[sceptic]

Hi all,

Can I have your opinions as to which 3 bridge books you would take to a desert island with you and why???

Can't wait for Slothy's reply, the rest of you can be serious hahahaha

[helene_t]

If you like to read about bidding theory, I would recomend Bergen's "Points Schmoints" for a not-so-advanced player, and Sontag's "Power Precision" for a more advanced player. Both are rather sarcastic which is the kind of humor I like best.

If you are more into playing, Zia's "Bridge my way" is even better.

[luke warm]

i'd probably take watson's 'play of the hand' and bergen's 'better bidding' books

[hrothgar]

Well personally, I'd look for really, really long ones.
With very soft pages...

[nikos59]

1. Forquet's book with the Blue Team hands (don't remember the
English title)
2. Reese's Bridge at the Top or Play bridge with Reese
3. Darvas "Right thru the Pack"

On the other hand, there are some very useful books but not
suitable for a desert island -unless there are bridge-playing natives
there! (Hence, no 100% desert).

Nikos

[inquiry]

"Adventures in Card Play" by Ottlik. That book takes multiple readings and study to try to grasp the concepts necessary for such things as backwash squeezes, and unbalanced entry-shifting squeezes. I suspect you could spend a good year studying that one book alone. No other book would provide you with such enjoyment. This is the book I would take to study declearer play.

"Partnership Bidding in Bridge: The contested auction" by Robson and Segal. You need one book on bidding, and I think taking any "system" book (as good as many are), is a problem. Better to learn bidding concepts that are useful no matter what system you eventually play, and what could be better than a book on how to bid in competition. This book is highly underappreciated, but it is great.

"Bridge: Techniques and Tips from the Masters - 4249 Diagrammed Hands and Plays". by about 10 authors. At 600+ pages, it covers a whole lot. It is not a great book, but if you have a lot of time and only room for three books, this might be a good addition. I would rather take several of victor mollo's books for "humor" or some of the defensive card play books, but if I am limited to three, I am going for shear volume here. This is a huge book with lots and lots of material.

Honorable mention, to squeeze in if you have room: The Official Encylopedia of bridge... It is big, it is next to useless as information on playing, but it gives you so much history and who-is-who in bridge. And if for no other reason, as a hard cover and over 800 pages, you could use it to hold your tent flaps down, or as a very small (and low) table.

[whereagles]

Adventures in Card Play is one book I wouldn't recommend to any bridge player. The first hands have some merit, but as soon as the authors dwelve into entry-shifting squeezes, the usefulness of the book swiftly drops below zero.

Point is.. that sort of squeezes comes up once in a lifetime. The points you gain on that particular hand do not compensate the least for the points chucked messing up while trying to find exotic squeezes on every hand.

The book is, however, super for people who like wierd bridge problems and double-dummy stuff.

[inquiry]

whereagles, on Jun 29 2004, 01:03 PM, said:

Adventures in Card Play is one book I wouldn't recommend to any bridge player.

You made a couple mistakes, but let's just deal with the this first statement. The question was not "what would you recommend to a bridge player", but what would you take with you. I have read Adventures in card play no less than 10 times, and I would still take it.

Now, I will deal with your comments which might turn some people off to this most awe-inspiring book. So I will counter your comments about this book with the thoughts of some others, and what they they think about it. We will start with people who post here on the BBF....

Gerben47 says “Favorite Bridge Book: Adventures in Card Play”

eyhung says, Good books for expert players -- Adventures in Card Play and Bridge

Luke_Gillespie replied to the question 2) tell me your 3 best books (in order if possible? By stating, Adventures in Card Play (Kelsey/Ottlik),

I replied to the same question… tell me your 3 best books (in order if possible )?
    PLAY - Adventures in Card play - Ottilik and Kelsy and Bridge Squeeze Complete - Clyde Love
    BIDDING - To Bid or Not To Bid - Larry Cohen
        Partnership Bidding at Bridge - Robson/Segal
    FUN - Bridge in the Fourth Dimension - Victor Mollo
         Any other Hideous Hog books by Mollo

I did note in another threat, that I (inquiry) said “And stay away from "Adventures in Card Play" until you THINK you are an expert. Then use this book will show you why you are probably wrong...”

