Bridge books reviewed - 47

"Bridge: 80 Classic Problems: Declare or Defend!" by Erwin Brecher and Danny Roth. There are two sides to every argument, yet most books on bridge concentrate on declarer play, opening leads, or defense. Very few books feature both declarer and defender problems, making this book uniquely interesting and useful book for any player wanting to challenge their bridge-playing knowledge or improve their game. There are 100 taxing bridge puzzles, all with full commentary and comprehensive answers and explanation.

'excellent and presented in a novel 4-hand format', David Bird, Evening Standard & Mail on Sunday
'a unique selection of challenging bridge hands... A must for aficionados of mind games.' Martin Hoffman
'A fabulous idea, superbly executed.' Andrew Robson, The Times
'a winning concept.' Zia Mahmood 'an excellent read.' Tony Priday"

"Win At Bridge: Teach Yourself" by David Bird is a fun and interactive way to get to grips with the basics of this popular leisure pastime. It is often difficult to master the rules of play and the art of bidding well, but this newly updated edition will give you all the tools you need to start playing confidently.
Originally written by Terence Reese, the world authority in bridge at the time, it has now been revised (26 Feb 2010) by David Bird, one of Britain's top bridge writers. It is packed with interactive quizzes, insights and insider tips to perfect your technique and build up your skill. You can also assess your progress throughout the book with self-tests and chapter summaries.
Noy got much time? One, five and ten-minute introductions to key principles to get you started.
Author insights: Lots of instant help with common problems and quick tips for success, based on the authors' many years of experience.
Test yourself: Tests in the book and online to keep track of your progress.
Extend your knowledge: Extra online articles at www.teachyourself.com to give you a richer understanding of bridge.
Five things to remember: Quick refreshers to help you remember the key facts.
Try this: Innovative exercises illustrate what you've learnt and how to use it.

"How To Play Winning Bridge: A Step-By-Step Guide to Mastery of the Revolutionary Kaplan-Sheinwold System That Brought Precision Bidding to American Contract Bridge" by Edgar Kaplan and Alfred Sheinwold. No serious Bridge player should miss this book. Except for a mystical group of international players, the Italian "Blue Team" bidding methods were universally "Goren" or "Culbertson". Kaplan and Sheinwold were two of a few luminary stars who challanged orthodoxy with radical bidding concepts in the Amarican Bridge arena and helped to re-establish Ameraca's status in international championship play. Based on the weak (12-14) notrump, five card majors and weak two bids, This agressive system presented tools for players to really think about what they were bidding and why. Along with the Roth-Stone system, Shenken, and the Precision Club, K-S provided a pathway for serious bridge players to move into the world of modern, thoughtful bridge play.
Kaplan and Sheinwold defined their K-S bidding system so well in the late fifties that newer editions of their original book remain the definitive reference. The weak one notrump opening is as good an idea now as it was in 1959. Standard American bidders can switch to K-S and probably improve their bidding significantly just by adopting the weak one notrump opening (and the many implications thereof).

Unavailable at Amazon.co.uk