DESCRIPTIONS OF BRIDGE BOOKS
Preempts from A to Z (Andersen + Zenkel, 1996, 307)
The authors are an American pro. and a German female superstar. This book is aimed mainly
at intermediate to expert players, although some of the material could be useful to lower
level players. This book is very detailed, and all aspects of each bid and response are clearly
set out, ready to be imported into the reader's own bidding system. The topic of discipline
is discussed, and then weak two bids, 3 level natural preempts, Bergen preempts, various
conventional preemptive systems, and defenses to artificial preempts.
I Love This Game (Sabine Auken, 2006, 207pp)
The author is currently the world's #1 ranked woman bridge player. This book showcases key hands from the thrilling 2001 Venice Cup final. Germany, trailing France by 47 IMPs at the commencement of the last set, pulled off a last minute victory. The author discusses her own system agreements and carding methods, table presence and other topics. The hands are thoroughly analysed and the whole book is very entertaining.
Probabilities & Alternatives in Bridge (Barracho & Vivaldi, 2001)
Imagination and inference are necessary in bridge, but so is the calculation of percentages.
This book shows you how and when to make such calculations and when to let imagination,
deduction and inference take over. Considers key elements of bridge probabilities such as
the Principle of Restricted Choice and the theory of vacant places, and uses thirteen hands
to illustrate how to use these. Also contains a reference guide for calculating specific chances. For the intermediate or advanced player.
Better Bidding with Bergen Vol 1 (Marty Bergen)
Dealing with the uncontested auction, this covers modern bidding methods
including Bergen Raises. These books are highly appropriate for anyone playing
duplicate bridge. For the serious intermediate.
Better Bidding with Bergen Vol 2 (Marty Bergen)
The follow-up deals with contested auctions. If you want something a
little more exciting than basic standard, Marty Bergen's ideas are for you.
For the serious intermediate.
Points Schmoints (Marty Bergen)
Light and refreshing style, somewhat different from his earlier books.
Plenty of excellent tips on bidding, play and hand evaluation - the Rule of
20, when NOT to play second hand low, you do not always need eight points
to bid Stayman, and many more. Any player can find something of interest.
More Points Schmoints (Marty Bergen)
Here is the sequel to Marty Bergen's highly popular "Points Schmoints". This book is written
in the same light, easy - to - read style, and contains many valuable tips to make you a better
duplicate player. Learn when to upgrade your hand, and when to downgrade - point count is not
accurate for certain cards.
Points Schmoints Series: Negative Doubles (Marty Bergen)
The negative double is one of the most important bidding tools in modern bridge. In
consequence, popular author and teacher Marty Bergen has written a book all about this deadly
bidding weapon. Of course, the good old basics are covered, in a style that even the beginner
will understand. Responses to the double are detailed, not forgetting the Penalty Pass - yummee!
New concepts such as Thrump doubles will be interesting to the more advanced player.
Declarer Play the Bergen Way (Marty Bergen, 2004, 216pp)
What to count, and the easy way to do it, finding extra entries, avoiding losing finesses, surviving bad splits, and even something on squeezes are some of the topics.
More Declarer Play the Bergen Way (Marty Bergen, 2006, 216pp)
Finding extra chances, winning extra tricks with nines and tens, some suit combinations, avoiding the dangerous opponent, when to throw a loser on a loser are some of the topics in this book.
Marty Sez Vol. 1 (Marty Bergen)
100 tips to improve your bridge game, in Marty Bergen's usual relaxed style. Easy to read,
and easy to learn, for any level of player up to intermediate.
Marty Sez Vol. 2 (Marty Bergen)
100 more one - page tips to improve your bridge game, in Marty Bergen's usual relaxed style.
Easy to read, and easy to learn, for any level of player up to intermediate.
Hand Evaluation: Points Schmoints (Marty Bergen, 2002)
In this book Marty goes a little further in discussing his "rule of twenty". The reader
will learn to reevaluate honor cards to get a more accurate point count. Aces are generally
worth more than 4, jacks are generally worth less than 1. Honours in your own suits are worth
more if you play the hand. Anyone who enjoyed Points Schmoints will find this a useful
addition to their bridge library.
Better Rebidding with Bergen (Marty Bergen, 2003)
This book focuses on opener's second bid after partner's one - level response. Topics
covered include reverses, rebidding a five card suit, how to bid 6 - 4 hands, and rebids
when responder is a passed hand. This book is perfect for the improving player, with
many examples and very clear explanations.
