Monster Book of Basic Declarer Play

Book excerpt: A ‘monster’ collection of exercises in declarer play for bridge beginners. Written for newcomers to the game, it consists of 240 deals where very basic techniques will bring home the contract. It gives beginners the chance to practise counting up tricks and losers, planning the order in which to play the cards, and working out where extra tricks are to come from. By working their way through this book, beginners will learn how to focus on the main problems of playing contracts – keeping track of winners and losers, and being in the right hand at the right time. In the process, they will gain confidence and not panic when confronted with playing a hand at the table. They will also gain experience of how to read a bridge book, so that they will be able to move on to more advanced topics – and derive more enjoyment from their hobby.