Listmania: Chris Hasney’s Picks

We asked Chris Hasney to select his five all-time favorite bridge books from Master Point Press and here is his selection:

Roman Keycard Blackwood: The Final Word by Eddie Kantar

Standard Bidding with SAYC by Ned Downey and Ellen “Caitlin” Pomer

Download Chris Hasney’s selections at www.ebooksbridge.com before the end of the year and receive a 15% discount off your entire order! For more information on this and on other bridge book collections from other authors and bloggers, see eBooksbridge.com.

Listmania: Ellen “Caitlin” Pomer’s Picks

We asked Ellen Pomer (Caitlin) to select her five all-time favorite bridge books from Master Point Press and this is what she had to say:

“Larry Cohen’s Bidding Challenge, as I love ‘over the shoulder’ books and he is so good at them!

A Bridge to Inspired Declarer Play by Julian Laderman.
“– Ellen Pomer (Caitlin)

Ellen Pomer also gave honorable mention to The bridge technique series by David Bird and Marc Smith, saying that it is “excellent for both teachers and students”. The Complete Bridge Technique Series is also available at a discounted rate in a separate set of downloads.

Download Ellen Pomer’s selections at www.ebooksbridge.com before the end of the year and receive a 15% discount off your entire order! For more information on this and on other bridge book collections from other authors and bloggers, see eBooksbridge.com.

Listmania: Tim Bourke’s Picks

We asked Tim Bourke to select his five all-time favorite bridge books from Master Point Press and here is what he had to say:

I’d think Sabine Auken’s I love this game is one of the best, if not the best by a world class player on bridge at the top.

Classic Kantar is a favourite read too.
– Tim Bourke

Download Tim Bourke’s selections at www.ebooksbridge.com before the end of the year and receive a 15% discount off your entire order! For more information on this and on other bridge book collections from other authors and bloggers, see eBooksbridge.com.

Listmania: Eddie Kantar’s Picks

We asked Eddie Kantar to select his five all-time favorite bridge books from Master Point Press and here is his selection:

I Love This Game by Sabine Auken
My Favorite 52 by Larry Cohen
25 Bridge Conventions you Should Know by Barbara Seagram and Marc Smith
Around the World in 80 Hands Zia Mahmood
Win the Bermuda Bowl With Me by Jeff Meckstroth

Eddie Kantar’s latest contribution, Take All Your Chances (at bridge) was also given honorable mention.

Download Eddie Kantar’s selections at www.ebooksbridge.com before the end of the year and receive a 15% discount off your entire order! For more information on this and on other bridge book collections from other authors and bloggers, see eBooksbridge.com.

Listmania: Cam French’s Picks

We asked Cam French to select his five all-time favorite bridge books from Master Point Press and here is what he had to say:

Canada’s Bridge Warriors by Roy Hughes.

I bought two and gave one to my dad after I got it autographed by the author, Sami and Eric. He is crazy about it and so am I. Great hands, interesting dialogue.

North of the Master Solvers’ Club by Frank Vine

I have always been fond of bridge humour and no one does it better.
I recall Frank announcing as he was stepping down from the podium
having been awarded Bols Bridge Tip of the Decade …
“before you claim, draw one more round of trumps.” Priceless.

Classic Kantar by Eddie Kantar

Humour as only Eddie can. He forces you to laugh at his stories.
Always a treat to re-read.

I love This Game by Sabine Auken

Great hands, great player. A unique insight to bridge at the top.

Northern Lights edited by Ray and Linda Lee

I like this so much as I recognize and know many of the contributors.
From the Shoe, to Professor Silver, Gowdy, Ray and Linda.
A broad range of essays/stories designed to entertain and enlighten.

Download Cam French’s selections at www.ebooksbridge.com before the end of the year and receive a 15% discount off your entire order! For more information on this and on other bridge book collections from other authors and bloggers, see eBooksbridge.com.

Listmania: Julian Laderman’s Picks

We asked Julian Laderman to select his five all-time favorite bridge books from Master Point Press and here is what he had to say:

In response to your request for my five favorite Master Point Press books, I came up with the following list.

I would include The Bridge Technique Series by David Bird & Marc Smith (MUST BE PURCHASED SEPARATELY). I am an advocate of small books. I have seen all too many math students, struggling with a Calculus problem on page 30 of their textbooks, feeling overwhelmed with fear of what lies ahead in the remaining 1200 pages. These 60 page books present information in very manageable chunks. Readers can take a book on a three hour flight and feel quite confident that when they reach their destination, they will know the contents inside-out. More importantly the books are very well written. David Bird and Marc Smith are both top writers. At the end of most chapters they have a section for “Key Points” and they find space for a few relevant exercises. One of the advantages of choosing this series is that I am actually choosing 12 books and only counting them as one.

For defense, I would choose Eddie Kantar Teaches Advanced Bridge Defense. It is very well organized. Every chapter has separate sections for practice hands, test yourself, solutions, and key ideas. The book includes many examples of Eddie Kantar’s typical humor, and his many side comments add much to the learning experience. I think Eddie Kantar has contributed more to bridge education than anyone else in the bridge world.