To Open or Not to Open (Marty Bergen, 2003)
Covers the "Rule of Twenty" and exceptions, plus various other aspects of opening the
bidding. Which suit to open, limiting your hand, what to rebid after finding a fit, and
tips for responder are some of the topics covered. It is written in Marty's usual
easy - to - read style with large, clear font and plenty of examples.
Precision Today (David Berkowitz + Brent Manley, 2002, 217pp)
This is a guide to learning the Precision system, or fine tuning your existing system. Each
chapter has a quiz and a clear summary of the various bids. Interference over the 1C opening is
dealt with in a separate chapter. Most of the book deals with basic methods, but the final
chapter contains a couple of specialised, advanced treatments.
10 Ways to Improve Your Bridge (David Bird, 2000)
A nice chapter on bidding the opponents' suit, support doubles and redoubles,
signalling, fit jumps and more. Each chapter contains a summary, quiz and answers.
If you want an edge on your opponents this book is for you.
25 Bridge Myths Exposed (David Bird, 2002)
For the improving player, the author teaches the reader to think about situations
rather than blindly following the rules learned as a beginner. Rules simplify the game
for beginners but must eventually be discarded in favour of proper analysis.
Bridge Technique Series (David Bird & Marc Smith)
There are twelve volumes in this series by David Bird and Marc Smith. The books are
aimed at the improving to intermediate player. Each one focuses on a specific aspect of card play
for declarer or defenders. They are ideal if you just want to bone up on a particular topic,
because, at around sixty pages each, they are not overwhelming. The material is easy to read,
and each chapter contains a key point summary and a quiz. The title describes the topic.
Bridge Squeezes for Everyone (David Bird)
For the intermediate to advanced player who is ready to tackle this difficult subject.
The book is nicely organised with each topic clearly dealt with. There are lots of different
types of squeezes from the simple squeeze to compound and guard squeezes. I'd recommend
this book if you want to learn about squeezes. It won't get any easier.
Inspired Card Play (David Bird + Martin Hoffman, 2003, 143pp)
Declarer play text which uses example hands to illustrate the various topics, which include Combining Options, Entry Planning, Elimination Play, etc. Throughout the book "Top Tips" are presented as main ideas of particular hands.
Bridge for Money (David Bird + Martin Hoffman, 2002, 160pp)
The story of bridge pro. Jerry Blum is told via hands he plays with his clients. The hands are analysed technically, but the human factor must be taken into account by the pro. Entertaining and instructive.
Countdown to Winning Bridge (Tim Bourke)
Learning to count is a critical part of becoming a better declarer or defender.
This book teaches simple techniques for counting that will help you to improve.
Tournament ACOL (David Bird & Tim Bourke, 1995)
A lucid account of modern ACOL methods, incorporating the latest "Total Tricks" ideas,
third suit forcing (the Bourke Relay), and many other new ideas that will make your ACOL
more suited to today's conditions.
Saints & Sinners (David Bird & Tim Bourke, 2000)
Subtitled The St. Titus Bridge Challenge, it is the most recent of the popular "Abbott"
stories. Once again there is a nice collection of interesting hands, and the usual
caustic repartee between the Abbott and the other players. The presentation of this
book differs from the others in the series in that the reader is invited to decide his
or her own line of play before reading on. The book can be enjoyed by almost any
level of player.
Demon Defense and Demon Doubling (Augie Boehm, 2004, 172pp)
This author is not well known in Australia, but is known as the "Professor" in the USA.
This book is written in the style of a conversation between the Professor and a student. The
student dialogue asks the questions most bridge students would like to ask. The Professor
answers the questions and illustrates with example hands. The underlying theme is to get
the student to start thinking like an expert, by gathering and analysing all the available
information, and playing accordingly. So, first become a demon defender, then, as confidence
builds, become a demon doubler. Apart from one silly error on pp12 - 13, this is an excellent
book for the keen bridge student.
Private Sessions - A Bridge Education (Augie Boehm, 2002, 229pp, H/C)
The best way to enjoy bridge, and win more often, is to learn how to think. Here the
"Professor" conducts a dialogue with the Student, and reveals secrets about how to improve
your bridge memory, visualisation of hands, hand evaluation, pass - the secret weapon, and
much more. I feel that any keen student who has been playing for more than a year can fast
track their progress by reading this book.
Hocus Pocus (Erwin Brecher , 2001)
More bridge play problems, but with the added interest of various physical problems that will
be intellectually challenging.
