[flytoox]

keylime, on Dec 19 2004, 03:03 AM, said:

Ben,

As dear of friend as you are to me, I can't agree with your choice.

By far, the most complete bridge texts of books by category:

Bidding: The Godffrey Series by Rosenkranz. Great story wrapped around the Romex methodology, with great treatments, science, and goodies.

Play: Watson's classic Play of the Hand. Still sells. Enough said. Close 2nd to Reese on Play.

Defense: A Switch in Time by the Granovetters. Easily understood, increases accuracy, and the negative inferences are great.

Misc: This one is tough. Many good candidates fall into here.

Regarding def. I would say Kelsey's Killing def. is much better. Or let's agree to disagree:)

[luke warm]

if i had to choose one it would be the 2 volume 'better bidding' books by bergen...

[jahol]

Although I do no belong to the world class players, I could read most of books mentioned here. These books are immensely valuable for level by level improving skills of sensitive and smart bridge player. They are great.

But bridge book should be ALSO (not only) a big fun. From this point of view, reading of Burn&Zia's "Around the world in 80 hands" has been fantastic experience for me. This book is real bridge beletry, I would say almost bridge poetry, still keeping potential to improve your skills....

[han]

I read my first bridge book about 4 years ago, and now I must have read close to a hunderd. Here are some of the books that made a big impression on me:

Points Schmoints, by Marty Bergen. This was the second book I read. Great for beginners, especially to get you hooked! Better bidding by Bergen is good, but I'd say for intermediate players, not beginners.

Total tricks books by Larry Cohen. Read this in my first year of playing bridge. It really changed the way I thought about bridge. Another usefull book by Cohen: Bidding Challenge, 140 tough hands to bid with your partner, plus comments from Larry. I would recommend this one for anybody with a regular partner, no matter how good or bad you are.

Quiz books. I read as many as I can, and often reread them. There are books available at any level, by many different authors.

Books by Mike Lawrence. I really enjoy his books, especially his "over my shoulder" books/cd's.

Play books by Reese or Kellsey are great.

Finally there are of course "the bridge world" articles, a must read for any serious player.

[mycroft]

May not be the "best book", and probably horrible as a present, because everybody has a copy, but when I asked my (Junior WBF Bronze Medallist) teacher "what should I read next", his response was

"If you haven't read 'Why You Lose at Bridge', you have to."

Okay, if you play matchpoint duplicate all the time with regular partners, it won't help - much. But there are still money games out there, and in order to get a good regular partnership, you have to play pickup enough to get your name known.

And I have seen every one of the mistakes Simon pointed out - 50 years ago - at the table in the last 5 years - by "expert"s. So there are good players out there who haven't read it...

Plus, it's an absolute joy to read - and reread.
Michael.

[keylime]

Almost forgot about Kelsey's text; may have to reconsider.

[AceOfHeart]

All the Hideous Hog books by Victor Mollo.

Maybe just cos i like reading story books.

[slothy]

inquiry, on Dec 16 2004, 09:33 AM, said:

...Can't imagine ever findng them before that. Gotten better at elopment, manage a couple of backwash squeezes...

Ben

Alas Ben.....there will be many a wary husband at your local bridge club!!

To try and be thewiussss

I cant understand some of the opinions in this thread who say that Adventures In Card Play is a totally impractical book. Yes, it may harbour deals that are unlikely to be duplicated at your table and even if they were that you would have the resources (mainly time) to adopt strategies and ploys recommended in the book.

This in no way diminishes the merit and worthiness of the book. To me it is infused with an undefinable quality that makes us understand and appreciate why some of us regard this game with utter wonderment and astonishment - and perhaps be taken down a peg or two and smacked with the humility of recognising that we always have something to learn.

It was ground-breaking and it is this alone, as is the case so often, which makes it stand out as a classic. I remember reading the book and it inspired me to take the game a bit more seriously. To me it is similar to suggesting that Thomas Aquinas' books had no impact on moral philosophy (as someone once commented no Thomas Aquinas was NOT a line-backer for the Green Bay Packers hee hee) During his life-time and the following century he was snubbed and denigrated by his intellectual peers but his works became one of the corner-stones for modern moral philosophy.

My copy of AICP has more dog-ears than '101 Dalmatians' and more food-stains than a chef's apron...

Good bidding books are hard to come by, some just regurgitating the same material over and over again. I found Rado's recommendation 'Partnership bidding at bridge - Robson/Seagal' a classic . Perhaps i read it at a fortuitous time in my bridge evolution and the whole emphasis on meaningful and accurate bidding in a competitive auction makes it unique IMHO. It is a book to be read as a partnership!

[Double !]

One book that hasn't yet been mentioned is "All Fifty-Two Cards" by Marshall Miles, 1963 ($1.20---talk about inflation). An excellent book for learning how to think for those of us for who need it. Kelsey"s Advanced Play at Bridge and Killing Defense at Bridge, as well as Reese/Jourdain's "Squeeze Play Made Easy" are also excellent IMO--add in Master Play. Now, if I could just remember what cards have been played............

[luke warm]

i ran across a very good little book by ron klinger... the cover says it's for intermediates... if this is so, a lot of us need to reevaluate ourselves imho... i recommend this for all but the true experts out there, although i told one of my favorite partners, who is an expert, one of the things i'd learned from this book and he hadn't heard of it... so do yourselves a favor and buy it... it's 'better bridge with a better memory'... don't let that title throw you, it's chock full of very good tips... here's one, called the rule of 12

if you're playing on a suit, trumps or otherwise, of 8, 9, or 10 card fit and you're missing the king (or K, Q in some cases), and you aren't sure whether or not to lead high from dummy and let it ride or low to tenace in hand, do this... add the total cards to the number of your internal sequence (using both hands)... if the total is 12 or more, it's safe to lead the high card.. examples

---

there are 8 cards between the two hands... the internal sequence contained in the two is 3 (Q, J, T)... 8+3=11... this means it isn't safe to lead the Q or 10 from dummy, lead low to the J (assuming in all cases enough entries)... leading the Q can lose if the K is stiff on your right

---

here there are 8 cards held... the internal sequence totals 4 (QJT9)... 8+4=12, so it's safe to lead the Q (or 9) from dummy

yeah maybe this one is simple to you, but i'd never heard of this "rule"... and nobody i've spoken to has heard of it either... this is just one of many very practical tips i've found

[pclayton]

I taught myself the game somewhat by reading books, but also old Bridge Worlds. A friend's dad had close to 100 from the 50's 60's and 70's that I think I read and re-read close to 20 times each. Amazingly I haven't subscribed in close to 15 years, but just renewed.

SO guess what the Mrs. just got me for Christmas? 2002, 2003 and 2004 all bound. What a gal . She collects Lladros so its a nice exchange.

I intend to build up my collection as much as possible over the coming years. If you know of anyone that wants to sell their library, drop me a line.