Synopses & Reviews
The Fun Way To Serious Bridge is for anyone who wants to learn and understand the fundamentals of the mind-stimulating and challenging game of bridge -- and enjoy every minute of it! Harry Lampert combines his skills as a bridge player and teacher with his artistic talents to bring you a totally new FUN way to learn the game. The magic of his superb cartoons and simple, informative language will help you to absorb the principles of serious contract bridge -- and remember them. You'll laugh and learn every step of the way from opening bids to strip and end plays. Whether novice or seasoned social player, this unique book will make good bridge a simple "trick." You'll learn all about:
x Opening bids, suit bids, response and no trump bids, and how to force bids
x Competition and the reasons and ways behind it
x Big hand bidding such as Blackwood Convention, grand slam force and Gerber Convention
x Patterns of play including how tricks are won, the finesse, establishing a long suit, when to pull and delay trumps and entries.
x Defensive and advanced play -- plus much more!
Review
Alan Truscott The New York Times ...takes the student efficiently through the basic rules of bidding...a sound introduction to play and defense.
Review
Charles Goren and Omar Sharif Daily News One of the most intriguing beginner's books we've seen in many a day...a very pleasant way to learn the world's most fascinating game.
Synopsis
The Fun Way To Serious Bridge is for anyone who wants to learn and understand the fundamentals of the mind-stimulating and challenging game of bridge -- and enjoy every minute of it! Harry Lampert combines his skills as a bridge player and teacher with his artistic talents to bring you a totally new FUN way to learn the game. The magic of his superb cartoons and simple, informative language will help you to absorb the principles of serious contract bridge -- and remember them. You'll laugh and learn every step of the way from opening bids to strip and end plays. Whether novice or seasoned social player, this unique book will make good bridge a simple "trick." You'll learn all about:
* Opening bids, suit bids, response and no trump bids, and how to force bids
* Competition and the reasons and ways behind it
* Big hand bidding such as Blackwood Convention, grand slam force and Gerber Convention
* Patterns of play including how tricks are won, the finesse, establishing a long suit, when to pull and delay trumps and entries.
* Defensive and advanced play -- plus much more!
About the Author
Harry Lampert, a licensed teacher of the American Bridge Teachers' Association, is a Life-Master of the American Contract Bridge League and has won titles at National, Regional and Sectional tournaments. Mr. Lampert is also a nationally published cartoonist with illustrations having appeared in The New York Times, Time, True, Esquire, Saturday Evening Post and Saturday Review.
Table of Contents
CONTENTSIntroduction
BASICS OF GAME
First Magic Number
Mechanics of game
Scoring
BIDDING
Goal of bidding
How to evaluate hand
Point count system
What is an opening bid?
SUIT BIDDING
Distributional Points
Opening Bids
Point requirements for game and slams
Second Magic Number
Responses to opening suit bids
Rebids by the Opening Bidder
NO TRUMP BIDDING
Opening One No Trump bids
Responses to No Trump bids
Stayman Convention
Stayman Interference
FORCING BIDS
COMPETITION
Reasons for competing
Ways of competing
Overcalls
Responses to overcalls
One no trump overcalls
Take-out doubles and responses
Defense against take-out double
Cue bids
Preemptive overcalls
"Unusual" no trump
BIG HAND BIDDING
Opening two bids in suits and responses
Blackwood convention
Grand slam force
Big no trump hands
Gerber convention
PREEMPTIVE BIDDING
PENALTY DOUBLES
PATTERNS OF PLAY
How tricks are won
DECLARER PLAY
The finesse
Establishing long suits
Play in trump contracts
When to pull trumps
When to delay pulling trumps
No trump play
Hold-up play
Dangerous opponent
Which suit to set up
Entries
DEFENSIVE PLAY
Opening leads
No trump leads
Rule of Eleven
Suit contract leads
Third hand play
Signalling
Lead-directing doubles
ADVANCED PLAY
Strip and end plays
Simple squeeze
Counting the hand
Dummy reversals
False-carding
Bath coup
YOUR BRIDGE SYSTEM
PROPRIETIES
OTHER SYSTEMS
The weak two bid
Preemptive single jump overcalls
Dopi
Balancing
Third hand openings
Drury
The negative double
Transfer bids
Flannery