More Hocus Pocus (Erwin Brecher & Julian Pottage, 2002)
A book of bridge play problems, but with the added interest of various physical problems that will
be intellectually challenging. Some are straight from IQ tests. Also includes some famous
quotations. There's something for everyone.
Expert Tuition for Tournament Bridge (Raymond & Sally Brock, 1998)
Every tournament player analyses the hands in the bar after the event, but the authors
show that errors sometimes go undetected. This book shows you how to be more self - critical,
and to look at your bad results to establish whether they could have been avoided. It is
rather a chatty book, as the experts discuss possible lines of play. There are 64 deals
which are examined fairly thoroughly. Intermediate.
Easy Guide to Five Card Majors (Sally Brock, 2004, 160pp)
A modern, nicely presented text on playing ACOL with five card majors. Every chapter has its own quiz.
Maastricht Challenge Bridge Problems (Tim Bourke, 2001)
Pit your wits against 60 challenging declarer play problems from the World Championships.
There is a particular emphasis on themes such as trump, criss - cross and multi - loser
squeezes. It is for the intermediate to advanced player.
Imagination and Technique in Bridge (Tim Bourke & Martin Hoffman, 2003)
Here are sixty challenging deals that will provide a bridge feast for the reader.
Expert Defence (Raymond Brock, 1997)
The book emphasises planning the defence, and further examines whether to be active
or passive in defence. Partnership cooperation covers aspects of signalling, and making
life easier for partner. Some advanced techniques such as ducking and coups are considered.
Example hands are taken from top level play. Intermediate.
Bridge Club Player's Quiz Book (Raymond & Sally Brock, 2002)
Sixty play and defence problems of increasing level of difficulty.
Natural Precision (Rick Brown, 1998, 94pp)
The author shows that Precision does not have to be a mind - bending set of asking bids and
artificial treatments. Chapter end quizzes help the reader assimilate the material.
Bridge with Brunner - ACOL Bidding for Improvers (Michelle Brunner, 2000)
A nicely laid out book on the ACOL system, designed for the students who have just completed classes.
It covers all the opening bids and responses, slam bidding, competitive bidding, and intervention
by opponents. The presentation is clear and modern, with special rules, hot tips and key points
highlighted.
Bridge with Brunner - ACOL Bidding for Budding Experts (Michelle Brunner, 2003)
This book builds on the volume "ACOL for Improvers". The budding expert needs more
than just the basic system, and the author gives details of some slightly more advanced
conventions and treatments. This book is very well laid out with all conventions summarised.
There are quizzes after each section (learning by examples).
John Blubaugh's Tournament Treatments
This is a series of small booklets, each dealing in detail with some
aspect of bidding for the tournament level player. Blubaugh is an active US
bridge pro. and tournament player.
Larry Cohen's Bidding Challenge (Larry Cohen, 191pp, 2002)
If you think you can bid like an epert, try bidding the hands in this book with your
favourite partner. Compare your results with those from the prestigious international
tournaments where they were first played. Scoring is IMP pairs and is based on the
actual datums. You also get to read LC's wry comments on how each of the 140 deals
should be bid, and where he and others went wrong. For a true test the hands are
provided on pages at the back of the book which are perforated so they can be torn
out if you like. Intermediates might like to test themselves on this.
To Bid or Not to Bid (Larry Cohen)
World champion Larry Cohen had a big winner with this book, containing
his exposition of the Law of Total Tricks. Contains some interesting
conventional treatments based on the "Law" to enhance your standard bidding.
Following the Law (Larry Cohen)
Larry Cohen clarifies some issues from his first book on "the Law", and
also gives more conventional treatments utilising the concept.
Introduction to the Law (Larry Cohen)
Cohen has brought out a more basic book on the Law of Total Tricks.
Owners of To Bid or Not to Bid should not buy this unless they find that
work completely incomprehensible. Suitable for the improving player.
Understanding ACOL (Crowhurst + Kambites, new edition 1997, 176pp)
Covers the uncontested auction and competitive bidding with all the basic concepts.
A few modern conventions are included as appendices. Aimed at the club player who wants to
consolidate their ACOL bidding.
Fishheads
The author is a teacher of mediaeval literature at Harvard University. He
has woven this into a collection of stories about the Fishhead family, who
were playing bridge at high levels before we even thought it had been
invented. Interesting hands and brilliant play and defense. A good read.
Play Cards with Tim Seres
Interesting and difficult hands from one of Australia's greatest players.
