points has skyrocketed.



2. As we all struggle to understand a new language, it is refreshing to find a lucid explanation that. while accomplishing its goal, does it without punditry. Adding in a sense of humor, along with clear examples and intelligent comments, makes this an excellent place to master the fundimentals of the Yellow Card System.



3. I teach a small weekly class at the local bridge club on standard bidding. When I came across this book I ordered a couple copies in case any of my students would be interested. Since then I've ordered about 20 of them for students as well as other club members. I can't keep them on hand!
   
   I'm ordering another 5 today. Frankly, I'm not overly impressed by the book, but the students/players LOVE it. I've heard them rave about the book so many times.



4. I have been playing bridge for about 3 months and found myself getting into trouble during bidding. My partner would make a cue bid, or a reverse and I wouldn't quite get what was going on. The books I had learned basic bridge from didn't cover these intermediate bridge topics. I knew I needed to improve my bidding in order to improve beyond beginner.
   
   This is a great book for that purpose. You won't find a lot of fluff and puff. The chapters are short and to the point. There are dozens of hands throughout to show different examples of how to bid, how to overbid and how to respond. Unlike other books, wherein the authors hold themselves out as the ultimate experts, this book brings forth opinions from the great bridge masters. It presents these often conflicting opinions objectively and makes recommendations, but in the end letting the reader adapt these opinions to his or her playing style.
   
   This book will benefit beginner and intermediate players who play on the internet or at a duplicate bridge club. I highly recommend this title to anyone learning bridge or as a gift to your regular partner!



5. The problem with SAYC is that it isn't a standard in the sense that no official body ever carefully reviewed it and called for comments, voted, etc. In fact, there are several areas now where common practice differs from what the standard says. An example is a bid of 2N over a 1 of a minor opening -- SAYC says this is 13-15, but most now play it as 11-12. The book is good at pointing these things out.
   
   The best thing about this book is that it exists and is inexpensive, meaning you can get one for a demented partner, a beginner, etc. The worst thing is the lack of an index, which one can hope would be remedied in a second edition. I think the authors chose the right level of detail for the beginning and intermediate players. I read another review that complained about the coverage of the "SAYC conventions". In fact, I think they are all in here -- it is just that there are lots of conventions that many SAYC players also play. A good book for those is the two-volume set of "25 Conventions" by Seagram et. al.

5 comments about Card Play Technique: The Art of Being Lucky.

1. If you buy only one bridge book in your entire life, this should be it. It is written with such skill and humor that it reads like a novel... not only will you learn a tremendous amount from this book, but you'll enjoy yourself in the process. The chapters alternate between Dummy Play and Defense, covering everything from promotion to grand coups. Players of all levels will benefit from reading (and rereading) this excellent book.



2. I have studied quite a few bridge books, and won a number of championships, but THIS one stands out over all the others on the play of the hand.

   I heartily recommend this to every intermediate or advanced player.




3. Not only is this a great book, its fun to read. It's not a dry technical book, its well written and enjoyable to read. The author "covers" many declarer topics from both sides (such as defense against squeezes or defense against endplays). The author has a knack for presenting a subject both clearly and succinctly. There are summaries at the end of each section and a short quiz.
   
   I found this book far superior to Watson's "Play of the Hand" (which seems to be geared towards beginners) but in content and style (its not boring, its fun).



4. First, my mother tongue is French, I'm sure you will excuse my style. This being said, unfortunately, I was very disappointed when I started reading Mollo's book. I wanted to find a book that was covering both the dummy play and the defense. Also, I wanted to revisit the very basics, to have a solid start, and then to go gradually into more complex techniques, covering virtually all aspects of the play, including the more advanced techniques. I was looking for the ultimate book: the Bridge Bible written by a brilliant teacher!
   
   Unfortunately, Mollo starts saying that he will not insult us covering the simple finesse, but will jump right away into the double finesse... The other chapters are similar. This book takes into account that we already have a sound basic technique and covers some variations and tricky situations. Each hand must be studied with actual cards to understand the supposedly "obvious" conclusions he draws.
   
   When I was not looking for a book anymore, I finally tried Watson's book. I hesitated at first, because his style is supposed to be dry and too detailed. EUREKA!!! This is the ultimate BIBLE! Not only it fulfilled all my above expectations, but he goes one step beyond, he is a genius, each chapter is a revelation. I did not learn techniques; I learned the principles underlying the techniques. I now understand why Watson's book is recommended by most schools around the world. This is probably the only book you will every need about the play of the hand.



5. You shoudl have at least a year of experience and read a few other books on technique, such as Bill Roots "How to Declare a Bridge Hand". This one will open your eyes to many other more advanced techniques. Its a great compact presentation. It's a starting point, not a comprehensive presentation of all aspects of advanced methods.
   
