[flytoox]

ArcLight, on Aug 9 2005, 01:02 PM, said:

The Forcing Pass in Contract Bridge by Eddie Kantar in 1983

Broad and deep coverage, though not a fun read as it was detailed and technical.
Worth reading for advanced players and experienced partnerships. Your partner must read it too. You will need to highlight it, or make a lot of notes are there are many situations and sequences covered.

(Its available for $6 + $2 direct from www.kantarbridge.com)

Does anyone know if I can get it in UK?

Cheers


Hongjun

[Double !]

try the website. all sorts of Kantar stuff there including a section called "Ideas". Worth looking at IMO.

[ArcLight]

Matchpoint Tricks by Axelsen B., Villy Dam 2004 Master Point Press


Should really be titled "Overtricks - how to find them" as it has almost nothing to do with Matchpoint play. There are 58 declarer problems and the reader must figure out the best way to generate over tricks. Unlike a typical matchpoint decision where you risk your contract on a 68% chance of getting an over trick, these contracts are almost all safe. Some of the solutions are clever, but none require extremely complicated technique (there is 1 criss-cross squeeze, 2 simple squeezes, a trump coup, and maybe a few other interesting plays).
These are no where near as hard as some of Kelseys "Test Your XXX" problems.

A good ingtermediate level book, with some good ideas, its worth reading.

[laughter]

Fit for a King, Brock & Rigal, 2000
Grade=B+

A good collection of hands nominated for BOLS Brilliancy in the 70s and early 80s, filled with some biographical details about the players and reporters.

The bridge analysis is quite accurate and succinct, while the deals are mostly interesting. What I like best about the book is photos/stories of players.

The authors tried to categorize the hands in 4 parts, the opening, middlegame, endgame and the whole caboodle, according to the challenging parts of the hand, matching a similar practice in chess. Imo, these category are quite artificial, as there are no common themes among the hands. But still it does no harm to the presentation.

[JSilver]

I thought of another book I'd like to recommend. I'm not sure of the precise title. (It's in a box somewhere, since I moved my residence.) Anyway, it's on preemptive bidding, written by Ron Anderson and Sabine Zenkel (now Auken). Oh, yeah--Preempts from A to Z! The authors' main point is that, regardless of whether your partnership plays disciplined or undisciplined preempts, it's important to know what bids mean and how to follow them up. They explore a number of situations and various conventions for preemptive bids and defenses against them. Another fairly thorough treatment of a topic seldom elaborated in the run of bidding texts.

[CarlRitner]

It's actually Ron Andersen, and it's a fantastic book. It explains what a "disciplined" preempt is and when it's important to stick to your partnership agreements (usually), and when it's safe to deviate. The followup sequences are valuable information, and the overall section of theory and approach explain why the preemptor's job is 99% done in one bid.

I have a spare copy of this book every once in a while. I almost always have "Fit For A King" available, but I've never read that one, so I cannot comment on the previous review. Obviously I enjoy this particular topic quite a lot, so feel free to ask me about books in general.

Cheers,

Carl Ritner
ACBL Library Books

[ArcLight]

World Class by Marc Smith 1999.

Entertaining short biographies of 26 palyers, including Fred, Meckstroth, Hamamn, Zia, Chagas, Garrozo. Each chapter has a few interesting hands. There are also numerous interesting stories, and general tips. I think Karen MCcallums chapter mentions that you should look at they players as they pick up their cards, to see if you can glean any knowledge about their hands. Supposedly Edgar Kaplan was poker faced and never gave anything away.

What I found most interesting was their view of the future of Bridge.
Many thought that Bridge becoming an Olympic "Sport" was a huge plus, but that something needed to be done to make it more spectator friendly. Some felt the ACBL was doing a horrible job at targeting new players.

Meckstroth, McCallum, and one of the Poles thought there should be fewer restrictions. Bobby Hamman thought there were too many conventions and the game is becoming too complex. Players are spending a great deal of time learning complicated systems without being good card players. And that these players win not because they are good players, but that they have surprised their opponents.

Another player mentioned that since bidding has become so developed and strong, there has a been a rise in destructive bidding, and he thinks that takes away from the game. On the other hand the Polish player didn't want restrictions, as he felt stifling innovation is bad.

One of the interesting things from the book is how many of the strong players fell into Bridge by accident.

A fun read, I rate it a B+. Id rate it higher if it covered more of the players that interested me.

[mike777]

Master Class, Fred Gitelman, 1995
Grade=B

17.95$ 207 pages.

Deals from Fred's internet bridge column series.

The book is a series of complicated play hands.
The last deal is his famous one from the recent team trials.
"If there is a persistant theme to the deals that appear in this book, it is the near infinite variety of what is possible in this great game of ours"

[ArcLight]

2/1 Workbook by Mike Lawrence 1987.

An important book if you play 2/1. What makes the book so valuable is its thoroughness in going over difficult promlems. The author doesn't just present his view, he presents the other view and explains why he likes his method better. But you are never forced to use his suggestions.

The book has a large number of hands and bidding sequences. This makes it slow going, but allows you and your partner to see if you are on the same wavelength.

I rate it an A.

[Chamaco]

ArcLight, on Aug 31 2005, 01:56 PM, said:

2/1 Workbook by Mike Lawrence 1987.

An important book if youy play 2/1.  What makes the book so valuable is its thoroughness in going over difficult promlems.  The author doesn't just present his view, he presents the other view and explains why he likes his method better.  But you are never forced to use his suggestions.

The book has a large number of hands and bidding sequences.  This makes it slow going, but allows you and your partner to see if you are on the same wavelength.

I rate it an A.

It's a good book.

