Significant bridge books & magazines

[H_KARLUK]

Could you please share with us where, when and which bridge books & magazines impressed you and how ?

 

Have you time to study new nice ideas ?

 

Thanks! :)

Hamdi

[fred]

Funny you should ask...

 

Yesterday I unexpectedly received a copy of a new book in the mail: "Expert Bridge Simplified" by Jeff Rubens. I read the first two chapters last night. From what I can tell so far, this book appears to be significant.

 

This book presents various practical approachs to solving bridge problems that require some knowledge of math. Rubens attempts to show that many such problems do not require any serious number crunching or a university degree to at least approximately solve.

 

For sure this book is not for everyone, but I suspect that a lot of Forums regulars will find it useful and interesting.

 

Rubens writes very well and has excellent credentials in both bridge analysis and math. His greatest claim to fame is arguably the work he has done in his capacity as the Editor of "The Bridge World" magazine (which I personally consider to be easily the most "significant" bridge magazine in history).

 

You can subscribe to The Bridge World or order Jeff's new book through:

 

Link to The Bridge World web site

 

I don't have a commercial interest in any of this :)

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

[hrothgar]

Funny you should ask...

 

Yesterday I unexpectedly received a copy of a new book in the mail: "Expert Bridge Simplified" by Jeff Rubens. I read the first two chapters last night. From what I can tell so far, this book appears to be significant.

 

This book presents various practical approachs to solving bridge problems that require some knowledge of math. Rubens attempts to show that many such problems do not require any serious number crunching or a university degree to at least approximately solve.

In case people haven't heard, I'm working on the companion title: “Beginner’s Bridge Complicated”

 

This book shows how complex and often extraneous math can turn the most blindingly obvious bridge problem into an exercise in frustration.

 

Chapter 3, tentatively titled “The Application of Hidden Markov Models to ‘8 Ever, 9 Never’ “ is guaranteed to turn the strongest stomachs. Both bridge players and mathematicians will appreciate the poor punctuation, missing vowels, basic arithmetic errors, and overuse of clichéd stock phrases that characterize my work…

[matmat]

Funny you should ask...

 

Yesterday I unexpectedly received a copy of a new book in the mail: "Expert Bridge Simplified" by Jeff Rubens. I read the first two chapters last night. From what I can tell so far, this book appears to be significant.

 

This book presents various practical approachs to solving bridge problems that require some knowledge of math. Rubens attempts to show that many such problems do not require any serious number crunching or a university degree to at least approximately solve.

In case people haven't heard, I'm working on the companion title: “Beginner’s Bridge Complicated”

 

This book shows how complex and often extraneous math can turn the most blindingly obvious bridge problem into an exercise in frustration.

 

Chapter 3, tentatively titled “The Application of Hidden Markov Models to ‘8 Ever, 9 Never’ “ is guaranteed to turn the strongest stomachs. Both bridge players and mathematicians will appreciate the poor punctuation, missing vowels, basic arithmetic errors, and overuse of clichéd stock phrases that characterize my work…

as long as you can add a chapter about post-mortems that uses non-commutative rings, that would be great.

[CarlRitner]

A few books I read at least once a year are

 

Morehead On Bidding, Albert H. Morehead (and/or the revised "On Bidding" text modernized by Philip Alder

 

To Bid Or Not To Bid - The LAW of Total Tricks, Larry Cohen

 

Bridge: Matchpoints, Kit Woolsey

 

Thinking About IMPs, John Boeder

[karlson]

I'm sure someone will come along and mention that there's another books thread, but for the time being:

 

The book that first got me to go beyond counting my points was Mike Lawrence's Hand Evaluation. I will recommend it to anyone at the good beginner/intermediate level.

 

For declarer play and defense, I can't recommend anything by Hugh Kelsey enough.

[Double !]

Up until reading Fred's post, if asked which one book I would recommend, the answer would always be Jeff Rubens' "Secrets to Winning Bridge". He teaches a person "HOW" to think.