   1. Play for a year.
   2. Read some books on the way.
   3. Read this - your eyes will be opened.
   4. Play some more.
   5. Read some more.
   6. Work on counting.
   Repeat steps 3-6
   
   
   If you are a beginners this will be over your head. Some reviewers gave bad ratings. Thats a mistake. Its a great book, but only if you are ready for it.
   (giving this book a bad rating would be like me giving an audrey grant book a 1 becaus eits too simple for me)

3 comments about Bridge for Beginners: A Step-by-Step Guide to One of the Most Challenging Card Games.

1. The best introductory book on ACOL bridge I have yet encountered. Clear and concise explanations of bidding and play strategies and the reasoning behind them, logical sequencing and helpful "Briefing" summaries at the end of key chapters. Thoroughly recommended.



2. I found this book extremely well written fo beginners. Language and examples were easy to understand.



3. 
   I just want beginning bridge players to understand that the ACOL system of bidding that this book teaches so well is NOT the same as the system or systems normally used in the USA.
   
   When scoping out bridge texts, you will want to be sure that the bidding style is called "Standard American" or, more specifically, "five-card majors." The highly regarded "Two over one game force," (abbreviated "2/1") will probably not appear in a text aimed at beginners; but there's a good chance you'll wind up there eventually if you stick with the game.
   
   Bridge is a wonderful game; I just don't want us Yanks boning up on a system that is of little or no use on this side of the pond!

5 comments about To Bid or Not to Bid: The Law of Total Tricks.

1. This is an essential book for any serious player. The only concern is that the intermediate player may come to believe that this is a substitute for judgement. Still this should improve the competitive bidding decisions for any player who is somehow not familiar with "The Law".

   Those interested in a somewhat different valuation style should look into losing trick count originally popularized in Britain which has been around for some time.




2. This excellent bridge book has the fine reputation that it does because it is so thorough and detailed an explanation of the Law of Total Tricks. Larry Cohen is the most passionate supporter of this law in the game; and he does a complete job explaining it, illustrating it with interesting example hands, and summarizing with useful maxims that tend to stick with you after the reading is over. Especially good is his compelling discussion of whether to rebid when the bidding goes 1H-1S-2H-2S-? or even 1H-1S-2H-2S-3H-?. He also makes some good points about bidding at the higher levels with a known long fit.
   
   This is one of the few books we believe should be in every serious player's library; yet it is basic enough and entertaining enough to benefit relative beginners and more expert players alike. No wonder it is an award winning book on bridge!



3. The law of total tricks just simply isn't true...period.
   
   Larry Cohen spends much time exploring this law in detail, and does a fair job, but keep in mind that this "law" is defective, and thus there is only so much you can gain from this book.
   Consider
   
   North
   S AKQJT98765432
   H -
   D -
   C -
   
   East
   S -
   H 5432
   D 432
   C AKJQT9
   
   South
   S -
   H AKQJT9
   D AKQJT98
   C -
   
   West
   S -
   H 876
   D 765
   C 8765432
   
   According to the law of Total Trump = Total Tricks we see the Total trump is 13 N-S and 13 E-W
   The total tricks should be 26 then, so 13 N-S and 13 E-W
   
   However, we see the actual break is 13 N-S and 7 E-W...total tricks = 20.
   
   20 != 26
   
   so, read the book for an explaination of the law...but keep in mind the law is wrong.



4. The concept is simple, and had it been better organized the book would have been 20 pages, max. Then the author could throw in a few of his favorite conventions.
   
   Kit Woolsey wrote essentially the same thing in a much shorter chapter in his book MATCHPOINTS 10 years before this book.
   
   Overall, the concept (the LAW) is worth knowing, just be aware taht at higher levels its not as accurate as Cohen and Marty Bergen would have you think.



5. this TO BID OR NOT TO BID. It's hard to think of a wittier and more engaging book -- especially on a technique of bridge bidding (The Law of Total Trumps) that has been controversial since the 1950s if not earlier. Author Larry Cohen usually refers to this as the LAW -- all caps -- a signal he is ready to plead a fine case for adopting this outlook.
   
   Indeed, this book was first published in 1992 and is still going strong. Cohen studs his witty-but-patient prose with actual nuggets of reality -- generally Life Masters playing for IMP's (Int'l Match Points) in the highest-level championships. And he shows the best of the best going DOWN on relatively routine hands in which the The Law of Total Trumps would have dictated a much happier outcome.
   
   I myself haven't had an opportunity to use The Law of Total Trumps at duplicate. And I must stress that Cohen's "LAW" will absolutely not spare the bridge beginner the fundamentals of point count, distribution, overcalls and the like. In fact, s/he had better be comfortable with these guidelines because invoking the LAW draws on all one's experience with learning (or inferring by estimate) not only how much trumps partner and I have, but the same for the opposing team.
   
   This is a really juicy book to sink your teeth into. I recommend it highly.

2 comments about The Encyclopedia of Card Play Techniques at Bridge.

