[CarlRitner]

Card Play Made Easy is still available directly through Ron Klinger's website at AU$21.95 or about US$16.50 and he'll be happy to sign it for you. Please don't be taken in by the internet book scalpers on ABE and other book sites.

I have sold two of these used in the last year at $5.75 each.

Cheers,
Carl Ritner

ACBL Used Bridge Books and Magazines

[mike777]

Clues From the Bidding at Bridge. 2nd edition, Julian Pottage. 2005. 16.95$. 152 pp.
Grade=A-
Intermediate/Advanced

A terrific book. One or two page play problems. Most of the book is focused on counting and visualizing the hands. When it sticks to this theme I give the book an A+. In the second half Mr. Pottage starts to discuss advanced/expert levels of declarer play technique on some hands.

For the intermediate or advancing player I strongly recommend this book. This is my favorite Pottage book.

[FrancesHinden]

I haven't read every post in this thread, so apologies if this is a repeat.
I like reading the world championship books. They are very good value per hand.

My particular favourite is the write up by Erik Kokish of the 1995(?) USA-Canada final, because he describes his thought processes on many of the deals as well as giving more info on what went on at the other table. A fascinating insight into real expert thinking.

I wish other top players could spend more time explaining why they did particular things at the table, but sadly bridge journalism doesn't really pay.

[ArcLight]

Could someone describe the World Championship books in detail?
Is it a card by card description of the play, and the probably thought process behind the play and bidding? Sort of like Reese's "Play These Hands With Me"?


>Clues From the Bidding at Bridge. 2nd edition, Julian Pottage
>A terrific book. One or two page play problems. Most of the book is focused on counting and visualizing the hands. When it sticks to this theme I give the book an A+. In the second half Mr. Pottage starts to discuss advanced/expert levels of declarer play technique on some hands.

Maybe I should give it another chance. I read about a third of it and didn't like it.
Maybe "Clues From the Bidding" is an Advanced book, not an Intermediate book?
I thought some of the clues were a bit flimsy. I wonder if the emphasis was on "creating clever hands" rather than teaching realistic and practical deductive reasoning.
The declarer play in Pottages book was certainly advanced, not intermediate.

I much prefer other similar books on deductive reasoning/visualization by:
Mike Lawrence
Eric Jannersten (Card Reading)
Andrew Kambites (Card Placing for You)
Al Dormer (Dormer on Deduction)
Hugh Kelsey (Logical Bridge Play)

Marshall Miles has a couple of books that I havent read (All 52 Cards, and Inferences at Bridge).

[luke warm]

mike777, on Feb 10 2006, 02:50 PM, said:

Clues From the Bidding at Bridge. 2nd edition, Julian Pottage. 2005. 16.95$. 152 pp.
Grade=A-
Intermediate/Advanced

A terrific book. One or two page play problems. Most of the book is focused on counting and visualizing the hands. When it sticks to this theme I give the book an A+. In the second half Mr. Pottage starts to discuss advanced/expert levels of declarer play technique on some hands.

For the intermediate or advancing player I strongly recommend this book. This is my favorite Pottage book.

bought it, agree, thanks

[CarlRitner]

ArcLight, on Feb 11 2006, 12:10 PM, said:

Could someone describe the World Championship books in detail?

I'm not going to do it here, since I've already arranged for you to receive a copy for your review. Your thread here is highly beneficial for all of the members, and you would be the best one to capture just what the championship books are all about. So, it's on the way.

I have several years available, both listed on my website and unlisted (getting ready to do that soon

Cheers,

Carl Ritner
ACBL Library Bridge Books & Magazines

[mike777]

The Complete Book on Hand Evaluation in Contract Bridge
Mike Lawrence. 9.95$ 1983. 194p.
Grade=B

Reread this book after more than two decades. It is full of many high level ideas. It is written in a textbook style and is a bit dry and lacks much of Mike's usual droll humor. Great reference book to read and reread but the casual player may get more out of a Tips style book.

