Commonsense Bidding: The Most Complete Guide to Modern Methods of Standard Bidding [Paperback]

William S. Root (Author), Alan Truscott (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 11, 1995

The most complete guide to the modern methods of standard bidding for bridge, from one of America's leading players, teachers, and authorities. With a logical, easy-to-follow style, William Root covers all the bidding essentials.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

The most complete guide to the modern methods of standard bidding for bridge, from one of America's leading players, teachers, and authorities. With a logical, easy-to-follow style, William Root covers all the bidding essentials.

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press (April 11, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0517884305
• ISBN-13: 978-0517884300
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 0.4 x 9.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #62,400 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #25 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Puzzles & Games > Bridge

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best., January 29, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Commonsense Bidding: The Most Complete Guide to Modern Methods of Standard Bidding (Paperback)

This is the most thorough and readable book on standard bidding I've encountered. Not for complete beginners, but an excellent resource for anyone who knows the basics of bridge and is looking to become a lot better.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Root headed out to teach with no compromise, but following a standard of completeness and clarity., June 27, 2005

By 

L. E Notkin (Montreal, Quebec Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Commonsense Bidding: The Most Complete Guide to Modern Methods of Standard Bidding (Paperback)

In another review about a book by the same author, I remarked that reading his books is like chewing sawdust. This basic fact has not changed. However, I now maintain that Bill Root has written the best books on learning the game in all its aspects.

This book is not about plain point ranges as another reader has already claimed; the book is logical, methodical, clear, but there is a catch: this is to be read like a text book; I have taken notes, underlined, and made crib sheets out of it. If you slow down enough your reading speed and do not read it casually like a novel, you will be amptly rewarded.

An example of the terseness of this book is that the headings in this book need to be read and fully understood before reading the respective sections; most of us tend to skip the headings, don't we?
Before I have used this terseness as a con in Root's books, but I have come to realise that this is the best possible format: no distractions, just pure essence.

I am tired of these books that are full of anectodes, pretend to ease you into the point they are trying to make, and then ... KABOOM, here is the point as dry as ever.

Root's books have the guts to be pure bridge, no filler, no gimmicks, JUST EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW WITH NO HOLDING BACK OR TRYING TO SPREAD THE INFORMATION OVER SEVERAL BOOKS.

Root headed out to teach with no compromise, but following a standard of completeness and clarity.

It took me quite a time to realise his sense of integrity and charisma, but I did. I am sure that any absolute beginner will initially resist buying his books, but he or she will inexorably gravitate to them and appreciate their wealth of information.

It is this wealth that will make you go through them slowly; the other authors have spoiled you and have put the emphasis on easy reading.

A page by Root is worth easily 20 by the other authors.

5 stars!!!

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent no-nonsense advice, but a bit dated, July 31, 2002

By 

William Garrett (Sunnyvale, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Commonsense Bidding: The Most Complete Guide to Modern Methods of Standard Bidding (Paperback)

This book on bridge bidding is targeted at the advanced novice to intermediate player. It's full of straightfoward advice and examples to help you improve your game. The only knock I have against this book is that it's slightly outdated. Bridge experts' understanding has improved in the 20 years since the manuscript was developed. For example, weak 2 bids are almost univerally accepted as better than strong 2's now, but this book only mentions weak 2's in passing as an experimental technique. Overall it's still a very good book; it just needs to be read with a critical eye and an awareness of other sources.