Book Description
Neither for beginners nor for experts but for the 90 percent of players in between,
How to Play a Bridge Hand includes more than 300 of bridge master William Root's favorite hands. Hailed by the American Bridge Teachers' Association as the "Book of the Year."
Line drawings.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent for Beginners with experience.......2007-02-16
To get anything out of this book you need to have a litle practical experience first. A pure Novice will not get as much out of the book.
With several months experience, you will appreciate this book a lot more. Its slow going, but thats necessary because this is a technical subject. After reading it, you will forget quite a lot of it. Try reading it again a year later. Then it will sink in much better.
For thiose who gave this book a bad review becaus eit was too advanced for them - the problem is with you, not the book. You are not yet at the level to use this book effectively. To read this book as a novice/weak player will not help so much. You need the experience to give you a frame of reference.
After reading this book you can advance to the harder books like teh Card Play Made Easy series and Mollos Card Play Technique.
magnificent and effective teaching material.......2006-03-29
Root's book is concise and effective, there is no superfluous flowery statements in this book and everything presented here is what you need to winning bridge.
A polished book, you will like it, but be sure you have some very basic bridge knowledges before reading it!
Too many examples, too little explanation.......2006-01-22
The book covers a great deal of material, but it was a bit disappointing regarding the explanation of certain plays. It is certain very thorough as for examples, it offers a very wide view of possible holdings and explains very well why a cartain play works in that circumstance, but doesn't explain which guidelines to follow to decide when to adopt such a play. The material covered is though very much, and anyone that thinks he/she could derive the rule from the example, would find the book very plesurable. On the other hand, if you wanted a really good book by Bill Root, try Commonsense Bidding and Modern Bridge Conventions. I haven't read his book on defence, but that looks promising as well
Another winning effort by Bill Root.......2005-09-27
"How to Play a Bridge Hand" is the definitive primer on declarer play. No, it does not teach advanced play technique like backwash squeezes or smother plays. What it does is provide a novice to intermediate player an overview of every aspect of dummy play. The discussions attempt to identify every common card play situation, and the quizzes reinforce this material. If it seems dry at times, that's only because Root apparently wanted to pack as much teaching into as little space as possible - and he succeeds admirably.
This is a must-read book for anyone wanting to begin to improve their dummy play.
Akin to chewing sawdust.......2005-05-21
I am a newbie, here, but having read a bit of this book and Watson's one, I have to say the following: both are excellent books, but both suffer from extreme teaching mentalities. This one is terse, you have to expand the text and analyse it; Watson's book on the other hand spoonfeeds the reader who has to condense and summarise everything in it.
Root's book is dry but effective; be prepared to really work out the examples not just the quizes and you will end up with another book of your own notes; in the end, you really learn the topic.
Also, some person here complained that this book is not for a beginner; I am a beginner. This book has prerequisites which are covered in the free software supplied on the website of the American Bridge Association (ACBL?). Once you go through that teaching tool, you are ready for this book, no problem.
I highly reccomend this book. Terse, focused to the point at hand (ha, ha), it is dry reading, but highly effective if you decide to expand on the text on your own on the margins.
Do not read it passively.
Book Description
Compact guide introduces basics to beginners, offers sophisticated strategies to experienced players. Book One presents every facet of bidding and playing. Book Two explains how and when to deceive opponents, communicate information to partners, and more. Glossary defines over 160 major bridge terms.
Customer Reviews:
This book gave me a second chance at Bridge........2007-09-01
My first forays into the game of Bridge was dismal.
I read "Bridge Complete" Charles Goren, the series of books by Audrey Grant, and the more I read and studied the less I seemed to understand. I was about to throw my hands up in disgust, and walk away from the game.
A friend who is a Bridge life master; gave me a little encouragement, and I tried this book, and it helped tremendously. Today I enjoy playing bridge, and I actually win the money quite often.
If you are in the same position I was two years ago; GET THIS book and forget everything you read in "Audrey Grant book series", and start bidding on your strength instead of your weakness ie "dummy points"
"Dummy points" are a disaster waiting for a place to happen for two reasons.