1. Originally published in France in 2005, The Encyclopedia of Card Play Techniques at Bridge is an in-depth guide to the card game of bridge featuring over 800 deals and diagrams. The Encyclopedia of Card Play Techniques at Bridge is not intended for beginners, but rather intermediate to advanced bridge players seeking to improve their skills. The step-by-step, play-by-play discussions are sure to offer insights to even the most veteran gamers, in this absolute "must-have" resource for bridge enthusiasts.



2. Covers of play via example for each technique. Each example is to the point with minimum verbiage. Range is encyclopedic. Good reference.

5 comments about Killing Defence at Bridge (Master Bridge Series).

1. All too often, bridge books present hands that look as if they were "set up." In order to get the right answer, you simply eliminate the "obvious" play. Not so in this book. Kelsey's hands look like those ordinary hands you might face in your local club or home game. Kelsey demonstrates that by thoroughly counting a hand (points, cards, tricks), a player can much more easily arrive at the killing defense. That's the major lesson in this book - counting, and Kelsey does a magnificent job of teaching it!



2. This is a book for good defenders. If you don't defend well, you need to learn how to defend before you read this.
   
   Kelsey teaches you to practice defending well. And that means counting to 13, over and over and over again. And it helps. If you are indeed a good defender, this will help make you a very good defender.
   
   The 15 pages on opening leads helped me more than the rest of the book combined. Right after reading the chapter, I played in a bridge tournament. Declarer had bid both majors and dummy had picked hearts, a suit I held A-x in. I immediately led the low heart, stopping declarer from ruffing spades while maintaining control, and setting the contract. It was almost exactly the hand Kelsey had shown on page 61!
   
   That's the good thing about this book. There's plenty of examples that are very similar to what you'll find in actual play. It improved my defensive play noticeably.



3. There are many very good books on Defense. This is still one of the best. A nice set of topics and problems. A few of the problems use bidding that wouldn't be mainstream today and thus are less likely to be solved.
   
   The book focuses on visualization, rather than preventing a Criss Cross Squeeze (though there is a chapter in squeeze defense).



4. This classic bridge book is a must for every serious bridge player who wants to advance to the next level. It is not for beginners, and even intermediate players could find its concepts a bit too advanced. But for the bridge player who is seeking to reach the expert or near expert level, it is required reading. It focuses on the hardest aspect of bridge play, defense. The theme throughout is that counting the number of cards that declarer and partner hold in the four suits is a requirement for good defense. The hands are excellent examples of how to do this. The book is well written and interesting. It is one of the top bridge books of all time.



5. This book is what took me out of the novice ranks to the advanced. Most of the experts and world class players I know will tell you the same thing. Defense being half the game is vital to a good well rounded player.
   Set up in a match format, the narrator has the mis?fortune to defend on every hand. Kelsey, widely regarded as one of the best bridge writers ever, sets the play and poses a problem for you to solve. They will seem tough, especially to beginners. But as you solve them you are on your way to much higher levels of play. I am a very high level player now, but I still enjoy revisiting this classic on occasion.
   Note: If you aspire to high level tournament play, this is an essential.

1 comments about Introduction to Declarers Play.

1. This is the best introduction to declarer's play. Not in depth, but you MUST know what's here before you can progress to the next level. After you are done you can read the introduction to defence by the same author. However, to get to expert level in declarer play and defence, you have to read "Card Play Technique" by Victor Mollo.

4 comments about The Complete Book on Balancing in Contract Bridge.

1. Superb! This book has helped my game (particularly match-point pairs, but also IMP Swiss teams) immensely. Read it 5 times and insist your partners read it. Don't let your opponents read it.



2. Lawrence is probably the best writer on the game of bridge today. All his books are world class, but this is one of his best. Balancing is rarely discussed in bridge books, but presents difficult problems. Using the same style he used in "The Complete Book of Hand Evaluation," Lawrence examines all the common balancing situations. He discusses hand evaluation, planning a balancing auction, and common understandings (and misunderstandings). Lawrence's tone is never dogmatic: the emphasis is on specific examples and how to analyze situations rather than on mechanical rules. Where there is a choice of methods, he says so, discusses examples, the consensus approach, and his personal reference. Where a problem has no good solution, he does something unusual for a writer about games, he says so! Anything by Mike Lawrence is worth the money!



3. I just complete reading this book today. Even though now it's 21st century, this book stands well. You can find every situation you 'll encounter at the bridge table everyday. The dangerous and safe suits theory is one of the only two ways you should follow in auctions. It will enable you not losing your IMPs, MPs or even money. Trsut me, not those specular or fantasic declare's plays make you win, but those competitive biddings and solid defenses make you win. If you want to be a winner at table, buy this one and Mike's another book 'Complete book on Overcall'. Of course, 'To bid or not to bid','Kantar teaches Modern Denfese' and 'Kantar teaches Advanced Defense' also will make you a winner. And those classic 'Abbott' series just can amuse you and won't make you a winner.



4. The definitive book on when to keep the bidding open.