[han]

areaks, on Jun 26 2008, 01:41 AM, said:

Have finished "Why you loose at bridge" by Skid Simon. An entertaining and well written book, but unless you play rubber bridge at a club not that useful. Some good bridge tips, but again, mostly geared towards rubber bridge. I don't even think rubber bridge clubs exist in Norway, so not so relevant for me. Written for intermediates.

I think you have this wrong. Many of the lessons in the book are useful to all forms of bridge. I also think it is written for more advanced players as well.

[ArcLight]

Test Your Match Play - Hugh Kelsey. Very good intermediate + (more like advanced) level book on play problems. A few of the hands use outdated bidding that may fool you (I was surprised at the holding of declarer on a couple of hands), but in general these are very nice hands. They involve more than just counting and technique, they involve visualization and imagining how the play will go. One negative - Kelsey admitted that he reused some problems in his other books (Test Your Declarer play 1-6). I recognized a couple of problems, since I just read his test your declarer play books. Still a great book and worth buying.


Master Class - Ron Klinger - excerpts of material from many of his other books. If you have read some of books this is just a reprint of taht material. If you haven't read his books you may find some of the chapters intereting and want to read his other books. Intermediate level or below.


Tips for better bridge - Bernard Magee. Collection of tips for beginner/ low intermediate players. Decent material on a wide range of subjects, from bidding to play.


The bridge player's bible - Julian Pottage. Beginner / low intermediate, a collection of tips, covers an assortment of topics. I found the pages a little hard to read becaus eof the way the hands were presented.


Bridge in the Fourth Dimension: More Keys to Winning Bridge Play from Victor Mollo's Bridge Club - Victor Mollo While not quite as funny/entertain ing as the first book in the series (Bridge in the Menagerie) the hands are still very good. They really get into bridge psycology with respect to how you would play against different levels of player.
For example - there is one hand where you can ruff a suit declarer is running.
Should you do so?
1 - why did Declarer not drawing trumps first? Its becaus ehe doesnt know the location of the Q.
2. Would you ruff from Qxx? That would allow declerer to play A then K and drop your Q. It may expose pards Q if you ruff from xx. Against different skill levels you may act differently. Lots of if this then this cases.

[ArcLight]

How Good is Your Bridge - Danny Roth

Pretty good intermediate (and beginner) level book. Its a collection of declarer and defense problems. Nothing you wont have seen if you have read other problem books, but still a good collection for Intermediates (and beginners).

I think I missed 1 or 2 declarer play problems (and got minor deductions for other things). One of the problems I missed was playing for a squeze when a ruffing finesse was a better play. This book might only have a couple of squeezes so no one should feel intimidated. I think it was Pottages Clues from the Bidding (which I didnt like) where it seemed like half the hands are double squeezes.

On defense I missed a number (perhaps my success rate would be in the 80-90% range). Some of the problems I thought could have gone either ways and didn't think the authors solution was clearly the best. His assumed layout did not have to be the only reasonable one. Still, the problems were good.

In general I like Danny Roth books. The cover says "Intermediate" and I recommend it for beginner/intermediates.


I'm also reading Kelseys 4 books on Squeeze play. I just finished the first one - The simple squeeze. I have already read a couple of books on squeze play (Reese Squuezes made simple and Birds Squeeze Play for everyone - both EXCELLENT). I enjoyed this book and the explanations. In addition the author covers squeeeze defense in depth. And there are 20 problems, both defender and declarer.

My only quibble is some squeezes are uncommon and while interesting to read about, I would like the author to mention that. Not knowing how to do a Criss Cross squeeze is far less costly than not knowing how to do a simple squeeze.


Overall I found the book worthwhile and recommend it, but I think the Birdand Reese books should be read first. Eventually I will try rereading Clyde Loves book on Squeezes.

[pclayton]

I just received an order from Amazon.

1. Masterpieces of Defensive Play - Pottage. You have to get this. Its the same format as his Masterpieces of Declarer Play. Although I'm getting most of these the first time through, I'm learning a lot from the ones I can't get. Only one or two of the problems do I feel are concocted, and the analysis is superb. Solid A.

2. Card Play Technique - Mollo / Gardner. I'm jumping around this and I will pilfer this to death for lessons. I think the examples are better than Watson's for a club player who is trying to get better. My copy is a hardbound 2nd edition from 1957.

3. Off Road Declarer Play - Bird. . New book for me.

4. Blocking / Unblocking - Reese / Trezel (slowly replacing all of the books I lent / lost / were Kimied when I was 25).

5. More Killing Defense - Kelsey (can't find my old copy)

6. Bridge Play from A to Z - Coffin (lost for 20 years)

7. All you need to know about Play - Reese / Bird. haven't read this one before.

[ArcLight]

pclayton, on Aug 15 2008, 11:16 AM, said:

I just received an order from Amazon.