1. If you are going to add dummy points for short suits; you BETTER have more than three trump because your partner may have to play ALL of your trumps before pulling all of the trumps from your opponents, and you have none left to trump short suits.
2. If your partner changes from a Trump suit a No Trump contract; your short suits are a liability instead of a help.
If you add extra points for a long suit like 7 or 8 cards in a suit; after the suit is played twice all of the little cards in that suit will take tricks in a trump bid after the trumps have been pulled, or a No Trump bid.
There are only two bridge books I recommend.
"Winning Contract Bridge" Edgar Kaplan
"Standard Bridge Bidding: for the 21st century" Max Hardy
Kaplan on Bridge.......2007-02-16
I have been searching for a bridge book that emphasizes the fundamentals and makes sense. This book fits the bill nicely. It not only explains bidding in a logical fashion but gives a sensible thought process on playing the game. I recommend it for the beginning or medium skill player. It has helped me a lot, having taken up the game again after a hiatus of some thirty years.
A complete course in contract bridge.......2003-05-02
"A classic of the first magnitude." Includes a basic course and an advanced section.
Winning Contract Bridge.......2003-02-22
The fundamentals of both bidding and play are explained in clear concise terms. This is an excellent book for beginners. I have purchased several copies for friends who wanted to learn the game.
Winning Contract Bridge.......2003-02-22
The fundamentals of both bidding and play are explained in clear concise terms. This is an excellent book for beginners. I have purchased several copies for friends who wanted to learn the game.
Customer Reviews:
Recommended!.......2003-05-21
I highly recommend this book (along with its predecessor "100 Winning Tips ..") for intermediate players who want to do well playing duplicate bridge. The bite-sized and extremely applicable tips are guaranteed to take your game to the next level. Mr. Klinger talks about duplicate strategies for bidding, declarer play as well as defense. For example the correct strategy for play of the hand depends on whether you think you are in the ideal but hard to find contract (play it safe) or an inferior contract (go all out for the overtrick to make up).
Book Description
Many players are frustrated by an apparent inability to score well at duplicate pairs. In this revised edition of his popular book, Ron Klinger shows you how to do it. There are five sections covering constructive bidding, competitive bidding, opening leads, declarer play, and defence, and they are full of well-chosen example hands and sound advice.
Book Description
The new edition of this outstanding book contains some new tips which reflect the changes in the game since its original publication sixteen years ago. Learning from bitter experience at the bridge table is a slow, painful, and often costly business. The 100 winning tips are designed to cover specific and everyday situations in bidding, play, and defence, and they provide a painless substitute for experience.
Customer Reviews:
Awesome book for beginning to intermediate players.......2001-09-15
This is an excellent book that tries to improve ALL aspects of your game. In bite-sized tips, your game is gradually taken to another level. I especially liked the sections on Declarer play and Defense, with the section on Opening Leads being the best feature of the book. As most players know "Lead Trumps when in doubt" is WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. However, I was not sure when I SHOULD lead trumps. The feature of this book in my opinion is clearly laying out when trumps should be lead.
These tips include most of the basics like Third Hand High, Rule of 11, as well as a lot more tips that are not as well known. The sequel to this book (50 More Tips ..), while also good, is not as useful for beginning players.
WANT TO READ THIS BOOK.......1999-07-04
I'LL LET YOU KNO
Follow these tips to winning bridge.......1999-02-11
This is a great "bathroom book;" read one or two tip each time you are in there. If you follow the tips in this book, you will end up on top much more often than on the losing end.
I read the tips on leading one night before a bridge tournament event. The next day I was on lead 20 plus times; in each case I made either the killing lead, or the least costly lead (we ended up 6th overall!).
I can think or no book that will help your game faster than this book.
Practical, very useful advise!.......1998-02-11
One of the most useful Bridge books I have ever read. Full of useful advise for common situations, both bidding and play. Lots of practical tips packed into small space. highly recommended
Customer Reviews:
piracy.......2007-09-03
Clyde Elton Love was my grandfather. In 1987 my mother, (his daughter), Marian Love MacAlpin renewed all copyrights to his books. Dover publications pirated the copyright to this book, and as my mother is dead and my family cannot afford pressing suit, this publication is actually illegal. Happy as I am to see Grandfather's books still in demand, I am saddened that Dover, with its "good" reputation, stooped to such an action. Dover hides behind the quality of the books they publish.
