Customer Reviews

Eddie Kantar Teaches Modern Bridge Defense

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This is a great book for intermediate players wanting to get better. Let's face it - you're going to be playing defense half of the time but few books cover this subject well. I've also read his book, Advanced Bridge Defense, and it is good but this is the place to start. Each chapter includes some practice problems to help you remember the points made. Kantar even itemizes the points to be covered in the beginning and then summarizes them at the end - a great teaching aid. Top this off with the fact that he has a great writing style that makes it fun to read and you have a real winner.

Perhaps Kantar's best book yet. Basic concepts for the intermediate player by one of the best authors of books on defense. Clearly laid-out principles and summaries. Intermediate defense play has never been explained better. Awarded American Bridge Teachers' Association "1999 Best Intermediate Bridge Book of the Year."

Eddie Kantar is one of the most highly regarded teaching experts in today's world of bridge. This award winning 1999 book is strictly for learning how to defend, where after all every player spends a great deal of time, with usually little formal instruction to help the process. The writing and illustrations of every point are sound and thorough, yet at a level suitable for advanced beginners and intermediate players.

Discussion of techniques and illustrative examples are supplemented beautifully with test samples after every chapter, with solutions provided to help reinforce the teaching presented earlier. The chapter summaries in themselves form a terrific primer on the art of gaining more tricks on defense. Highly recommended!

The book focuses on leads, signals (Attitude, Count, Suit Preference), and how to card (what card to play in 2nd or 3rd spot), rather than general defensive principles.

The content is excellent, well presented (humorous!!), and best of all, has lots of quizzes. None of this skimming a section and figuring you know it, the quiz will let you find out for certain.

2 warnings:

1) make sure your partner is using the same techniques, otherwise you may get worse results. Its not that the ideas in the book are radical, they are mainstream. But if pard doesn't understand your signal, they may do something weird and you will be worse off.

2) The book is a bit technical (5 situations where this is a suit preference signal. If Dummy wins with a Q then signal count, otherwise ... If you can see the X in dummy then pard will know to do this, else that, etc.
You will need to reread it several times, and probably make notes.

VALUABLE STUFF, but ONLY as part of a partnership that understands each other.

This is a great book on defense, because Kantar covers almost every intermediate situation comprehensively and give you black and white rules for every situation. He doesn't in this book consider varied leading/signalling conventions but just gives one way to play, but that's fine as he explains his method clearly and shows why he recommends everything he does. I'd recommend it to every player.

Kantar today is more noted as a bridge instructor than a bridge player. But one must remember that he is both and his latest book demonstrated both the instructional and practical sides. It is (as usual) clear, concise and ro the point. I like Kantar's prose, his ease of explanation and the way he sets just the right tone. Of course, he discusses the bid, the opponent and, most important, keeping track of the play while counting the cards (the one thing that separates the professional from the amateur). Good book with tons of examples.

I found this to be the best book to improve bridge for an intermediate player. I've read it four times and learned from each chapter each time. Since one plays defense on half the hands, it provides the best time investment to improve one's bridge play. It is also an entertianing read. I have recommended it to the bridge players I mentor.

Kantar is exceptionally readable, with a sense of humor which makes a difficult subject enjoyable. He goes through much material, but quite thoroughly and clearly. It's a book that needs to be studied - not merely read - but a good student will gain enormously from Kantar's work.

I own numerous books on particular topics of defense,signalling,partnership etc.
If you are looking for a book to put you on track in a very readable and systematic way- that's the one!
It's building up with logic order in a sensitive way, easy to learn and remember, like being in a classroom.
All the theory is there, with many examples. Geared to take you to the advanced + level and compete efectively , however if you are looking for much more and beyond, then its sequel, Advance Bridge Defence, will do the rest
Then spice it with Eddie's humor......
Easy to review and re-read when your memory betrays you, a MUST have book!

I rarely, if ever, write reviews on products. But I had to comment on this book. I've been playing duplicate for about thee years and defense is definitely my weakest area. This book gives you a rather unique look at how to approach defense. The first 3 chapters are well worth the price. Make sure your partner also reads the first 3 chapters as well.