Only for the better player.
Right Through the Pack (Darvas & De vere Hart)
One of the top three bridge books of all time. This brilliant fantasy features each
card in the deck telling its own fascinating story. The humour is delightful, and
each of the 52 stories contains shrewd advice for all levels of player.
Better Bidding for the Improving Player (Ross Dick, 2003)
Becoming more accomplished in bidding involves expanding your bidding repertoire,
achieving more accuracy, eliminating errors, maintaining discipline, and exercising
better judgement. The good thing about this Australian book is that the conventions and
treatments are in common use in Australia. The author is a bridge teacher in Brisbane.
The book is nicely laid out with plenty of summaries and examples.
You Have to See This
Nice book of brilliant declarer play problems to test your skills.
Standard Bidding with SAYC (Downey + Pomer, 2005, 175pp)
Standard American Yellow Card is a popular system for online bridge players. Bids and responses at all levels are covered, together with competitive bidding, some common conventions, balancing, slam bidding, and leads and carding. As such it could suit a wide range of players looking for a definitive system.
The Mexican Contract
An interesting novel based around a major American bridge tournament. High
level pro. bridge, sex, cheating, deceit - all form part of the plot.
Tactical Bidding (Feldheim)
How to wreak havoc in the auction for fun and profit. This book deals
with preemptive bidding at all levels and even covers "psychic" bids. For
the better improver up.
Winning Swiss Team Tactics (Feldheim, Revised 1993, 269pp)
This book discusses systems, conventions, defensive and declarer play, and general
strategic differences between matchpoints and IMPs. The intermediate to advanced player
will find much to help them get better results in teams play.
The Bridge Player's Bedside Book (Tony Forrester, 1998)
The ultimate collection of bridge stuff, with something for everyone from beginner
to expert. Humour, mystery, quizzes, history, biography - it's all here. Over fifty
world class contributors including Dormer, Kantar, Klinger, Sheinwold and many more.
Secrets of Success (Tony Forrester, 1997)
Europe's No. 1 player shares his secrets with aspiring players keen to improve
their overall performance. Dealing in turn with constructive bidding, competitive
bidding, defence and declarer play, Tony emphasises principles fundamental to
successful bridge. These include hand evaluation, reading inferences, leading,
signalling and discarding, and when to overcall.
Bridge with the Blue Team (Pietro Forquet)
I'm fascinated by the exploits of great players, and nowhere will you
find a better collection of great hands from the most famous team ever.
Study the techniques used and apply them to your own games, or just read
the hands for sheer pleasure - it's up to you. As a bonus you get system
summaries of the bidding used by the Blue Team, plus results of World
Championship matches over the period the team played. Forquet's bridge
style was rock-solid, and his writing style also is not given to flights
of fancy. There is no "bagging" of opponents or partners, just crystal
clear analysis that makes every one of these hands a valuable learning
experience.
Master Class (Fred Gitelman, 205pp, 2005)
Forty - seven well analysed hands from actual play, showing the expert's thinking at key points. There are interesting observations on Fred's partners who range from bridge professionals to famous amateurs like Bill Gates and Warren Buffett.
Bridge Conventions in Depth (Matthew & Pamela Granovetter, 290pp, 2003)
For those who love fooling around with bridge conventions, this book should be an
absolute must. It is an ultra - modern look at a huge range of conventions. Some
well known ones such as Stayman are revisited with some useful followup bidding, and
there are also many new ones such as Yellow Rose of Texas and Undercalls. Here's
something good for the advanced player.
Conventions at a Glance (Matthew Granovetter)
This pocket-sized book gives mini-treatments of a wide range of popular
conventions. Next time your partner accuses you of mis-bidding, pull
THIS out and shoot them down. Improvers would find this mini-reference
useful. If you're really serious about conventions, though, I'd recommend
other titles.
Bridge Additions '96 (Granovetter)
New Age inventions tempered with old-fashioned advice.
Receiving good reviews from some top players. Highly recommended for
intermediates.
Bridge at a Glance (Audrey Grant, 2006, 31pp pamphlet)
This tabbed pamphlet is a summary of Audrey Grant's Bridge Basics system. It includes the colour coded bidding messages and the bidding ladder, and should be an ideal reference for those still in classes or who have recently completed them.
Bridge Basics 1: Introduction (Audrey Grant, 2004, 202pp)
Introduces the mechanics of the game in a clear, well - organised manner. Important points are highlighted and summarised and there are quizzes on each topic. Bridge teachers should certainly give this series some thought.