Excellent declarer play for intermediate/expert players.......2006-07-26
If you read this book thouroghly it will improve your game tremendously. The bidding in it is antiquated and it is written as a very dense textbook, but the declarer play is incredible. Love describes in detail all the different kinds of squeezes and how to execute them. He has detailed examples for you to work through, and then problems for you to try on your own before looking at the answers. His coverage of strip squeezes was a bit confusing, but he covers simple, double, and compound squeezes wonderfully (he covers more exotic squeezes, too). However, I wish he had discussed defending against squeeze plays more (it was only mentioned briefly). This book is not for the beginner or casual player, but it's fantastic if you're serious about bridge.
The Bible of Squeezes.......2006-05-23
This is by far the best. Not for beginners. You won't need all of its chapters in your daily play, but if you do know how to deal with every board presented in this book, then you are likely to win the bermuda bowl.
This book will explain all types of squeezes, from the most simple ones to the worst and most complicated. You may be confused with the terminology, but I guarantee that reading this book will make you THINK, and EXECUTE your opponents!
THE textbook on squeeze play.......2002-10-07
This isn't the sort of book you pick up for 10 minutes before bed... it's the sort that you read at a desk with a pad and paper to take notes with! If you're willing to put the time and effort into a serious reading of this book, however, you will learn a tremendous amount.
If you're looking for an accessible, casual introduction to the subject, look elsewhere (I highly recommend David Bird's _Bridge Squeezes for Everyone_). It's also not suitable for beginning players. This is a book for serious study but is well worth the effort.
Review by an non-expert bridge player.......2001-08-09
Absolutely fantastic book on squeezes! The book gives a fairly complete survey all types of squeezes and explains the background and particular structure of each type. It does not just give a lot of diagrams and shows that a squeeze of some type exists. Instead it provides a very clear description of all conditions and the reasoning behind 'the cards should be played in this particular order'. I especially love the chapters on double compound squeezes!
Customer Reviews:
Interesting bidding thoughts, good play problems.......2006-04-12
When I first saw this book I expected it to be the routine book of play problems with Loser on Loser plays, not ruffing in 2nd spot, etc. Instead I was pleasantly surprised as the problems were common, but not the routine ones covered in many other books. There are bidding, defense, and play problems, all requiring the reader to listen to the bidding.
I don't agree with all of the authors bidding ideas, but they are interesting. And some of his points are excellent, like when he expalins why a convention should not be used in a certain situation. Also, concerning Long Suit/Short Suit game tries, its better if the weak hand describes itself, not the strong hand.
The play problems are mostly Intermediate Plus. Most are MP oriented, but that doesn't take away from their use for IMPS players. The problems are common ones, not unusual squeezes.
They involve counting, listening to the bidding, visualizing the unseen hands, thinking about a suit based on spots played, not breaking new suits, or setting up a suit.
Over, this book will not be of much interest to Advanced players (most who think they are advanced are just Intermediate plus) becajus ethey will find the play problems easy, and already know the bidding.
Those below Intermediate level will not be able to visialize teh hands and think about the spots, and will miss most of the problems, and probably not even know how to solve them.
Example:
You dont want to lead any other suit but Clubs, based on the bidding, so you select Clubs.
you lead K from KQ32
Dummy has 10 x x
pard plays the 5.
Declarer plays the 6.
Whats going on?
At first you may think its a Bath Coup and not to continue.
But with the 10 in Dummy, its likely Declarer doesn't have the AJ else he would take the K and lead to the 10, establishing a 2nd trick by force.
Leading low can be ok.