I will add that Theodore T. Triandaphyllopoulos, the author of the awesome online odds calculator click here to open online odd;s calculator says a very similar thing about Adventures in card play, “Unbelievable book. If you think that you are an expert, just read it and think again. A very difficult book, but surely it's worth having. For players with a long experience (so that's too late for them to quit the game). “

As for others?

In 1994 the ACBL took a survey of the top 20 Bridge Books of all time (so this is pre-1995 obviously),

Adventures in Card Play by Giza Ottlik & Hugh Kelsey
The most advanced book ever written on the play of the cards. The hands feature in the main, advanced squeeze plays which are rarely discussed in bridge books. The chapters involving trump elopements are magnificent reading and worth the price of the book itself. "perhaps the most exceptional bridge book ever" Zia Mahmood

Please note the quote from Zia… :-)

In a survey of players at the World Bridge Championships in Albuquerque, tournament players were asked to name their favorite bridge book, with no breakdown by categorym Adventures in Card Play came in first.

So, are the plays somewhat esoteric? No, they are incredibly esoteric. But that doesn't stop this Adventures in Card Play from being far and away the most incredible diplay of analytical study of card play in all of bridge literature. And I will assure you, you need time alone on an island to study it to grasp the plays it contains. And you might be surprized how often these endings do creep up if you study them. They are rare, but not so rare as you might suspect, because almost of them when they occure go completely unnoticed.

Should a beginner pick this book up? No way. Should a intermediate try it? Nope. However anyone from Advanced up, who has already studied squeeze and endplays and who can start to visualize hand and hand patterns, this is a fine book, if for nothing else than to see the breathtaking beauty of the plays. And with study, your game will improve.. and if nothing else, you can hold your own at cocktail parties if real bridge experts start to discuss their favorite books.

Ben

[Chamaco]

1) Cut for partners by SJ Simon -close call with Darvas Right thru the pack- (bridge anedoctes coupled with technique review- good or bad )
2) Matchpoints by Woolsey (bidding/hand evaluation)
3) Killing defense at bridge by Kelsey (card play/ card reading)

[xx1943]

sceptic, on Jun 29 2004, 03:55 AM, said:

Hi all,

Can I have your opinions as to which 3 bridge books you would take to a desert island with you and why???

Can't wait for Slothy's reply, the rest of you can be serious hahahaha

Hi

you will find many interesting posts in a thread started march 2003 from jjsb:

What books do you like

Al

[slothy]

Ok,

avatarless thread opener: some time recently said:

Can't wait for Slothy's reply, the rest of you can be serious hahahaha

May i say that, after innumerable sessions with my psychiatrist, i have turned over a new leaf and am taking my posts in this Venerable Forum seriously, as Mike pointed out. Hence, i shall give this question the seriousness it deserves.

As for the Ottlik-Kelsey collaboration i agree with everything you said, Ben. I started reading it a few years back but put it to one side purposefully for a day when i would be able to read it more profitably. A truly admirable achievement and one that deserves a concentrated study to appreciate the true essence of top-class bridge card technique. To me it is the 'Anna Karenina' of the bridge literature (assuming people appreciate an overdramatised story of the death of a Russian aristocratic nymphomaniac and home-breaker as a classic ).

My books?? Well if i was on a desert island i doubt i would have bridge books

I would choose the books that would have the most practical value for me being stranded on a desert island:-

1) 'Learn To Climb Glaciers in 4 and a half Weeks' By I.C.Nostrils

2) 'Sexual Gratification For People Stranded on Desert Islands' (4th Edition) By Hands Solo

3) 'The Feng Shui Of Sand-castle Engineering' By Sandy Bucket

If i was given the choice of a 4th it would have to be the Carnegie sequel, a classic of its genre,

"How To Make Friends (With Cannibalistic Natives) And Influence People (Not To Eat You)" By D. Carnegie

Anyway, chances are Aisha will have to come and deliver them so we would have no time for books and such things....

