Following the Law the Total Tricks Sequel [Paperback]

Larry Cohen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1994

This is the long-awaited sequel to 'To Bid or Not to Bid', the best-selling bridge book. Although the 'LAW of Total Tricks' has been around since the 1950s, it has only most recently caught on like wildfire. Now, wherever you go, you will hear bridge players talking about the LAW! There is an aura of mystique surrounding the LAW, a multitude of questions. In this book, Larry answers those questions by focusing on the intricacies of the LAW. Players of all levels will learn how to use the LAW to improve their competitive bidding judgement. All bridge players will better their results by 'Following the LAW'.

Product Details

• Paperback: 244 pages
• Publisher: Natco Pr (January 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963471546
• ISBN-13: 978-0963471543
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,386,552 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars cashing their tricks, October 11, 2004

By 

atakdoug (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Following the Law the Total Tricks Sequel (Paperback)

The Law. It's not perfect by any means, but understanding it can improve the game of nearly any player of intermediate or better strength. (Rubber bridge players can get by without it, though advanced players ought not; matchpoint duplicate players can't survive without it.) Larry Cohen's first book on the subject, To Bid or Not To Bid, is a fabulously valuable explication of the principle.

Unfortunately, the Law is fairly simple and can be presented, as it is, in one not-lengthy book. Why is that unfortunate? Because Cohen didn't stop at one. The sequel, Following the Law, wasn't necessary, and it doesn't even manage to be valuable. Well over half the book is presentations of deals on which the Law was applied, or could have been. Golly, ya think it worked in those cases? Little is gained from these examples, and they serve only to justify a book that otherwise could have run around thirty pages.

Cohen also includes some tips on adjustments, but there's far too little of this, the most difficult aspect of applying the Law for most players. He also discusses the DONT convention in detail, but there are better explications elsewhere. The rest is little more than a rehash of what was clearly stated before.

If you haven't read the first book, do so. If you have, skip this one.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Another 20 page book expanded into 170, March 24, 2006

By 

Mike Gorsky (Westport, CT United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Following the Law: The Total Tricks Sequel (Paperback)

Just like the Authors first book onthe LAW, this one could have been 20 pages long with some editing and organization.

Overall, the concept (the LAW) is worth knowing, just be aware that at higher levels its not as accurate as Cohen and Marty Bergen would have you think.

Its worth knowing about the LAW, just from a much shorter better presented source.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars To Bid or Not to Bid: New and Improved, April 25, 2002

By 

J. B. Potter (Clio, SC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Following the Law the Total Tricks Sequel (Paperback)

If you have read Cohen's first total tricks effort, understood it, and incorporated the principles of the Law of Total Tricks into your competitive bidding, you do not need this book. If the Law of Total Tricks does not inform your competitive bidding decisions, buy this book or the original. The second effort has a cleaner presentation including a thorough description of the wonderful DONT convention for competing over natural adverse notrump bids. If you take your bidding seriously, you owe yourself a solid understanding of Cohen's total tricks principles.