Introduction to Negative Doubles: A Must-read for the Aspiring Player [Paperback]

Marty Bergen (Author)

Book Description

Series: Points Schmoints Series | Publication Date: December 10, 2000

The most important convention in bridge. Intended for less-experienced players.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Marty Bergen is a ten-time national champion, and one of the most popular bridge authors in the world. He has written 8 bridge books.

Product Details

• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Bergen Books (December 10, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963753371
• ISBN-13: 978-0963753373
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #797,573 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars United We Stand; Divided We Fall, June 29, 2002

By 

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

This review is from: Negative Doubles: A must read for every partnership (Paperback)

Finally, an expert has put all the pieces of the negative double puzzle into a single, comprehensive, comprehensible book. If you play bridge competitively, you and your favorite partners need this book. Any two bridge players will have at least four opinions about any bidding sequence involving a negative double. Thus, you and your partner probably miss each other more often than not after an opponent overcalls your side's opening bid. Bergen explains clearly and comprehensively how you and your partner can change that.

Exactly copying Bergen's ideas may not be for you and yours. That understood, studying his ideas and considering the alternatives can only help your partnership develop your ideas and understandings. With a united position on negative doubles, an adverse overcall will lose some of its sting. Better, you and your partner will know much better when and why lowering the penalty pass boom on the overcaller is better than bidding on.

Bergen's Negative Doubles is a foundation stone in the competitive bridge player's library. Read it, let your partner read it, apply it, and watch your opponents weep.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid work that fills a hole in the literature, September 26, 2005

By 

Tim Luker "Bridge infected - Stage 3" (Green Bay WI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Negative Doubles: A must read for every partnership (Paperback)

Finally someone wrote the definitive book on negative doubles! This book is well organized, methodically studying each possible opening-overcall situation and looking at the alternatives to a double and the proper responses to a double in each situation. Marty's numerous examples make his ideas clear.

This book misses my 5th star for two major reasons: (1) a method of bidding over a negative double by the overcalling side would be welcome, and (2) the book does not address the alternative "negative free bid" approach (although this may be beyond the scope of this book). However, it's good to see the scientist in Marty (if you've only read "Points Schmoints" and "Marty Sez", check out the "Better Bidding with Bergen" series!) return in the Thrump Double concept!

Novice to advanced players will benefit from this book, and even experts will find some meat here.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Worth Buying and Reading, March 24, 2006

By 

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

This review is from: Negative Doubles: A must read for every partnership (Paperback)

You may quibble about some of his point ranges but this is a good book with a large number of examples and bidding sequences.

Not only does the author address the Negative double, but he discusses hand evaluation and some other bidding.

Good value for the money.