I like even better "The uncontested auction", which basically is its followup: the reason is that in the Uncontested Auction there is a larger number of examples, which includes typical auction up to the 3rd round of bidding, and that's the best way to learn a system (and learn how ML evaluates the hands!)

[Chamaco]

MickyB, on Jul 28 2005, 09:44 PM, said:

I know little of Kelsey's book, but I understand that Woolsey's Matchpoints is the book to read on this topic - I found it to be excellent.

Woolsey discusses very little of card play technique and tactics at MP: it focuses 90% of the book on the bidding (and hand evaluation).

Kelsey has 3 sections that runs parallel throughout the book:
- Bidding
- Declarer play
- Defense

I found Woolsey's book to be more helpful in bidding, but the section on card play by Kelsey is great.

[Chamaco]

ArcLight, on Jul 4 2005, 11:52 PM, said:

How good is the pamphlet
The Forcing Pass in Contract Bridge by Eddie Kantar in 1983?
Where can I get a copy? (I searched Google and a book search engine for rare books and came up with nothing)

It is good "food for thought".

The organization is a bit lacking in my opinion, but there are lots of examples.
Expect the same style of explanation that Mike Lawrence uses, it might seem scattered at first, but after some rereads, you start to put the pieces together.

I wish there was more material on high-level decisions, because the area that I would like to improve most is when you must make a 5 or 6 level decision.

Overall, I think it's worth the price.
I found it used through bookfinder.com

[pigpenz]

A classic that has withstood the test of time is

"Bridge Squeezes Complete or Winning End Play Strategy"
Clyde E. Love

A+++++

[ArcLight]

I realize that "Bridge Squeezes Complete or Winning End Play Strategy"
by Clyde E. Love is considered a classic by many but I didn't care for it.

I think David Birds Bridge Squeezes for Everyone was much better. With many chapters and examples. Supposedly the Reese book on Squeezes is aslo good, and perhaps the Kelsey 4 volume set.

I suspect that the Love book gets attention because for a while it was the only long book on Squeezes. Being the first can give something "Classic" standing, even if itits later surpassed. Now that there are others I suggest that anyone interested in Squeezes look at:

1) Bridge Squeezes for Everyone - David Bird

then either

2) ?Squeeze Play Made Easy? by Reese
3) Hugh Kelseys books (4 volume set republished at one)

[Double !]

I found Reese and Jourdain's "Squeeze Play Made Easy" to be relatively easy to read and, for me, to comprehend. I recall, several weeks after reading the book, my excellent partner put me in 7NT on a hand, and I was able quickly to recognize the hand as a double squeeze (with the 2♣ as one of the threat cards for trick 13). It made 7. I still can't recognize nor time a crisscross to save my life, but after reading the Reese-Jourdain book, my declarer play did improve. In contrast, I experienced Clyde Love's book to be rather difficult to read. I eventually put it away after several unsuccessful attempts to grasp the material, and wound up feeling rather BLUE about the whole situation. I recommend the Reese-Jourdain book.

[pigpenz]

Jlall, on Aug 31 2005, 02:53 PM, said:

Loves book is pretty hardcore. It's a great book, tough to finish though.

yes but once you get through it its the best

[Chamaco]

pigpenz, on Aug 31 2005, 11:36 PM, said:

Jlall, on Aug 31 2005, 02:53 PM, said:

Loves book is pretty hardcore. It's a great book, tough to finish though.

yes but once you get through it its the best

Are you sure it's the best ?

In my opinion Love's book is overrated: I would suspect that its big reputation comes from the fact that, for a long time, it was the only book about squeezes readily available on the market .
So, it was a "classic" because it was virtually the only one !

But, out there, there are plenty of books , even older than Love's book , that are MUCH better organized.

Without having to think too much I can mention right away:

- Romanet's french book "Le squeeze au Bridge"
- 2 italian books from the 60's, by Giannuzzi, one specifically on squeezes ("La compressione nel bridge"), the other on elimination, endplays, and dealing also with squeezes/throwin (Eliminazioni e colpi")
- Hugh Kelsey's set of Bridge Squeezes
- Reese /Jourdain

and there are more (I am sure some fellow posters might add their likings to the above list).
All of these books explained in a much more detailed maner how to diagnose the possibility of the squeezes and how to prepare it: there are WHOLE chapters devoted to that, not just example hands.

Yes yes, I know the chapter of Love's on the "BLUE" requirements, but IMO this chapter is more superficial than the explanations given in any of the above books.

Ultimately, I think that Love's book earned the "classic" award only because there was no other books on the specific topic yet published (or sufficiently advertised) in english language on the market.

[ArcLight]

I suspect that there are a number of excellent Bridge books I've never heard of because they have never been translated to English. For example, Chamaco recommended to me the excellent book on No Trump play by Robert Berthe and Norbert Lebely. Unfortunately that is their only work in English (I think they are French).

Probably Bridge books don't sell as well these days as they used to, so there is little chance I'll ever get to read:

> Romanet's french book "Le squeeze au Bridge"

>- 2 italian books from the 60's, by Giannuzzi, one specifically on squeezes ("La compressione nel bridge"), the other on elimination, endplays, and dealing also with squeezes/throwin (Eliminazioni e colpi")

What are some of the classics that have NOT been translated to English?

[mike777]

Building A Bidding System, Hughes, R, 2005
17.95$ 148 pages.
Grade=B-

Not sure who the target market is for this book. System theorists will know most of this stuff and the rest of us will feel like we are reading a theory textbook.

From Author's Preface: "...this book is about: how to bid correctly to our own contracts while frustrating the aims of the enemy."

I did enjoy " A tour of the Systems World" chapter.