How To Play Card Combinations (Devyn Press Bridge Library) [Paperback]

Mike Lawrence (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 28, 2006

52 hands presented as problems. Discusses the proper way to play each combination. Each hand concludes with further analysis.

Product Details

• Paperback: 227 pages
• Publisher: Baron Barclay Bridge (March 28, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0910791635
• ISBN-13: 978-0910791632
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #326,992 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and instructive discussion of card combinations, June 8, 1999

By 

Edward J. Williams (Dearborn, Michigan USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How To Play Card Combinations (Devyn Press Bridge Library) (Paperback)

This book presents excellent, thoroughly explained card combinations in context (for example, a variety of declarer-play problems in which dummy holds Qx of a suit and declarer holds Ax of the same suit, or vice versa). The reader "listens" to the author's train of thought as he plans the play of the hand. It is both fascinating and instructive to see the numerous correct ways to play the same suit combinations, depending on the hand in which they appear. This book is sure to improve anyone's declarer play (unless you're already Zia or Meckstroth), far beyond the how-to of the half-dozen or so suit combinations treated in a collection of about 50 hands. As in all of Lawrence's bridge books, the lessons average to expert players need to learn are clearly and cogently stated.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Humbling concept, January 16, 2004

By 

The Blue Man (Oxford, OXON England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How To Play Card Combinations (Devyn Press Bridge Library) (Paperback)

On first reading Mike Lawrence's book on card combinations, I was disappointed. In fact, the book only deals with how to play seven particular suit combinations (one chapter on each). The obvious disappointment is that, even after having fully mastered the book, one will ostensibly only have mastered seven suit combinations!

Yet, on further consideration, any disappointment was mitigated by two realisations:
1) At least one will have mastered seven suit combinations; that is, be able to play them perfectly in any of a number of situations - no trumps contracts, suit contracts, contracts where entries to dummy are at issue etc.
2) One expects that the logical discussion employed to analyse these particular hands can be gradually applied to other suit combinations.

The title "humbling concept" applies here, as Mr. Lawrence's book makes it clear how difficult a task it is to become a master of bridge. Let us say there are 200 suit combinations which actually are of interest. Then one would need to read almost 30 books of this size (227 pages) to master the topic thoroughly.

In conclusion, I suspect that if it were possible to discuss all (or even most) suit combinations thoroughly in one book, Mr. Lawrence might have written such a book. Instead, one should respect his decision to concentrate on seven suit combinations, and we can perhaps hope for other books to follow.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sort of a sequel to How to Read Your Opponents Cards, March 15, 2007

By 

B. Einhorn (New York City, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How To Play Card Combinations (Devyn Press Bridge Library) (Paperback)

Start with Mike Lawrences "How to Read Your Opponents Cards". Get comfortable with the concepts he presents. Then try this. The book presents a set of chapters each featuring a common combination, such as KJx.

The reader will need to place cards based on the defenders bidding (or lack of it), and whats been played (and wahts not been played).

The book really is about deduction and counting, not how to play a suit to maximize the number of tricks. Don't let that stop you from buying and reading it, its well worth the time and money.