Book Recommendations
There are many great bridge authors from around the world. The ground-breaking authors of the early days deserve a huge amount of credit for making bridge interesting to readers everywhere. To me, there are three authors that led the way in this revolution in bridge story telling and instruction. They are
- Terrence Resse
- Victor Mollo
- Hugh Kelsey
Their books may not be the newest or most up-to-date, but there is still much to be learned from these amazing writers and bridge players.
Novice/Intermediate
- 25 Conventions You Should Know -Seagram & Smith
- How to Read Your Opponnents Cards -Lawrence
- Countdown to Winning Bridge -Bourke & Smith
- Standard Bridge Bidding for the 21st Century (Green) -Hardy
- Eddie Kantar Teaches Modern Bridge Defense -Kantar
Advanced/Expert
- Advanced Bridge Bidding for the 21st Century (Purple) -Hardy
- Bridge with the Blue Team -Forquet
- Reese on Play -Reese
- Kelsey on Squeeze Play -Kelsey
- Matchpoints -Woolsey
- Adventures in Card Play -Ottlik & Kelsey
- Win the Bermuda Bowl with Me -Meckstroth
- Larry Cohen's Bidding Challenge -Cohen
Book Ratings
Bidding
| Book Title | Author | Level | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Negative Doubles |
Bergen | Intermediate |
5 |
| Better Bidding with Bergen, V1: Uncontested... |
Bergen | Intermediate |
4 |
| Better Bidding with Bergen, V2: Competitive... |
Bergen | Intermediate |
4 |
| Points Schmoints! |
Bergen | Intermediate |
4 |
| More Points Schmoints |
Bergen | Intermediate |
4 |
| To Bid or Not to Bid |
Cohen |
Inter/Adv |
5 |
| Larry Cohen's Bidding Challenge |
Cohen |
Inter/Adv |
5 |
| Following the Law: The Total Tricks Sequeal |
Cohen |
Advanced |
4 |
| Bridge Conventions in Depth |
Granovetters |
Advanced |
4 |
| Standard Bridge Bidding for the 21st Century |
Hardy |
Inter/Adv |
4 |
| Advanced Bridge Bidding for the 21st Century |
Hardy |
Adv/Expert |
4 |
| The Problem with Major Suit Raises... |
Hardy | Inter/Adv |
4 |
| 2 Over 1 Game Forcing |
Hardy | Advanced |
2 |
| Workbook on the Two Over One Bidding System |
Lawrence | Intermediate |
4 |
| Competitive Bidding for the 21st Century |
Miles | Advanced |
4 |
| Partnership Bidding: A Workbook |
Paul | Intermediate |
3 |
| The Art of Psychic Bidding |
Pottage & Burrows | Advanced |
3 |
| All You Need To Know About Bidding |
Reese & Bird | Advanced |
3 |
| Precision Bidding and Precision Play |
Reese | Advanced |
3 |
| 25 Conventions You Should Know |
Seagram & Smith |
Intermediate |
5 |
| 25 Ways to Compete in the Bidding |
Seagram & Smith |
Nov/Inter |
5 |
| Conventions Today |
Senior | Adv/Expert |
4 |
| The Bridge Book: V3 - For Advanced Players | Stewart | Advanced | 4 |
| Bid Better, Play Better |
Trustcott | Inter/Adv |
3 |
Play
| Book Title | Author | Level | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squeezes Made Simple |
Bird & Smith | Intermediate |
4 |
| Safety Plays | Bird & Smith | Intermediate |
4 |
| Bridge with the Blue Team | Forquet | Expert |
5 |
| Masterclass |
Gittleman |
Advanced |
4 |
| The Hands of Time |
Horton |
Advanced |
4 |
| Test Your Bridge Play: V1 |
Kantar |
Advanced |
4 |
| Test Your Bridge Play: V2 |
Kantar |
Advanced |
4 |
| Introduction to Declarer Play |
Kantar |
Inter/Adv |
3 |
| Kantar on Kontracts |
Kantar |
Advanced |
3 |
| Test Your Card Reading |
Kelsey |
Advanced |
4 |
| Bridge for the Connoisseur |
Kelsey |
Adv/Exp |
4 |
| Test Your Card Play 1 |
Kelsey |
Advanced |
5 |
| Test Your Trump Control |
Kelsey |
Advanced |
5 |
| Test Your Communication |
Kelsey |
Advanced |
5 |
| Masterpieces of Declarer Play |
Pottage |
Advanced |
4 |
| Positive Declarer Play at Bridge |
Reese & Pottage |
Advanced |
4 |
| Master the Odds at Bridge |
Reese & Trezel |
Advanced |
4 |
| The Most Puzzling Situations in Bridge Play |
Reese |
Advanced |
4 |
| How to Become a Bridge Expert |
Stewart |
Advanced |
4 |
Defense
| Book Title | Author | Level | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Better Signalling Now |
Horton | Advanced |
5 |
| Eddie Kantar Teaches Modern Bridge Defense |
Kantar | Intermediate | 4 |
| Eddie Kantar Teaches Advanced Bridge Defense |
Kantar | Advanced |
4 |
| Positive Defense at Bridge |
Reese & Pottage |
Advanced |
4 |
| Play of the Hand |
Watson |
Inter/Adv |
3 |
General
| Book Title | Author | Level | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Famous Bridge Disasters |
Bird | Advanced |
5 |
| Bridge with Imagination |
Bird & Helgemo | Inter/Adv |
4 |
| Countdown to Winning Bridge |
Bourke & Smith | Inter/Adv | 5 |
| The Complete Book of Bridge BOLS Tips |
Brock | Advanced |
4 |
| The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge |
Francis | Inter/Adv |
4 |
| At the Table |
Hamman & Manley |
Advanced |
4 |
| Bridge Tips from the Masters |
Reese | Advanced |
4 |
| Bridge Zia, and Me |
Rosenberg |
Inter/Adv |
5 |
| Play with the Bridge Legends |
Shenkin |
Advanced |
4 |
| World Class |
Smith |
Advanced |
4 |
| Man vs. Machine |
Smith |
Inter/Adv |
3 |
| Around the World in 80 Hands |
Zia & Burn | Inter/Adv |
4 |
| Bridge My Way |
Zia | Inter/Adv |
5 |