A practical-minded resource for bridge players of all levels from novice to skilled professional.......2006-02-13
Expert-level bridge and backgammon player Danny Kleinman presents 365 Winning Bridge Tips, a practical-minded resource for bridge players of all levels from novice to skilled professional. Virtually every tip is actually in the form of a bridge problem, spelled out with a simple black-and-white diagram and bridge notation, while the text walks the reader through the problem, the ideal solution, and possible alternatives. Discussing both issues of bidding and card play, 365 Winning Bridge Tips presumes familiarity with basic bridge rules and conventions but no more than that. A "must-read" from the aspiring bridge gamer seeking to hone his or her skills.
A practical-minded resource for bridge players of all levels from novice to skilled professional.......2006-02-13
Expert-level bridge and backgammon player Danny Kleinman presents 365 Winning Bridge Tips, a practical-minded resource for bridge players of all levels from novice to skilled professional. Virtually every tip is actually in the form of a bridge problem, spelled out with a simple black-and-white diagram and bridge notation, while the text walks the reader through the problem, the ideal solution, and possible alternatives. Discussing both issues of bidding and card play, 365 Winning Bridge Tips presumes familiarity with basic bridge rules and conventions but no more than that. A "must-read" from the aspiring bridge gamer seeking to hone his or her skills.
A practical-minded resource for bridge players of all levels from novice to skilled professional.......2006-02-13
Expert-level bridge and backgammon player Danny Kleinman presents 365 Winning Bridge Tips, a practical-minded resource for bridge players of all levels from novice to skilled professional. Virtually every tip is actually in the form of a bridge problem, spelled out with a simple black-and-white diagram and bridge notation, while the text walks the reader through the problem, the ideal solution, and possible alternatives. Discussing both issues of bidding and card play, 365 Winning Bridge Tips presumes familiarity with basic bridge rules and conventions but no more than that. A "must-read" from the aspiring bridge gamer seeking to hone his or her skills.
Customer Reviews:
Great beginner/low intermediate book.......2006-03-03
The book is fun to read, and has some quiz problems, rather than just showing examples.
I felt there was good overall coverage of a variety of topics, the basics, a little deductive reasoning, and even simple squeezes.
This is a good book for someone who is relatively new to bridge. If you have never read books on declarer play, then this would be a nice start.
After you read this try:
Card Play Made Easy - Klinger
Countdown to Winning Bridge - Bourke
Card Play Technique - Mollo
The Watson book may have been a classic in its time, but I think there are much better books available now.
Pretty good book.......2003-10-25
Watson's The Play of the Hand is far and away the number 1 bridge book to read if you are only going to read one bridge book. This book covers a lot of the same ground as Watson, so in a sense it isn't necessary (from my perspective). It doesn't cover with more breadth or depth than Watson. However, it still goes over much of the same material, and does a good job. And it is very readable (Watson may be a little to dry for some).
Excellent tips for handling the cards.......2003-05-02
Often humorous, well-written tips for handling the cards when you are the declarer. Sections on elementary and advanced plays and on special hands.
A classic.......2001-08-23
This is surely one of the best books on declarer play. Taught me alot and is a classic. I highly recommend it!
Simple elegant and entertaining book on play of the hand.......1999-06-04
Takes the reader from the basics of play up to the most complicated squeezes and endplays, and makes it all seem effortless. If you only buy one book on playing a bridge hand, this should be the one.
Product Description
Complete guidance for evaluating your hand, making your opening bid, responding to your partner's bid, placing the final contract, many different ways of winning tricks, etc.
Customer Reviews:
Best ever.......2002-03-03
this is perhaps one of the best books on Bridge ever written, it is a classic, I recommend it for beginners and advanced players alike
Classic and Timeless - A Must Read Book on Bridge.......1999-06-04
Jeff Rubens's ageless book is on every expert's short list of the greatest bridge books ever written and should be in every player's library. Read once, it will be remembered forever. This edition is a bargain price. His ideas about hand evaluation are treasured gems sure to raise any player's understanding and enjoyment of the game, and Ruben's advice on duplicate, Swiss Teams, partnerships and conventions are among the best in the literature.
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How to Defend a Bridge Hand
Commonsense Bidding: The Most Complete Guide to Modern Methods of Standard Bidding
Modern Bridge Conventions
How to Read Your Opponents' Cards
Watson's Classic Book on The Play of the Hand at Bridge