1. Masterpieces of Defensive Play - Pottage. You have to get this. Its the same format as his Masterpieces of Declarer Play. Although I'm getting most of these the first time through, I'm learning a lot from the ones I can't get. Only one or two of the problems do I feel are concocted, and the analysis is superb. Solid A.

2. Card Play Technique - Mollo / Gardner. I'm jumping around this and I will pilfer this to death for lessons. I think the examples are better than Watson's for a club player who is trying to get better. My copy is a hardbound 2nd edition from 1957.

3. Off Road Declarer Play - Bird. . New book for me.

4. Blocking / Unblocking - Reese / Trezel (slowly replacing all of the books I lent / lost / were Kimied when I was 25).

5. More Killing Defense - Kelsey (can't find my old copy)

6. Bridge Play from A to Z - Coffin (lost for 20 years)

7. All you need to know about Play - Reese / Bird. haven't read this one before.

Phil,

I've read all of them except for the Coffin book and and they are all good books.

I usually check Carl Ritners website www.carlritner.com or www.campusi.com
( THE BEST book search engine).


My notes on: All you need to know about play FROM 12/2005 ARE
-Solid book on basic card play. Doesn’t have advanced techniques. Instead concentrates on combinations and other fundamentals.


Pottages book is very good.

Blocking and Unblocking offers good coverage, its just a bit dry, but studying technique can be dry.

Off Road Declarer play is a very good book, though at your level you are surely familiar with its contents.

I found Card Play Technique by Mollo a great book and not dry at all. I think for lessons you might also want to look at Klingers Card Play Made Easy Series (1 - 4).

[mike777]

2007 World Bridge Championships. Brian Senior. 336pp.
Grade=A
Level=General Interest

Another solid book based on the World Championships. This one covers 2007 in Shanghai. The 38th Bermuda Bowl and 16th Venice Cup along with 4th Seniors and 6th World Transnational Open Teams Championship. A book players at all levels will enjoy.

[helene_t]

Virtual European Championships, part 1 by Krzysztof Martens

You declare 170 hands during a fictive European Championships. The opening lead and sometimes one or two more plays are given. Make your plan. Depending whether your plan is winning or not, you may gain or lose some IMPs (the result at the other table is given).

It is quite tough. The hands are categorized at four different levels, but to me there seems to be little correlation between category and difficulty.

The intermediate player will miss some explanations of why a particular play was necessary. For example it is assumed that one knows how a safety play will look like in a particular combination. So the book is probably more suitable for players with slightly better knowledge of declarer play than mine.

All in all a very enjoyable and useful book. The English translation is not so good.

[ArcLight]

Partnership Bidding - Robson + Segal

I liked this book more the second time reading it.
Having more experience helps!

I remember Slothy making a comment years ago about reading this book at the right time in his career. I had not read it at the right time the first time.
This was teh right time.

Are these ideas widely used (outside of a few in the forum) - such as the fit bids and jumps?

I especially liked the chapter on presure bidding.


Recommended for partnerships with some experience. You don't need to be experts, but it helps having a few years of experience.

[DJNeill]

Modern Constructive Bidding. Marshall Miles.

This was a continuation of his earlier Competitive Bidding in the 21st Century which reviewed well, but more on the uncontested auction.

The topics necessarily are more well-trod than those of the other book so it does not break a whole lot of new ground for a seasoned player. It kind of rambles through modern 2/1 and explains the motives for treatments used by tournament regulars, about the level of complexity of Washington Standard. The author has some original ideas, particularly on strong 1C and 2C responses. But overall there is not much useful here for anyone that reads Bridge World.

In my opinion, the author's style is consistent in the books I have read. For people new to Miles it is a little dry, no CAPS or catch-phrases or rules of <number>. He tends not to be exhaustive but presents an argument for each treatment and moves on, as if he were talking to himself. It would be interesting to discuss bridge with him (probably not with Mike Lawrence but his books are the best by far).

[han]

Quote

It would be interesting to discuss bridge with him (probably not with Mike Lawrence but his books are the best by far).

I happened to sit down next to Mike Lawrence for breakfast in Vegas. He noticed my convention card so we started talking about bridge. It was fun.

[benlessard]

Ax
KJ9xx
x
Axxxx


JTx
Txx
AQxx
KQJx

Ive played this last week and I owe 99% of the imps to Kelsey.

4H you get a tiny club for lead.

[lordorange]

Killing Defence at Bridge by H.Kelsey.