Another solid book by Mike Lawrence. "One of the most important things in any endeavor is the accumulation of experience and the ability to learn from it" A. Sheinwold.

This book has something for players of all levels. Mike explains how the value of card combinations varies from sequence to sequence. Will have you thinking about boxes and shell points that add to one's bridge lingo.

Next up on my bridge book reading list is the book I know all you forum readers/bashers have been waiting for Picture Bidding by Al Roth .

[joshs]

My Favorite All Around Bridge Book:
Matchpoints- Kit Woolsey

Best Books for Advancing Players:
Watson- The Play of the Cards
Kelsey- Killing Defense
Lawrence-How to Read the Opponents Cards, Openings Leads

Also definitely worth reading:
Play Bridge with Mike Lawrence
Partnership Bidding - Robson/Segal
Partnership Defense - Woolsey

Expert Level Bridge Books:
For Experts Only- Granovetters
Bridge in the Managerie-Mollo ( Very entertaining)
Master Play in Contract Bridge-Reese
Squeeze Play-Reese
Bridge with the Blue Team

[MickyB]

Good choices Josh, Matchpoints is amazing. I think that Killing Defence is aimed at a higher level than your other "advancing" books.

[CarlRitner]

joshs, on Feb 24 2006, 03:11 PM, said:

My Favorite All Around Bridge Book:

Partnership Bidding - Robson/Segal

Partnership Bidding is a fantastic book, and out of print. However, you can download this book in PDF format from my bridge book website for free.

Downloads available from CarlRitner.com

This is with the author's permission. There's also the free source code to Easy Bridge by Steve Han. I make both of these available to all as a courtesy. Thanks

Carl Ritner
ACBL Library Used Bridge Books & Magazines

[joshs]

MickyB, on Feb 24 2006, 02:15 PM, said:

Good choices Josh, Matchpoints is amazing. I think that Killing Defence is aimed at a higher level than your other "advancing" books.

Yeah it is. The empasis is on logic and not signals or rules, so that makes it hard.

[SteelWheel]

How about this book (now sadly out of print)?

"Enterprising Tales" by Marc Smith. Tells the story of Captain Quirk, Mr. Sprock, and a bunch of other characters, some "Star Trek"-inspired, some based on real-life bridge personalities, as they compete in some of the top-level bridge tournaments of the 23rd century.

Lots of fun, some very interesting high-level play. I re-read this one every now and again--I'm just a sucker for the Star Trek spoof thing, I guess. If you like Victor Mollo and that sort of thing, you'll like this one.

Anyone want to try to play "Vulcan Variable Pass" sometime?

[CarlRitner]

SteelWheel, on Feb 27 2006, 03:53 AM, said:

How about this book (now sadly out of print)?

"Enterprising Tales" by Marc Smith.

I have exactly one of these left. I am not familiar with the publisher, Damien Inc. out of Clifton, New Jersey, so the odds of this being re-released are pretty slim.

I have sold copies of this to Trekkies who don't know the first thing about bridge.

Cheers,

Carl Ritner
ACBL Library Used Bridge Books & Magazines

[mike777]

Picture Bidding by Al Roth, 1991, 24.95$ 317p.
Grade=A+

A great book and a fun read. Five card majors, forcing NT, weak two bids, unusual nt, negative doubles, all invented by Al Roth. Ok save the responses if you think someone else invented them .

Picture jumps, mini splinters, mark-time bids, four clubs slam try over preempts and much much more.

Even if your style is the complete opposite of super sound opening bids and his constructive style of bidding this book should make your present style of bidding clearer to you.

[ArcLight]

1980 World Bridge Team Olypiab - edited by Henry Francis

I had never seen one of these books before, and got this as part of a recent book order. Very interesting book. Selected hands from each round are analyzed. With discussion of the bidding and play. I especially enjoyed the photographs of the various players. Funny how Bob Hamman looked younger 26 years ago.
I wouldn't mind having more of these books. They are specialized and a bit more expensive than most Bridge paperbacks, but they contain a great deal of hands and effort by the editors.

