From: adam@irvine.com (Adam Beneschan)
Subject: Re: Reading List?
Organization: Irvine Compiler Corp., Irvine, California, USA
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 03:17:00 GMT


Since the original request for information on bridge books received so
many replies, I took the liberty of organizing all the titles everyone
suggested.  These titles are in two major groups, with the second
group being books that RGB'ers thought would be too much for
beginners.  The titles are ordered approximately based on how highly
they were recommended;  "*" indicates titles recommended by more than
one RGB'er.  I also included some of the comments from the various
postings. 

I hope this listing helps someone.  If not, at least it gave me a good
excuse not to do any real work for a while.



General 
-------

* Sheinwold, _5 Weeks to Winning Bridge_ 
   A classic introductory book.
* Simon, _Why You Lose at Bridge_ 
Becker, Jim, et al., _The Biggest Little Bridge Book in the World_
   New York: The Beverly Card School, 1992
Grant and Rodwell, _Bridge Maxims_
Kay, Silodor, and Karpin, _The Complete Book of Duplicate Bridge_
Lawrence, "Topics on Bridge"
   Two series of books.  Targeted to intermediate players, but about
   half the books would be just as good for novices.      
Mollo, _Bridge in the Menagerie_
Reese and Bird, _Miracles of Card Play_
Rubens, _The Secrets of Winning Bridge_      
Truscott, _Basic Bridge in Three Weeks_      

Bidding
-------

* Root, _Commonsense Bidding_ 
* Lawrence, _Judgement at Bridge_ 
   Subtitled: How to avoid the common mistakes
Klinger, _The Modern Losing Trick Count_
Moorehead, _On Bidding_
   Revised by Truscott about 1990.

Declarer Play
-------- ----

* Watson, _Play of the Hand at Bridge_ 
* Kantar, _Introduction to Declarer's Play_
   "For the true novice."
* Root, _How to Play a Bridge Hand_ 
   New York: Crown, 1990
* Truscott, Dorothy Hayden, _Winning Declarer Play_ 
   North Hollywood, CA: Wilshire, 1969
Coffin, _Bridge Play from A to Z_
Kantar, _Test Your Bridge Play, Volume 2_ 
Mollo and Gardner, _Card Play Technique_
Stewart, _Better Bridge for the Advancing Player_

Defense
-------

* Kantar, _Introduction to Defender's Play_ 
   North Hollywood, CA: Wilshire, 1968
* Kantar, _Defensive Bridge Play Complete_ 
* Kantar, _Kantar for the Defense, Volume 1_
Mollo and Gardner, _Card Play Technique_
Stewart, _Winning Defense for the Advancing Player_

Duplicate (Matchpoint) Techniques
--------- ------------ ----------

McMullin, _Adventures in Duplicate Bridge_
   Memphis: American Contract Bridge League, 1989
   ACBL will probably give you a copy on request.


MORE ADVANCED BOOKS
---- -------- -----

Bidding
-------

Kantar, _Bridge Conventions_
Root and Pavlicek, _Modern Bridge Conventions_
   Root and Pavlicek's recommended conventions.  OK for a beginning, if 
   you read only the explanations of conventions that you already play.

Declarer Play
-------- ----

Kantar, _Test Your Bridge Play_
Kelsey, _Advanced Declarer Play_
Kelsey, _Winning Card Play_

Defense
-------

* Kantar, _Kantar for the Defense, Volume 2_ 
* Kelsey, _Killing Defence at Bridge_ 
   Intermediate to advanced;  even experts can get a fair amount 
   from it.
Lawrence, _Dynamic Defense_
Mollo, _Case for the Defence_

Duplicate (Matchpoint) Techniques
--------- ------------ ----------

* Woolsey, _Matchpoints_ 



SOURCES OF BRIDGE BOOKS
------- -- ------ -----

Baron/Barclay Bridge Supplies   1-800-274-2221
Dallas Bridge Books             1-800-442-7434