Customer Reviews

Standard Bidding with Sayc

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There is a lot to like about this book.

I like the fact that the authors have chosen a topic that needed a book, and have stuck to that topic. I like the care that they have taken to make this book the best it can be. I like the sample hands, in quantity and relevance. I like the occasional historical perspective. I like the tone of the book, which is as light, flowing and entertaining as one could possibly expect given the subject matter. I like the fact that I haven't yet found a hand with 14 cards, or a missing comma. I like the fact that the authors have included sections on Cappelletti (Hamilton in the West) and RKC not technically a "part" of SAYC but used in conjunction with it by so many that they might as well be. And I like the fact that the authors weren't afraid to suggest a couple of areas where SAYC could be improved.

If you are looking to improve your bidding without taking the plunge into "2 over 1" or one of the other (more demanding) systems, then this is the book for you

As a bridge teacher I have seen that there is a huge void in books regarding the SAYC bidding convention. This book helps clarify the "real" SAYC system. In doing so, it also gives options for partnerships to explore within SAYC and in addition to it.There are lots of examples without going overboad. Anyone playing SAYC will find this book to be an excellent tool to refine their understanding of the system.

I have been playing bridge for about 3 months and found myself getting into trouble during bidding. My partner would make a cue bid, or a reverse and I wouldn't quite get what was going on. The books I had learned basic bridge from didn't cover these intermediate bridge topics. I knew I needed to improve my bidding in order to improve beyond beginner.

This is a great book for that purpose. You won't find a lot of fluff and puff. The chapters are short and to the point. There are dozens of hands throughout to show different examples of how to bid, how to overbid and how to respond. Unlike other books, wherein the authors hold themselves out as the ultimate experts, this book brings forth opinions from the great bridge masters. It presents these often conflicting opinions objectively and makes recommendations, but in the end letting the reader adapt these opinions to his or her playing style.

This book will benefit beginner and intermediate players who play on the internet or at a duplicate bridge club. I highly recommend this title to anyone learning bridge or as a gift to your regular partner!

I teach a small weekly class at the local bridge club on standard bidding. When I came across this book I ordered a couple copies in case any of my students would be interested. Since then I've ordered about 20 of them for students as well as other club members. I can't keep them on hand!

I'm ordering another 5 today. Frankly, I'm not overly impressed by the book, but the students/players LOVE it. I've heard them rave about the book so many times.

The problem with SAYC is that it isn't a standard in the sense that no official body ever carefully reviewed it and called for comments, voted, etc. In fact, there are several areas now where common practice differs from what the standard says. An example is a bid of 2N over a 1 of a minor opening -- SAYC says this is 13-15, but most now play it as 11-12. The book is good at pointing these things out.

The best thing about this book is that it exists and is inexpensive, meaning you can get one for a demented partner, a beginner, etc. The worst thing is the lack of an index, which one can hope would be remedied in a second edition. I think the authors chose the right level of detail for the beginning and intermediate players. I read another review that complained about the coverage of the "SAYC conventions". In fact, I think they are all in here -- it is just that there are lots of conventions that many SAYC players also play. A good book for those is the two-volume set of "25 Conventions" by Seagram et. al.

This book is a must have for intermediate level bridge players wishing to learn the most standard american bidding system.

The book has excellent examples and is very readable.

I have been looking for several years for a good primer on "modern bridge" Most were copywrited a number of years ago and don't reflect current practice. A great read and a good reference on basic bridge!

I found this book in a local bookstore and have since read it cover to cover three times, and still find myself looking up sections. I've read something like 150 bridge books but this is the simplest introduction to the standard bidding system used for online bridge. Even if you want to move on to 2/1, you need a thorough grounding in SAYC and Ellen's book provides it. She also happens to be an expert in 2/1 as well, as I later discovered when I "met" her at Bridge Base Online. I suggest reading the book once in a few sittings - I did so in a weekend - then carefully re-reading it over subsequent weeks, paying particular attention to the many hands and bidding situations. If you're new to online bridge, look no further. If you're a face-to-face tourney player wanting to move to 2/1, you'll still need the solid grounding in SAYC that this book provides.

As we all struggle to understand a new language, it is refreshing to find a lucid explanation that. while accomplishing its goal, does it without punditry. Adding in a sense of humor, along with clear examples and intelligent comments, makes this an excellent place to master the fundimentals of the Yellow Card System.

This book gives you a readable and complete explanation of the ACBL Standard Yellow Card bidding sequences. I started out by downloading (for free) and studying yellow card from the [...]website but soon grew weary being tied to the computer so I purchased this book. The book gives you portability and immediate access to a particular topic. The book makes it easier to skim subjects you already know well and bore in where you need to. The book is well organized and its Table of Contents makes it easier to refer back to brush up on a selected bidding sequence. There are nineteen chapters on bidding, which cover every situation that I expect to encounter and taught me about several new bidding sequences, e.g., Michaels and the Unusual Notrump, that have proved to be very useful during play. The twentieth chapter is an excellent refresher on standards leads.