Improve Your Bidding Judgment

Beginners at bridge are taught rigid rules to apply to bidding, rules that involve point count, losing trick count and other evaluation methods. But they quickly discover that there are more situations where the rules don't apply than where they do. This book addresses a gap in bridge literature by discussing how to make decisions in the auction: when to be aggressive and when to pull back, when to take saves, when to double the opponents, and so forth. Filled with real-life examples, practical advice and helpful quizzes, this will help any reader become a better bidder.

"The first call has an impact on the bidding, play, and defense of the entire deal. This book introduces concepts that will have you confident and capable of making good decisions when you are in a position to open the bidding. Discover how to: use the guideline of 20 in first and second position, make light opening bids in third position, benefit from the guideline of 15 in fourth position, make more effective use of preemptive opening bids, including the weak two-bid, produce the most descriptive opening bid with powerhouse hands."--Back cover

In this sequel to 'Improve your Bidding Judgement', the author continues the discussion of the ideas behind good decision-making during the auction at bridge, getting into areas and agreements that were not dealt with in his first book.

"Understanding the many uses of the double can dramatically improve your game. The book reviews the basics and introduces tools to improve your judgment. Topics covered include: the takeout double, responding to (Advancing) the takeout double, rebids by the doubler and the advancer, balancing and other doubles. This book will introduce features of the double that you may not have considered and you'll be well placed to get better results in competitive auctions."--Back cover.

This is an important, and in some ways revolutionary, book. The point count method of hand evaluation was first proposed in 1914 and popularized in 1934 by Milton Work. The Banzai Method advanced by David Jackson and Ron Klinger improves on Milton Work by reassessing the relative values of the honour cards but also adds a further dimension to accurate hand evaluation by including the tens and is of crucial importance when assessing balanced hands. According to Eric Kokish, an internationally respected American authority, who has contributed the Foreword, the many example deals are an eye-opener. When you finish this book, it is unlikely that you are going to look at your hand the same way as you have in the past.