Customer Reviews

Complete Book on Hand Evaluation in Contract Bridge

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is superb; the author's thoughts flow through my mind during every auction, competitive or not. He discusses in detail, for example, when a holding of xxx in a suit opened by opponents is terrible, neutral, or mildly positive. The studious reader will understand why a hand which opened 1 Spade with xxxxxx in spades improves vastly more than a hand which opened 1 Spade with KQJTx when partner raises Spades vigorously (in Lawrence's words, "Beware the short stubby suit.") Attention to the principles carefully explained and extensively illustrated (sometimes the same hand is given with half a dozen different auctions to explain evaluation niceties) by Lawrence will vastly reduce your phantom sacrifices, -800s when dummy hit with "all the wrong cards," and +1370s which delight your teammates, who were -630 defending 3NT at the other table when their opponents never looked for a minor-suit slam.

Many players think there's little more to hand evaluation than counting points. This suits me fine when those players are my opponents. But when one of them is my partner, I wish he or she had read this book.

Mike Lawrence has written quite a few bridge books, and most are quite good. This is one of the best. It's clear, concise, and replete with stuff that makes sense when you see it, but that you may not have thought of yet. What more could you ask for?

This book is superb; the author's thoughts flow through my mind during every auction, competitive or not. He discusses in detail, for example, when a holding of xxx in a suit opened by opponents is terrible, neutral, or mildly positive. The studious reader will understand why a hand which opened 1 Spade with xxxxxx in spades improves vastly more than a hand which opened 1 Spade with KQJTx when partner raises Spades vigorously (in Lawrence's words, "Beware the short stubby suit.") Attention to the principles carefully explained and extensively illustrated (sometimes the same hand is geven with half a dozen different auctions to explain evaluation niceties) by Lawrence will vastly reduce your phantom sacrifices, -800s when dummy hit with "all the wrong cards," and +1370s which delight your teammates, who were -630 defending 3NT at the other table when their opponents never looked for a minor-suit slam.

A must for any serious player. Good advice on every aspect of reevaluating your hand as the bidding proceeds by one of the most readable of all bridge authors.

Someone once charitably described me as an "average player." So, take my review for what it is worth.

I believe that this is an excellent book for its target audience. But, most novices are probably not ready to make much use of it.

The introduction says that it is for "experienced bridge players." I would interpret that as meaning those who have completed a series of beginning classes (perhaps based on the Audrey Grant - ACBL - series) and have played at least a year.

The book is well written. (An enhanced discussion of what Lawrence terms "shell points" would have been helpful to me.)
It helped me to understand in a more profound way how both "shape" and competitive auctions affect hand evaluation.

I think that this is a very insightful book, which I will read and re-read several times.

You hold AQTx in a suit. 6 HCP. The suit is overcalled on your right. Its likely RHO holds the K and J. Your hand is worth maybe 2 extra tricks (finesse the T and Q). Lets say LHO overcalls the suit instead. Oh, oh! Bad news, they probably have the K and J, your hand is probably good for 1 trick, though its still got stoppers for NT.

The books has many bidding sequences where your hand fluctuates in value.
A singleton in your partners first bid suit is not necessarily an asset as their suit is hard to set up and secondary honors are worthless.

Axx gives you control as to when to take the ace - 1st 2nd or 3rd round. COmpared to a stiff ace.

You need some practical experience to get something out of the book. Read some books, play for a year, THEN read this. This is beyond counting HCP

No ZAR points or silver bullets, just how to dynamically value your hand.

It's far from "Complete Book on Hand Evaluation". Mike Lawrence knows how to bridge, but his writing style sucks. This book introduces some modern concepts like "shell points", but also you'll find the Splinter. I think the Splinter bidding convention was appended to thicken the book. Don't put your money on Complete Book..., buy Marty Bergen's Points Schmoints.