The Complete Idiot's Guide to Bridge: 4

I bought this book after playing bridge for about a month. I had taught myself mostly by using Bridge for Dummies. BFD is a great book and is more entry level. The Complete Idiot's Guide (CIG) is a great book on its own as well. For instance, BFD will talk about bidding game, but doesn't give point ranges for bidding game. CIG shows that clearly. This book has great information about bidding, playing the hand and also more advanced techniques. You often see things on someone's bidding card like Splinter bids, or Drury. This books gives you these conventions as well as many more. It has a great explanation of cue bids and transfers. What makes this book stand out is the humor involved and the bridgebits. It tells you much of the history, and little bits of trivia behind the topic at hand. Learning bridge can be dry (and this is coming from an accountant) and this book makes it much more interesting.

this is the book that i learned bridge from, and it's the book that i strongly recommend anyone i know to read if they are thinking of taking up the game. let's face it--a game is hard to learn from a book. almost any game, much less a game as complicated and complex as bridge! so you should not expect to be an expert just by reading this book. don't read the book in its entirety and then sit down at the bridge table. read some, then play some, then repeat. if you don't have people who are willing to play very frequently, play online! (pogo.com is one site where beginners can be comfortable, although I'm sure there are others.) if any book can help you, THIS book can help you learn bridge. but, bridge must ultimately be PLAYED to be learned, so don't forget to play as you go!

I am an avid chess player who has been told for years that I should play bridge. Well, I finally decided to give it a go. I began by attempting to read The ABC's of Bridge by Root. I felt that this book is anything but elementary and quickly became discouraged. I read some favorable reviews of Complete Idiot's Guide to Bridge and gave it a shot. I am 3/4 through the book in 10 days and can't say enough good things about it. It is clear, concise and packed full of excellent explanations, examples, and quizes. The authors take you by the hand and gently lead you through the nuances of this fascinating and challenging game. I have already put my preliminary knowledge to use playing on the internet. I have already experienced the deep satisfaction of making a 3NT (3 No Trump)bid as declarer using finesses and ducking. I have enjoyed setting the opponents several times using many of the techniques outlined in the book. I am well on my way to learning how to communicate well with my partner. If you are interested in learning about Bridge, I strongly urge you to buy this book now!

I once read a book, which was recommended to me as the authoritative text on the subject. I read it, enjoyed it, and carefully shelved it. But not once, not being a doctor, did I attempt Brain Surgery. The only caveat to Mr. Medley's book I can offer is this. If you don't play bridge, you will never learn bridge. I must admit, and I am still a beginner at this classic of card games, that Mr. Medley's book has made me a better bidder, and I play the cards better. My partner still screams at me, but I know now that screaming is part of the game. Oddly enough, the game is easy. It's the scoring that's tough. But a whole chapter is devoted to those who care more about points than about playing the game."The Complete Idiot's Guide to BRIDGE" is a fun read, easily understood, immediately apllicable , and damned good writing!Butlike my book on Brain surgery, unless you try it, you'll never understand it. Buy the book. Find three other people, and PLAY THE GAME. Then a lot becomes clear.

In spite of the title, this book provides the information you need to understand how to play bridge, not just a list of recommendations to be learned by rote. The author starts at the beginning -- how to play, goals of the game, how to score -- but he does not waste time on the fundamentals. He continues by explaining how to bid, providing rational and easy-to-understand logic so that the reader understands what is happening, both how to bid and how to deduce as much information as possible from others' bids. This explanation is provided in a logical sequence which matches the bidding in a typical game. After explaining how to bid, there are hints on how to play the hand. Although pitched at the beginning player, the explanations are quite complete and the author covers several advanced techniques. There's plenty in this book to enable a new bridge player to have the confidence to not look like an idiot while playing with experienced players. Robin Thompson