Bridge For Dummies

Try a hand at bridge and outsmart your opponents Bridge is the most popular card game in the world and, as any player will tell you, is simply the best card game ever. Whether you're new to the game or a long-time player looking for new tricks, this new edition of Bridge For Dummies walks you through the intricacies of the game and arms you with tried-and-true tips and strategies for being a better player and beating your opponents from the very first draw. Covering not only traditional contract bridge, but other popular variations of the game including ACOL, Rubber, and Duplicate Bridge this hands-on, friendly guide takes the guesswork out of this beloved game and arms you with the knowledge and know-how to make your game mates your minions. From knowing when and how high to bid to bringing home the tricks when you end up in a trump contract, it'll take your bridge skills to the next level in no time! Strategize with your bridge partner Confidently play bridge in clubs and tournaments Use basic and advanced bidding techniques Find bridge clubs and tournaments all over the world Are you ready to trump the competition? Success is a page away with the help of Bridge For Dummies.

Try a hand at bridge--and outsmart your opponentsBridge is the most popular card game in the world--and, as any player will tell you, is simply the best card game ever. Whether you're new to the game or a long-time player looking for new tricks, this new edition of Bridge For Dummies walks you through the intricacies of the game and arms you with tried-and-true tips and strategies for being a better player and beating your opponents from the very first draw.Covering not only traditional contract bridge, but other popular variations of the game--including ACOL, Rubber, and Duplicate Bridge--this hands-on, friendly guide takes the guesswork out of this beloved game and arms you with the knowledge and know-how to make your game mates your minions. From knowing when and how high to bid to bringing home the tricks when you end up in a trump contract, it'll take your bridge skills to the next level in no time!* Strategize with your bridge partner* Confidently play bridge in clubs and tournaments* Use basic and advanced bidding techniques* Find bridge clubs and tournaments all over the worldAre you ready to trump the competition? Success is a page away with the help of Bridge For Dummies.

Introduction 1Part 1: Getting Started with Basic Notrump Play 7CHAPTER 1: Going to Bridge Boot Camp 9CHAPTER 2: Counting and Taking Sure Tricks 19CHAPTER 3: Using Winning Trick Techniques at Notrump Play 27CHAPTER 4: Outsmarting Your Opponents at Notrump Play 45Part 2: Playing the Hand in a Trump Contract 63CHAPTER 5: Introducing Trump Suits 65CHAPTER 6: Creating Extra Winners to Discard Losers 81CHAPTER 7: Setting Up the Dummy's Long Suit 91CHAPTER 8: Getting Rid of Losers by Using the Dummy's Trump Cards 103Part 3: Bidding for Fun and Profit 111CHAPTER 9: Starting with Bidding Basics 113CHAPTER 10: Making a Successful Opening Bid 123CHAPTER 11: Responding to an Opening Bid 147CHAPTER 12: Rebidding by the Opener 181CHAPTER 13: Rebidding by the Responder 207Part 4: Forging Ahead with Advanced Bidding Techniques 229CHAPTER 14: Creating Interference: Defensive Bidding 231CHAPTER 15: Double Trouble: Doubling and Redoubling 249CHAPTER 16: Hitting Hard: Slam Bidding 267Part 5: Playing a Strong Defense and Keeping Score 279CHAPTER 17: Defending against Notrump Contracts 281CHAPTER 18: Defending against Trump Contracts 299CHAPTER 19: Playing Second Hand on Defense 317CHAPTER 20: Wrapping Up with Scorekeeping 329Part 6: Feeding Your Addiction to Bridge 345CHAPTER 21: Joining Bridge Clubs and the Tournament World 347CHAPTER 22: Playing Bridge on Your Computer and Online 357Part 7: The Part of Tens 363CHAPTER 23: Ten Ways to Be a Better Bridge Partner 365CHAPTER 24: Ten Great Bridge Resources 369Appendix: Acol Bidding System 375Index 389