Bridge Basics 2: Competitive Bidding (Audrey Grant, 2005, 227pp)
The basic competitive tools - preemption, overcalls and takeout doubles - are covered in Book 2. The presentation is excellent.
Improve Your Judgement 2: Doubles (Audrey Grant, 2005, 150pp)
Contains more advanced material on the takeout double including advancer's bids and doubler's rebids. Balancing and other doubles are introduced.
The Viking Precision Club (Groetheim & Sontag, )
Written by two top internationals, this is subtitled "A Relay System for the 21st Century".
The book starts with a section containing examples of the system in use in tournament play.
Thereafter the chapters deal with aspects of the system, with further examples included in
each chapter. Key points are highlighted and the material is easy enough to follow. This
should appeal to those who already play some form of big club system such as Precision.
It is definitely for the intermediate to advanced player.
Duplicate Bridge Direction (Groner, 1995, Revised )
A must for the club director and interesting for serious players. Although not kept in stock it can be requested with about 3 months lead time.
How the Experts Win at Bridge (Burt + Lynn Hall, )
A well presented and well written, large size book which covers many aspects of bridge skills, and includes many references to the great texts that have gone before.
At the Table: My Life and Times (Bob Hamman & Brent Manley)
Autobiography of the world's greatest player. Hamman won his seventh
Bermuda Bowl in 1995. A history of thirty years of top bridge, with
interesting and frank comments about some of the world's best known players.
Look inside the mind of a bridge superstar and find out how he summons his
best at every session. Unputdownable! A really good read.
Two Over One Game Forcing: An Introduction (Max Hardy and Steve Bruno, 1993)
This well laid out book provides an introduction to America's favourite bidding
system. It is highly suited even to those below intermediate level who want to give
this system a try. There is an adequate amount of detail to get you started, without
becoming bogged down. A few gadgets are included in the final chapter. Quizzes are
included to test each stage of learning.
Two Over One Game Forcing: Revised (Max Hardy, 1989)
This is the complete and detailed reference on the Two Over One system of bidding
that is rapidly gaining popularity in the USA. All the basic bids and responses are
covered in a systematic way, including the forcing 1NT response and rebids.
Competitive bidding and slam bidding are also covered in detail. Intermediate to advanced.
Standard Bridge Bidding for the 21st Century (Max Hardy, 2000, 277pp)
Simplified and updated presentation of 2/1 game forcing bidding for beginners, social players and other serious students of the game. A useful reference to the 2/1 system.
Advanced Bridge Bidding for the 21st Century (Max Hardy, 2002, 320pp)
This is an updated presentation of the 2/1 system with all the latest expert bells and whistles, especially for the advanced player.
Competitive Bidding with Two Suited Hands (Max Hardy, 1996)
The only book devoted wholely and solely to two suited hands. Covers top and
bottom cue bids, unusual NT and responses, a swag of two-suited defenses including
Brozel, DONT, Meckwell, Helms 2 ; Defences against forcing club openings - Mathe,
Suction Exclusion etc. ; Defences to weak two openings - Schleifer and more. Many modern
devices and some not well known ones. For intermediates and especially
tournament players.
Step by Step: Signalling (Mark Horton)
Explains the more popular methods of signalling, then puts the reader in
the hot seat through a series of progressively more difficult problems. For
the better improver and up.
The Hands of Time (Mark Horton, 2005, 190pp)
Thirty - seven exciting moments in time at the bridge table with the great players. There are a few older ones (1931, the fifties and sixties) but two - thirds of the stories are from the eighties to the present.
The Bridge Magicians (Horton & Kielbasinski)
Profiles all the top Polish players of recent years, of which there are quite a few.
Interesting stories about bridge in Poland, but the main focus is on bridge hands and
brilliancies.
Learn from the Stars (Mark Horton & Tony Sowter, 1998)
By studying the bidding and play of the world's best players you can improve your own game.
Here's a collection of deals, divided into bidding, declarer play and defence, where the
reader can compare how experts have handled the different aspects of the game. Although
there are a few difficult squeezes and endplays included, there is also much that the
average club player can apply to his or her own game.
Monster Book of Basic Declarer Play (Huggett & Cashmore, 2003, 256pp)
Two experts discuss 240 deals in which basic techniques bring home the contract.
Beginners can practice counting tricks and losers, planning the order of playing the cards,
and working out where extra tricks are coming from.