Christmas list of books for bridge players

Press, 17 December 1985, Page 8

Christmas list of books for bridge players

CONTRACT BRIDGE

J.R. Wignall

Again this year there is a bewildering varity of bridge books on sale for the Christmas shopper, so in this article a little guidance will be supplied. All the titles mentioned are available locally, though prices may vary from store to store.

If there is ever a competition for the best and most comprehensive book on the game, a strong favourite will be “The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge,” authorised by the American Contract Bridge League, and prepared largely by its staff.

Though at $59.95 it can hardly be described as cheap, it contains such a wealth of information and reading material that it is excellent value at the price. Primarily a reference book, it defines every bridge expression and term, explains every convention and system that is or has been in common use, contains tables of odds and probabilities as well as all the laws.

There are numerous articles on such subjects as restrictedchoice, squeezes

of every variety, elimination play, finessing and cross-ruffing. The biography section lists all leading players, the bibliography is comprehensive and it also includes lists of the winners of all major championships.

The new fourth edition is improved and up-dated. Its 922 pages are crammed with information, making it a book that will be constantly referred to, often browsed through, but never completely read. For anyone who has recently taken up the game “Card Play Technique,” by Mollo and Gardiner, offers magnificent value at $14.95 in paperback. Based on a series of lessons proved over some years at the London School of Bridge, it is so well written that the reader finds himself learning at the same time as he is amused.

Starting from basic first principles, it teaches the play of the cards in a way no other book has ever equalled, until in the final chapters it is explaining quite advanced concepts.

No-one should try to learn bridge without reading it. “Omar Sharif’s Life in Bridge,” translated and adapted by Terence Reese, is published as a paperback by Faber and Faber and retails at $11.95. In it the famous film star tells how and why he became addicted to bridge, how he learned to play with and against the best competition in the world, and describes many of his favourite hands. He writes with a light touch, and the bridge material, of which there is plenty, is always interesting. A book of 146 pages, it makes excellent. bed-time reading.

Finally, there is a new addition to the Master Bridge Series, “Positive Defence” by Terence Reese and Julian Pottage, published by Gollancz, containing 128 pages and selling in paperback at $16.95. Essentially it is a quiz book, with 60 defensive problems.' The hands are fresh and interesting, the writing crisp and clear. It is not easy going, but anyone who works his way through it will certainly become a better player. Here is a sample problem. The reader first sees only the West and North hands:—

With East the dealer, and neither side vulnerable, the auction proceeds:—

As West you lead the seven of spades against South’s final contract of four hearts, and this turns out well when East wins the first trick with the queen, cashes the ace and returns a third round of spades. After some thought the declarer ruffs with the seven of hearts. How do you conduct the defence? Having decided, the reader turns the page to see all four hands and to learn the solution. At the third trick West’s first inclination is to overruff with the jack of hearts, but now the declarer will certainly take the winning finesse against the trump king. Better is to discard a diamond on the third spade, trying to lure South into misguessing in trumps. Best of all is to over-ruff with the king of hearts and to return a club. Almost certainly the declarer will win in dummy and cash the ace of hearts. Now West’s jack becomes the setting trick.

w N E S - - No 1NT No 2$ No 2V No 4V All Pass