Almost The Only Bridge Book You'll Ever Need (eBook)

Randy Baron founded Baron Barclay Bridge Supplies in 1974 with his wife Mary and was president of the company for over 30 years. He has had many roles in the bridge world as a well-known teacher, author, columnist and expert. Randy edited and published over 200 books at Baron Barclay. His many books and teaching materials include ABTA Book of the Year The Bridge Book Series, written with Frank Stewart. Randy is also the author of acclaimed books on the history of basketball, fantasy sports and the Kentucky Derby. He lives in Louisville, Kentucky with Mary, his children, Devyn and Dustin, and his beloved cocker spaniels. His passion for travel has taken him to over 100 countries and in recent years he takes groups to various nations to play bridge and sightsee.

Contents- Acknowledgments- Foreword- IntroductionSECTION ONEHaving Fun and Useful Habits1. Be a Good Partner, by Marty Bergen2. Choose Your Partners Wisely3. Always Follow the Golden Rule: Treat Your Partner, Opponents, Directors and Everyone You Come in Contact with as You Wish to Be Treated4. Always Be an Ethical Player. It's Much More Important than Winning, by Denny & Jerry Clerkin5. Make Sure You Pause After a Skip Bid by the Opponents6. Familiarize Yourself with the Laws of Bridge, by Robb Gordon7. When You Are Dummy, Be the Best Dummy You Can Be8. Ask Questions at the Proper Time9. Decide Why You Choose to Play the Game10. Learn The Game; Don't Worry About Winning or How Many Masterpoints You Have Accumulated11. Hold Your Cards So the Opponents Can't See Them12. During the Play, Make Sure the Opponents Can't Tell Your Distribution13. Table Talk and Tells: Your Opponents Are Talking, You Are Listening, by Mike Wolf14. Relax and Keep Your Wits When Things Aren't Going Well15. Take a Deep Breath16. Ecstasy, by Mike Lawrence17. The Harder You Practice, the Luckier You Get18. Respect Everyone, Fear No One, by Dr. Lee Bukstel19. Include at Least Several Declarer Play Books in Your Personal Library and Take Time to Learn from the Example Hands20. Play Online and Use Computer Programs To Improve21. The More Experienced Partner Should Adapt to Changes in Your System, by Keith Hanson22. Always Try to Make Life Easy For Your Partner, by Mark Yaeger23. Play Against Good Players As Often As Possible24. Stay in Shape By Finding Activities That Give You More Stamina25. Concentrate to the Best of Your Ability at All Times26. Remember That at Matchpoints a Terrible Board Is Only a Zero27. Smart Players Try For the Best Result Possible, Not the Best Possible ResultSECTION TWOYour System, Conventions, and Strategy28. The System You Play Is Not Nearly As Important As How Well You Play the System29. Arrive Early To Discuss Your System with Partner30. Consent to Play Only Conventions With Which You Are Totally Comfortable31. Use the 80-20 Rule When Creating a Bidding System, by Ralph Letizia32. Learn the Rule of 20 for When To Open the Bidding33. Use the Rule of 15 When Deciding Whether To Open In Fourth Seat34. After Partner Has Passed In First or Second Seat, Be Aggressive35. Don't Be a Slave to the Point Count36. Open a Strong 1NT with a Five-Card Major with 15–17 High Card Points37. After Your Partner Opens 1NT, Don't Use Stayman When You Have 4-3-3-3 Distribution38. Learn Garbage Stayman39. Playing a Weak No Trump Opening Makes Life Difficult for the Opponents40. Avoid Any Unilateral Decision on the First Round of Bidding, by Gavin Wolpert41. Always Plan Your Second Bid, by Jerry Helms42. In Every Auction Your Partnership Should Understand Which of You Is the Captain43. Learn the Principle of Fast Arrival44. With 3-3 In the Minors, Open 1♣45. When You Open the Bidding 1♦ and Rebid the Suit, You Should Have Six Cards in That Suit, by Steve Weinstein46. Reverses Are Sometimes Misunderstood So Learn About Them, by Barbara Seagram47. Use Specific Opening Preemptive Bids48. Ogust Rebids Are Useful Over Weak Two Bids49. Sometimes It's a Good Idea to Bid the Suit in Which You Are Weak50. If You Know Where to Play the Contract, Just Go Ahead and Bid It51. When You have a Misfit, Stop Bidding as Soon as Possible52. Don't Use the Blackwood Convention When You Have a Void53. Roman Keycard Blackwood Is Worthwhile for Experienced Partnerships54. Learn Cuebidding to Make Sure You Don't Have Two Quick losers in a Suit When You Are Looking for Slam55. Discuss with Your Partner When 4 Clubs Is Gerber56. Splinter Bids Are Useful if You Have a Solid Partnership, by Dorothy Truscott57. Don't Bid a Grand Slam Unless You Can Count All 13 Tricks58. Give Two Over One Game Force a Try59. Consider the Precision Club, by Brent Manley60. Learn the Differences in Duplicate Between Matchpoints and Swiss Teams/Knockout Events (Imps)61. Visualizing Partner's Hand Is a Crucial Part of Accurate Bidding- Appendices- ACBL's Zero Tolerance Policy- Active Ethics- C-h-e-a-t-i-n-g- The Worst Opening Lead in the History of Bridge- Profound Words of the Dalai Lama Who Is Obviously a Bridge Expert- 100 Movies You Might Enjoy- 50 Books You Might Enjoy- 100 Songs I Have Enjoyed- The 32 (My Lucky Number and Birthday) Best Basketball Players of All-Time- 50 Profound Quotes