 

DHL

[PeterGill]

Many of the greatest bridge books from 1950 to 1999 were written by some of

the era's greatest players - Reese, Forquet, Root, Lawrence, Larry Cohen etc.

 

In my opinion this decade has lacked books by the best players, except for one great book by Meckstroth. Perhaps the current stars are too busy playing pro, producing bridge software (Cohen, Woolsey etc) and doing other things,

and the market for bridge books is not as lucrative as it used to be.

 

Thus, my bridge reading is mostly older books, Reese and Lawrence classics which I'd overlooked earlier, with not many new bridge books adding new ideas for me.

 

The Bridge World is generally regarded as the top bridge magazine. There's some great material in Norwegian and Polish bridge magazines for those who can read those languages, and there are bridge magzazines from England, Australia and New Zealand which most people don't rate as highly as TBW. The Bridge Bulletin which the ACBL provides to its members similarly isn't generally rated as highly.

[WesleyC]

Peter: Isn't it about time you put together your own bridge book? I offer my services as proof reader when you do :)

 

Hamdi: My favourite is "Bridge with the Blue Team" by Pietro Forquet. It isn't the most instructive book, but if you want to be impressed by pure bridge genius, it is a must read.

[vuroth]

In case people haven't heard, I'm working on the companion title: “Beginner’s Bridge Complicated”

It's a bit of a flooded market, I'm afraid. :)

[cphastrup]

I am particularly fond of Mike Lawrence's books. He has a relaxed and humorous, but precise, style of writing - like an American Terence Reese, just a little less self-important.

 

- "The complete book of..." series. "Mike Lawrence actually wrote..." is often heard in pre- and post-mortems between me and my regular partner. Especially the books about doubles and overcalls are high on my list.

 

- "Play Bridge with Mike Lawrence". I love this book. It's an over-the-shoulder book where the reader follows Mike through an MP tournament. It's spiced with wry observations of opponents, partner, bidding disasters etc. I like how not every deal is a gem where Mike and partner shines. On the contrary, there are several complete bottoms, some of them so ridiculous that you can truly identify with them :-). I read that book every year.

 

- "How to Read Your Opponents' Cards".

 

"Partnership bidding" by Robson and Segal, good description of partnership style and -philosophy. While some of the specific bidding agreements don't suit me, it covers a lot of topics that need to be discussed in an ambitious partnership.

 

And there's Mollo. Suddenly I'm seing hogs, rabbits and toucans all over the club.

[georgeac]

by recommendation here i have "killing defense at bridge" by kelsey. i really really like it.

[barmar]

I second the recommendation for anything by Mike Lawrence.

 

This month's Bridge World has a glowing review of "Expert Bridge Simplified", which Fred praised above. I'm planning on picking this up next week in San Diego.

[mike777]

I second the recommendation for anything by Mike Lawrence.

 

This month's Bridge World has a glowing review of "Expert Bridge Simplified", which Fred praised above.  I'm planning on picking this up next week in San Diego.

I read this book a few months ago.

 

 

 

I did not post a review. I did not think my review as a nonexpert would be helpful to true experts. All I can say is I did spend money and I did spend weeks and weeks reading this book.

 

 

I think true experts may have something to say about this book.

 

 

My fav. bridge book remains Lawrence "How to read the opp cards"

 

Funny enough it seems harder today than.....20-30 years ago.

[the hog]

Adventures in Card Play

Bridge with the Blue Team

Books by Reese, David Bird and Victor Mollo.

[mike777]

Adventures in Card Play

Bridge with the Blue Team

Books by Reese, (edit) and Victor Mollo.

I am not an expert but can highly, highly recommend these books by the HOG>

[kenrexford]

The bridge books that impressed me the most depends on the time in my life. But, a few:

 

Five weeks to Winning Bridge

Adventures in Card Play

Dormer on deduction

Matchpoints

Picture Bidding

Books by people with the last name Brock

Master Play

Partnership Bidding

 

I also really liked reading some very old books, like some Culbertson and Elwell and the like.