I got this from Carl Ritner (http://www.carlritner.com/) he sells books and magazines from the ACBL. I've bought quite a few older books from him, all for great prices.

[ArcLight]

Passed Hand Bidding by Mike Lawrence.

Great intermediate level book. Lots of examples with clear expnations on bidding and its purpose. Such as: The nature of 4th seat bids, 3rd seat bids and preempts, extensive coverage of Drury and many bidding sequences, strong Jump Shifts by the Passed hand (yes they can happen once in a while with: 4 card support, a stiff, and a good other 5 card suit), difference bewteen a Drury response and a Limit raise by the passed hand, passed hand splinters (at the 3 level). Also sections on judgment - look at the nature of your hand to decide how to respond, don't just count HCP.

(I don't have the book in front of me or I'd list some interesting sequences and hands.)

[mike777]

The Secrets of Winning Bridge. Jeff Rubens. 1969. 241pp.
7.68$ including shipping and handling. Price in 1969=1.95$
Grade=A+
For the average player.

Reread this book after more than 30 years.

While this terrific book is written for the average player experts will find interesting topics such as the safety play at MP.

The first half of the book is about hand evaluation. The small section on in-and-out evaluation is priceless. "It is better to have your secondary honors in partner's suit(s) and your primary values outside."

Last half of book is on play technique at various forms of the game, rubber, imp, mp and etc.

Must have book for your bridge library, a classic.

[ArcLight]

Advanced Bridge Defense by Eddie Kantar. What agreat book. It covers so much in a single book. The first volume (Modern Bridge Defense) covers carding and signaling. This covers things like:
* Clues from the bidding - counting shape and HCP
* Clues from the opening lead
* Clues from the play - You lead the K from KQJT Dummy has a stiff, declarere sins, and ruffs one rund. Then pulls trumps. He has no more losers in that suit, so you can discard.
* Clues from discards - signaling
* technique and deception - surround plays, mandatory false cards, leading low from AKx when you need 3 tricks

The reader is shown a large number of hands and taken through the thinking process on how to solve the hands, based on the clues available.
Some of the hands require making an assumption, like pard has AJx

Excellent Intermediate/Advanced book. I rate it an A.

This was the third Bridge book I ever read, and at the time I didnt think much of it. Now reading it 2 years later, with much more experience I can really appreciate it. If you are a beginner I suggest reading Roots How to Defend a Bridge Hand. Then after you feel comfortable, try Kantars 2 volume set.


The Secrets of Winning Bridge by Jeff Rubens is a great book. In addition to the Hand Evaluation it has good sections on bidding close games, and long vs short suit game tries. The only outdated part (from what I remember) is Rubens was mocking Blackwood and preferred Culbertsons ace asking system (4-5?).

[mike777]

Opening Leads. Mike Lawrence. 1996. 289pp. 19.95$
Grade=A+

Yet another terrific book by Mike. A must book in everyone's bridge library. Great read or use it as a reference book for those tough lead decisions. This book is intended to help you make good leads and cut down on bad ones.

[ArcLight]

How to Read Your Opponents Cards by Mike Lawrence.

I reread it after doing Mikes COUNTING AT BRIDGE 1 & 2 CDs.
Great book for Intermediate and beginner level players, though the CDs are better. One thing that strikes me is some of the inferences would be harder to draw today with lighter opening bids.

For instance, how would you bid this as South, Red on Red at Imps.

East deals and passes, you hold:
♠ A 7
♥ T 8 7 6 5 3 2
♦K 5
♣ K 2

Maybe I'm totally wrong but why not open 1♥?

If pard has: x you will probably lose 3 hearts, with xx 2 or 3. With anything more 2 or fewer hearts.

Unlike other books on Deductive Reasoning, this one includes a chapter on "tells". That is reading opponents hestiations, quick plays, and other non-tempo plays.