No comments about Acol Index.

No comments about Como Aprender a Jugar Al Bridge/ Learn How to Play Bridge.

1 comments about Robin Hood's Bridge Memoirs.

1. David Bird rightly received many plaudits for his fine series of books describing the Bridge playing antics of the fictional monks of St.Titus Abbey. His Robin Hood series appears to be an attempt to broaden the franchise and, as is often the case, he has brought in others to assist with this while still keeping the David Bird badge on the cover.

   In this book, many of the hands were devised by Tim Bourke with the author adding his humour and general style.

   This book follows the format of "The Bridge Adventures of Robin Hood" in that most of the hands described take place in a rubber bridge setting and they are of a different character to those of the Abbot series.

   I have two reservations about this book. The first is the general tone and quality of the humour. The jokes continue in the same vein as in the first book of the series. An example is the setting in which a bridge playing whore named "French Laura" is referred to as having "gone down" more times than her Bridge partner. I'm afraid that all of this wears a little thin over the course of a book.

   The second problem is the way that the settings are described. Of course, the legend of Robin Hood is far from being historical truth and the author must be given plenty of leeway but when he refers to real historical characters and events and misplaces them by 100 years it does work to break the suspension of disbelief necessary for full enjoyment of the book.

   Fans of the author's other humour run the risk of disappointment with this book.

   Because of those issues, I cannot really recommend this book it falls some way short of the standard of Bird's better known series and as bridge humour, it is below par.

No comments about A logological game of bridge.: An article from: Word Ways.

No comments about Bridge Pointers and Tests.

No comments about Bridge Deluxe II with Omar Sharif: Instruction Manual.

No comments about Positive Declarer's Play (Master Bridge Series).

1 comments about Everyone's Guide to the New Convention Card.

1. This book was written in 1994 to help players fill out the new convention card but the ACBL came out with a even newer card around 1999. If you have a current convention card and this book it won't work since they don't match. Plus there is very little meat in thos book. Bergen has so many better books available like Better Bidding With Bergen and Points Schmoints. Both are 5 star books. If you bought Better Bidding With Bergen volumes I and II, Points Schmoints, More Points Schmoints, and The Law of Total Tricks by Larry Cohen a partner of Bergen's you'd have a great duplicate bridge library.

No comments about The Bridge Party Hostess.

2 comments about Conventions at a Glance.

1. This booklet (which fits easily into any pocket or purse) is a good comprehensive guide to popular duplicate bridge conventions, and provides good defenses to those conventions as well. However, the descriptions (and continuations) of the conventions are insufficiently detailed -- perhaps it has to be that way in order for it to fit, but that's still a problem. The print of the booklet also leaves something to be desired.

   Pamela and Matthew Granovetter (co-authors of this work) are obviously well-knowledged in bridge and good writers. It would be great if one day they turn it into a full-blown work with the requisite details.




2. The Granovetters have written extensively about conventions and all other aspects of bridge. But in this volume they have distilled the essense of all the popular conventions down to convenient size. Not only do they briefly describe the convention and give 1 or 2 examples when needed, they also state how the convention should be defended against.
   
   The quick reference guide is particularly usefull to me now that I play so much on the internet. I play with and against many people, some of which play or discuss conventions that I either don't know or haven't used in a while. The pamphlet is right by my side. The conventions are arranged alphabetically by convention title, so I rifle the book and get right to the applicable page. I can literally scan down the section and absorb the material between the time my partner bids and it is my turn to respond. This would be illegal in a face to face tournament, but in the privacy of one's home, it is only a minor fault.
   
   The only reason I withhold a star is that I have run up against 1 or 2 conventions that are not included.
   
   It is not fair to fault this little guide as not being more definitive because that is not its purpose. I have many books in my library that I can pull out and read, in detail, everything I could ever want to know about a convention. This handy pocket guide is for the 1 minute take on the topic. At that task, it is exceptional.
   
   If you want to buy a copy, contact the Granovetters at matt@BridgeToday.com