[Old York]

My favourite book was by Rixi Marcus

 

This is because the title says it all, so there was no need to go to all that trouble of actually reading it :lol:

 

"Bid Boldly, Play Safe"

 

......but then, I prefer Imps

 

Tony

[Jlall]

The bridge books that impressed me the most depends on the time in my life. But, a few:

 

Five weeks to Winning Bridge

heh that was the first book I ever read.

[TimG]

The bridge books that impressed me the most depends on the time in my life.  But, a few:

 

Five weeks to Winning Bridge

heh that was the first book I ever read.

First book or first bridge book?

[pooltuna]

The bridge books that impressed me the most depends on the time in my life.  But, a few:

 

Five weeks to Winning Bridge

heh that was the first book I ever read.

First book or first bridge book?

Had you learned control or were you still wearing diapers? :)

[ggwhiz]

I'm fond of the Lawrence books like "play Matchpoints or Teams with me" for entertainment value as well as instruction.

 

One really good local player used to go to an NABC, play for a day or two and then kibitz the best for days on end. Worked for him but would bore me to tears. Kantar and Mollo keep me awake too. Sorry, Kelsey is great but a snoozefest.

 

Another GREAT local player re-read Watson's play of the hand every year before the team trials just to get out of the matchpoint mentality and into imps.

 

I can also tout Bridge with the Blue Team as the most overpriced "well worth it" book ever for shear brilliance.

[H_KARLUK]

Peter: Isn't it about time you put together your own bridge book? I offer my services as proof reader when you do :)

 

Hamdi: My favourite is "Bridge with the Blue Team" by Pietro Forquet. It isn't the most instructive book, but if you want to be impressed by pure bridge genius, it is a must read.

Thanks Wesley,

 

Will try to find it. I think Mr Forquet was a famous International Banker, When asked 'which one is harder, bridge game or your professional career', i think his response was ' sure 1st one, it requires more counting'.

 

Nowadays i am busy to read interesting articles, such as differences from old times up to present day about th India culture. Have many nice friends from there living here as international businessmen and we plan to play in another regional after Xmas. As soon as it's over i will also look possibilities to buy some other books posted here for my library.

 

Meanwhile, I am impressed much about "WINNING CARD PLAY" by H.W.K.

[Jlall]

The bridge books that impressed me the most depends on the time in my life.  But, a few:

 

Five weeks to Winning Bridge

heh that was the first book I ever read.

First book or first bridge book?

lol bridge book obviously. Although I think reading bridge books caused me to stop reading other books (OBV I WON THE 4TH GRADE PRIZE FOR READING THE MOST BOOKS IN THE SCHOOL YEAR!)

[H_KARLUK]

Adventures in Card Play

Bridge with the Blue Team

Books by Reese, (edit) and Victor Mollo.

I am not an expert but can highly, highly recommend these books by the HOG>

Well for sure that books readers have much idea rather than me.

 

Long years ago, (at least 25) i bought one of Reese books published in USA by Sterling&Hayden Co in NY. (It was not cheap, anyway i gifted it to a newly established Bridge Club in Turkiye). Forgive me pls, I would remember wrong, might be 'Advanced Card play' or something like that. I remember amalgam of two books words inside that thick book.

 

It's ok. I m impressed 1st section about card play. Especially admired when Mr Reese admitted a nice defense versus him set his contract. To me that's a rare and elegant case.

 

But I am really sorry, cannot tell same things for bidding recommends in section two. That may because of mostly was busy with studying SEF, then SAYC and finally 2/1 books and European+French+USA monthly magazines though started with ACOL.

 

Victor Mollo :) Okay really fun. During '90 another nice friend went to Germany to have a new business connection. When he returned brought 'Bridge in the Zoo' ? (Again sorry if i remember the name wrong). We tried to review chapters as far as we could. Later on translated into my language. Yes, enjoyed.