I am sure people would agree that these choices would be of immense practical value.

Hope that to your satisfaction.

Yours Sceptically,

Alex

[Trpltrbl]

slothy, on Jun 29 2004, 01:45 PM, said:

Ok,

avatarless thread opener: some time recently said:

Can't wait for Slothy's reply, the rest of you can be serious hahahaha

May i say that, after innumerable sessions with my psychiatrist, i have turned over a new leaf and am taking my posts in this Venerable Forum seriously, as Mike pointed out. Hence, i shall give this question the seriousness it deserves.


Alex

Forget the bridgebooks, what about the 3 female bridgeplayers you want to take to desert Island. I f I was stuck on desert island last thing on my mind would be bridgebooks

Mike

And I am sooo happy Slothy saw my psychiatrist. I heard the 7 sessions a day are finally starting to pay off.

[Flame]

No one mentioned any of lawrence's books, i just love his playing books and would take one like "play these hands with me".

[luke warm]

Russian aristocratic nymphomaniacs? of *course* that's a classic... how could it not be?

[slothy]

Trpltrbl, on Jun 29 2004, 05:18 PM, said:

And I am sooo happy Slothy saw my psychiatrist. I heard the 7 sessions a day are finally starting to pay off.

He broke professional confidentiality when he said he had to cut down sessions wiz me as there was a client (named Mike) who needed more urgent attention

Alex

[mikestar]

The best bridge literature for a desert island was never actually published. According to one of Frank Stewart's books, Rhoda Walsh was asked to pose for Playboy but declined--male bridge players cried about it for quite a while.

I met her briefly at an NABC years ago. She and some other name players put on a show, and as of then, she:

• could sing, dance, and do comedy
  
• was really incredible looking
  
• had legs to die for/kill for
  
• had lots of $$$
  
• and 14,000 master points

[aisha759]

If you are in a "dessert island" make sure you have a very strong chocolate flavoured SPF and pass time reading instructions on how to apply it........

If you are on a deserted island, then good luck to you, and bon voyage!

I would suggest joining the reality show "survivor" you might make a million dollars while reading up on bridge
My favorite bridge book would be BRIDGE WITH BRUNNER (ACOL BIDDING FOR IMPROVERS) then maybe could get slothy to respect me for my bidding
why? because i still cant get acol and this would be an opportunity to get a good sun tan, and learn this system to a tee
I would bring along 2 extra copies (making it 3) ( 3 books is what you asked for) to share with all those of you who got bored with playboy and penthouse....
Now honestly, how many of you would take a bridge book to a "desert"island? and why? (no matter how excellent the literature, litruture, grrrrrrrrr)
Wish you all sweet deserts

Evil Aisha

[slothy]

the disillusioned one above, on Jun 29 2004, 08:15 PM, said:

My favorite bridge book would be BRIDGE WITH BRUNNER (ACOL BIDDING FOR IMPROVERS) [rest of sentence rubbish so deleted it]

I noticed that if you buy BRIDGE WITH BRUNNER from Amazon, you get the book

FAMOUS OXYMORONS IN MIND SPORTS for half price.

Worth getting.

[the hog]

Forget the bridgebooks, what about the 3 female bridgeplayers

I could answer this, but I suspect Ben might think the thread inappropriate.

Re bridgebooks:
Adventures in Cardplay is a book which should be on every serious bridgeplayer's desert island list. The section on trump elopement is brilliant even if you find the sections on squeeze play too esoteric.
Kelsey's "Strip Squeezes" is a good read.
Darvas' "Right Through The Pack" is another fine book, and entertaining as well.

[slothy]

Just noticed something...

A lot of people have found themselves on this desert island!!!!!

(Aisha's mine by the way guys. Ordered the 2 person tent on-line already oops just cancelled the second sleeping-bag: superfluous )

The way it going enough people for a 5 table Swiss: we could inaugurate the Swiss Family Robinson Trophy??

Alex