A good book for intermediate level players who'll learn about counting, signals and planning their play to improve their game. My copy is dated 1997 and has a foreword by Ron Klinger stating that he reads and re-read it several times each year. This makes me wonder whether he found the same mistakes that I found or that he just didn't bother to correct them. I found about 10 of them, which is not that much considering the total hands in the book, but still someone needs to address them.

Let's look at page 47 where there is the following hand:

---

You are East and your partner leads ♣4 to your king and South plays the seven. How should you continue? Kelsey's analyse that South must hold 5/5 in spades and diamonds and two clubs. He suggests a forcing play and continues with ♣ ace and a small club. This is all correct, but then he remarks " With West holding the eight of trumps there is no way for South to make eleven tricks after a third round of clubs"

I'm sorry but I beg to differ..... can you see how South makes? (By means of clear plan with a high percentage of success)

Henry

[lordorange]

Killing Defence at Bridge

On page 150 there is another hand that needs correction.

---

South is in 6♥ and receives the lead of ♣K. The 2 is played from the dummy, your partner plays the three and declarer the five. How do you continue? Kelsey correctly concludes that declarer can make his contract by trump reduction and let you lead your trump 5 to beat the contract.

But why did declarer throw away the contract at trick 1 and there is no mention of it?

Declarer can see that the contract is solid but a club trick and a possible 4/1 in trumps. He should therefore play on trump reduction and use the club as exit card in an endplay. So, in your mind, take trick 1 with the ace and play ♦ace. cross to ♥Q and play a diamond for a ruff. Cash ♥ace and cross to ♠J. play a diamond for another ruff, play ♥ A and back to ♠K. Play another diamond and ruff again. Now you have K and 10 of hearts left with a small club. Just exit with the club and wait for the play into your hand. Simple to exercise in your mind and you can play in accordance.

Henry

[lordorange]

Killing Defence at Bridge by H.Kelsey

On page 130 this problem appears:

---

South opened a weak NT (12-14) and after 2♣ by North and 2♦ by South, North settles for 3NT. You are in the East seat and partner leads ♥J that takes the trick. West continues with ♥9 and you drop your Q under dummy's K. Declarer now plays ♦3 from dummy. how do you defend?
I like this problem and Kelsey's analyses. He let you play ♦K , play your last ♥ and West is left with the remaining hearts and an entry in ♦A. A clear example of killing defence

But put yourself in declarer's seat and your level is advanced or expert would you play the hand like that? In my opinion, after the first two tricks your trail of thoughts should be along the lines of: since East didn't play ♥Q on the lead, he must have 3 hearts and West has 5. There are 8 tricks for grabs, let's look at the diamonds. If I play a diamond and East takes, my heart stop will disappear and when west has the other top in diamonds and thus an entry, I can't make more.

What are my other chances? A 3-3 in clubs maybe, that can only be achieved when I run the spades and someone has to discard. Let's find out some more about the hand.

So, simply run your four card spade and watch the signs. On the lay of the cards, west will probably throw two clubs and you can exit from North with a small club underleading A and K. When you get in again with the ♥ace (or diamond) you simply take your three club tricks for contract.

Henry

[Trumpace]

lordorange, on Jan 12 2009, 07:29 AM, said:

Killing Defence at Bridge by H.Kelsey.

---

You are East and your partner leads ♣4 to your king and South plays the seven. How should you continue? Kelsey's analyse that South must hold 5/5 in spades and diamonds and two clubs. He suggests a forcing play and continues with ♣ ace and a small club. This is all correct, but then he remarks " With West holding the eight of trumps there is no way for South to make eleven tricks after a third round of clubs"

I'm sorry but I beg to differ..... can you see how South makes? (By means of clear plan with a high percentage of success)

Assuming contract is 5♦, I don't see a way for declarer to make more than 10 tricks. What did you have in mind?

[lordorange]

Sorry that I forgot to mention that the contract is 5♦, however it is deductable from the comments ( 8 of trumps with west and 11 tricks).
Have another good look and spend some time on it

Henry

[655321]

[Vilgan]

I don't see any route to 11 tricks after the club continuation.

Describe your plan?

[Vilgan]

I was looking at a list of recent bridge books, and a few interested me. If you have read any of the following books, a review would be much appreciated!

1) Gary Brown's Learn to Play Bridge. Thinking about giving this to a friend w/ spades experience but 0 bridge experience.

2) Stewart's World of Bridge

3) The Lone Wolff by Bobby Wolff

4) Duplicate Bridge at Home by Gitelman/Horton

Thanks for any comments/insights!

[ArcLight]

>) The Lone Wolff by Bobby Wolff


Pass

I did not care for it, and if one is unfamiliar with the people it will be even less interesting.