Table of Contents
Introduction 7
Part 1 Bridge Basics 9
Chapter 1 Introduction to the Game 11
Getting Started: Bridge Basics 13
Be a Good Partner 15
How to Use This Book 15
Chapter 2 Key Points to Get Started 17
Bridge Jargon 17
A Quick Summary 18
Let's Play 19
How the Bidding Works 20
Listen Closely 22
How You Play a Contract 24
Scoring 29
Part 2 Bidding, the Language of Bridge 33
Chapter 3 Communicating at the Table 35
Choosing a Bidding System 35
High-Card Points and Their Importance 37
Every Bid (or Pass) Communicates 39
Major or Minor Opening? 41
The Captaincy Principle 42
The Importance of Shape 45
Openers at the Two Level and Higher 49
Chapter 4 Your First Auction 53
Partner's First Response 54
Major or Minor Opening? 55
Opener's First Rebid 61
Chapter 5 Competitive Bidding 66
The Opponents Open the Bidding 66
Principles of Overcalling 67
Takeout Doubles 71
Other Competitive Doubles 74
Responding to Partner's Overcall 78
Balancing 80
You Open and They Compete 82
Chapter 6 Useful Bidding Tools and Other Pointers 85
Responding to a Takeout Double 85
The Doubler's Second Call 90
Competing Against Preempts 95
The Rule of Eight 96
Cuebids 98
In the Balancing Seat 102
Part 3 The Play of the Hand 105
Chapter 7 Declarer's Priorities 107
Card Play 107
Spotting Entries 108
Unblocking and Counting Cards 111
Delayed Winners and Counting Losers 116
Chapter 8 When You're on Defense 121
Listening to the Auction 121
Opening Leads on Defense 126
Opening Leads Against No-Trump Contracts 126
The Opponents Have Used Stayman 128
Leads Against Competitive No-Trump Contracts 131
Part 4 Duplicate Bridge and Resources for Further Study 137
Chapter 9 Why Duplicate? 139
Duplicate Basics 139
Scoring Differences 143
Why Duplicate? 148
Chapter 10 Resources to Improve Your Game 153
Bridge-Related Websites 153
Personal Websites 154
Online Bridge Play 155
Bridge Magazines 156
Recommended Books 156
American Bridge Association 158
ACBL 158
Glossary 159
Index 174
