From: Professor WHO?
Subject: Re: Reading List for new duplicate players
Summary: My NT$0.50
Originator: boyiny@noether
Keywords: books
Reply-To: yangboy@math.ntu.edu.tw
Organization: Ayatollah's Correct Bidding Lessons
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 93 22:37:39 GMT

 pollock@eggo.usf.edu (Wayne Pollock) writes:
>("You mean somebody *asked* for his opinion!?!  The fools, the poor fools...")
>
>    Books for matchpoint strategy:
>
>Granovetter, M. (1988)...

___NO!___  Anything _BUT_ Granovetter!

Seriously, I love Bridge Today (they never return anything to my letters,
so I have not gotten to re-subscribe) but I always avoid any Granovetter
article.  In part, I attribute this to the fact that Granovetter is so much
the Standard-Americanite and I am so much the anti-Americanite, but someone
who maligns weak no-trumps (among others) in such an underhanded way (in
Murder at the Bridge Table, the one that Wayne P. was trying to recommend)
without presenting the otherside of the argument is, IMHO, disqualified
forever as a serious bridge writer.

>Woolsey, K. (1982). Matchpoints. Louisville, Kentucky, Devyn Press.
>This is only for bright (or "advancing" beginers and better) beginers, but I
>found it a remarkable book with a weath of information.  The first few
>chapters tell you have to make matchpoint decisions at the table, and this is
>the hardest part of the book to understand.  The rest is solid advice on
>overcalls, preempts (but as were many books, this was written before the
>penalty for undertricks was increased in 1986), the law of total tricks, etc.
>
>Wei, C. C. and R. Anderson (1978). Match Point Precision. New York, Monna Lisa
>Precision Corp.  This book is all about a complex version of Precision, not
>standard americian, but never-the-less it contains useful information about
>matchpoint strategy and making the most of limit bids.
>
>I don't know of any other books, good or bad, that only teach matchpoint
>strategy; most of the other books are written for rubber bridge, and usually
>have a chapter grafted on at the end entittled "matchpoint strategy".
>I recommend Woolsey's book even if you find it hard to read the first time.
>
>	Books for beginners:
>
>Lampert, H. (1980). The Fun Way to Serious Bridge. New York, Simon & Schuster.
>Lampert, H. (1985). The Fun Way to Advanced Bridge. Louisville, Kentucky,

Probably other books will do better, e.g. Lawrence's "Judgment..."

>Kearse, A. (1990). Bridge Conventions Complete. Louisville, KY, Devyn

Not worth it unless you are seriously into theory; others are better off
not buying it and investing in a World Championship Book instead.

>Mollo, V. and N. Gardener (1971). Card Play Technique (or the Art of Being
>Lucky). London, Faber and Faber.

A great classic, unlike the Menagerie stories which are vastly overrated 
(for bridge humour, I _much_ prefer Bird's Abbott to Mollo).

>Watson, L. H. (1958). Watson's Classic Book on the Play of the Hand at Bridge.
>New York, Harper & Row.
>
>Of the last two books, the Mollo book is much more readable and interesting,
>but it is not as through, and it contains a fair number of errors that can
>make it hard to learn.  Watson's book is very through, teaching what you need
>in small, easy steps.  But it's a bit dry to read.
>
>Kelsey, H. and M. Glauert (1980). Bridge Odds for Practical Players. London,
>Victor Gollancz Ltd. Hugh Kelsey has written dozens of execellent bridge
>books, and Victor Gollancz deserves a plug because the quality of their books
>is exceptional, not only in content but in construction.  (Check out their
>"Master Bridge Series" of books!  Since they are printed in England, it costs
>a bit more to get one of the books in the US.)  Anyway, this book is both a
>reference book, and a book which shows you how to play with the odds.  This
>book may be difficult for beginners, but the same authors make a small
>pamphlet "Mastering Bridge Percentages" which I see listed in the catelogs all
>the time; maybe that will be more useful.
>

Hoffman on Pairs Play: V.-Gollancz London;
Matchpoints: H.W. Kelsey, same publisher.

Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge