Bridge For Dummies

Your plain–English guide to the most popular card game in the world

Bridge, as any player will tell you, is simply the best card game ever. It's challenging, social, and best of all fun. Bridge For Dummies walks you through the different aspects of bridge with real–life examples so that you can feel comfortable with the basics before you ever start to play. And if you're already experienced at the game, you'll discover a wealth of tips and hints that can make you a better player.

• Bridge boot camp get a bird's–eye view of the game, from counting and taking sure tricks to using winning tricks and outsmarting your opponents at notrump play

• Trump the competition discover the special know–how you need to bring home the tricks when you end up in a trump contract

• Bid with confidence grasp the fundamentals of bidding, including when to bid, how high to bid, and how to shut up your partner

• Get defensive find out everything you need to know about defensive bidding, doubles, redoubles, and slam bidding

Open the book and find:

• Techniques for defensive play

• Bidding that will help you play a stronger game

• Trump and notrump play

• Guidance on bidding from all points of play opening bid, responding to opening bid, and rebidding

• Bridge scoring

• How to be a better bridge partner

• Updated online resources

• Coverage of Acol bidding

• Bridge clubs and tournaments all over the world

Learn to:

• Strategize with your bridge partner

• Play in clubs and tournaments

• Use basic and advanced bidding techniques

• Play for fun or profit

Introduction 1

Part I: Beginning with Basic Notrump Play 7

Chapter 1: Going to Bridge Boot Camp 9

Chapter 2: Counting and Taking Sure Tricks 19

Chapter 3: Using Winning Trick Techniques at Notrump Play 27

Chapter 4: Outsmarting Your Opponents at Notrump Play 45

Part II: Playing the Hand in a Trump Contract 63

Chapter 5: Introducing Trump Suits 65

Chapter 6: Creating Extra Winners and Discarding Losers 81

Chapter 7: Setting Up the Dummy s Long Suit 91

Chapter 8: Getting Rid of Losers by Using the Dummy s Trump Cards 103

Part III: Bidding for Fun and Profit 111

Chapter 9: Starting with Bidding Basics 113

Chapter 10: Making a Successful Opening Bid 123

Chapter 11: Responding to an Opening Bid 147

Chapter 12: Rebidding by the Opener 179

Chapter 13: Rebidding by the Responder 205

Part IV: Forging Ahead with Advanced Bidding Techniques 227

Chapter 14: Creating Interference: Defensive Bidding 229

Chapter 15: Double Trouble: Doubling and Redoubling 247

Chapter 16: Hitting Hard: Slam Bidding 267

Part V: Playing a Strong Defense and Keeping Score 279

Chapter 17: Defending against Notrump Contracts 281

Chapter 18: Defending against Trump Contracts 299

Chapter 19: Playing Second Hand 317

Chapter 20: Wrapping Up with Scorekeeping 329

Part VI: Feeding Your Addiction to Bridge 345

Chapter 21: Joining Bridge Clubs and the Tournament World 347

Chapter 22: Playing Bridge on Your Computer and Online 357

Part VII: The Part of Tens 361

Chapter 23: Ten Ways to Be a Better Bridge Partner 363

Chapter 24: Ten Great Bridge Resources 367

Appendix: Acol Bidding System 373

Index 387

Eddie Kantar is a Grand Master in the World Bridge Federation and a two–time World Bridge Champion. One of the best–known bridge writers in the world, his books have been translated into 11 foreign languages.