I would include The Complete Book of BOLS Bridge Tips edited by Sally Brock. It is a wonderful collection of articles written by approximately 100 top bridge players and writers. I read it many years ago but I still remember being unable to take a break while reading it. I always had to glance at the next column. Each glance hooked me. One benefit to including this book in my top five is that I get to pick 100 writers.

I must include my two books, A Bridge to Simple Squeezes and A Bridge to Inspired Declarer Play. If I did not include them I would feel like a terrible parent disowning his offspring. A touch of humility prevents me from listing all their virtues. I will just list one virtue common to both books. There is heavy emphasis on developing declarer’s ability to consider as well as choose the right line of play. For example, in the squeeze book the reader is trained to recognize cards that may function as threat cards in a squeeze even prior to seeing the first example of a squeeze.

I enjoyed picking my five favorites. I am looking forward to seeing the choices of others.
– Julian Laderman

Download Julian Laderman’s selections at www.ebooksbridge.com before the end of the year and receive a 15% discount off your entire order! For more information on this and on other bridge book collections from other authors and bloggers, see eBooksbridge.com.

Listmania: Mike Yuen’s Picks

We asked Mike Yuen to select his five all-time favorite bridge books from Master Point Press and here is what he had to say:

North Of The Master Solver’s Club by Frank Vine.

This book is full of subtle humor. I appreciate his light hearted style of writing while making his point.

I love This Game by Sabine Auken.

Sabine captures the excitement of the final of the Venice Cup in Paris 2001. Her team was behind 67-214 at start of the final set of 16 boards. While the large French contingent was cheering and singing in the Vugraph theater, the Germans were mounting a great come back win in Championship history.

Canada’s Bridge Warriors by Roy Hughes.

A close and candid look at Canada’s own all time best bridge masters-Eric Murray and Sami Kehela. Readers will follow them into World Championship history. A wonderful read.

It’s Your Call by Marshall Miles.

Much like the Master Solver’s Club in Bridge World. This book is bidding problems that Marshall has collected over the years. Readers will be treated to the insights of how experts make their bidding decisions.

Improve Your Bidding Judgment by Neil Kimelman.

A must read for aspiring bridge players. Neil helps you think steps ahead in competitive situations. Often with the help of useful hints from hands of past tournaments.

Download Mike Yuen’s selections at www.ebooksbridge.com before the end of the year and receive a 15% discount off your entire order! For more information on this and on other bridge book collections from other authors and bloggers, see eBooksbridge.com.

Listmania: Paul Gipson’s Picks

We asked Paul Gipson to select his five all-time favorite bridge books from Master Point Press and here is what he had to say:

I Love This Game by Sabine Auken

Few have managed to combine the tension of an important tournament, the psychology of playing bridge and provide insight into their bidding and defensive methods more perfectly than Sabine Auken. I Love This Game is one of the most readable books by a world-class player and will be enjoyed by novices and experts alike. The main thread of the book, playing the last sixteen boards of the World Championship, provides continuity and a conclusion that is often missing from books that are just a collection of articles.

Canada’s Bridge Warriors: Eric Murray and Sami Kehela by Roy Hughes

A book that provides a glimpse into the world of Canadian, North American, and international bridge in a bygone era where ‘big’ names and big personalities dominated the game. I’m pretty sure that the personalities are much fewer in number these days and not many command rafts of kibitzers in the way that Murray and Kehela did. Most of the book is ‘before my time’ and it provided a non-American with a fascinating insight into those times.

The Principle of Restricted Talent by Danny Kleinman & Nick Straguzzi

I put these stories about Chthonic, the bridge-playing robot, on a the same stage as David Bird’s monks and Victor Mollo’s menagerie. Indeed perhaps Chthonic is really the Hideous Hog of the 21st century. I think it is the quality of the hands that really makes the book work, as they provide the basis for Chthonic’s dry, wry sense of humour to be exhibited as experts make believable errors. To be honest, I thought this first book in the series was easily the best.

North of the Master Solver’s Club, The Writings of Frank Vine by Frank Vine

These articles were all new to me, but Frank Vine was a man after my own heart. His writing about a range of topics addresses many of the ills of the game and is just as relevant today as it was in the 70s and 80s. A marvellous collection.

The Complete Book on Overcalls in Contract Bridge (2nd edition) by Mike Lawrence

Mike Lawrence is one of the great writers. He always explains concepts clearly and precisely, illustrates the alternative approaches, and then shows his preferred method. Competitive bidding is a difficult subject and often addressed poorly, but this book by Lawrence is one of the best. It is a book that can be read standalone, but best if shared with your regular partners.
– Paul Gipson

All five of the ebooks mentioned above are included in this set of downloads.

Download Paul Gipson’s selections at www.ebooksbridge.com before the end of the year and receive a 15% discount off your entire order! For more information on this and on other bridge book collections from MPP authors and bloggers, see eBooksbridge.com.

Listmania: David Bird’s Picks

We asked David Bird to select his five all-time favorite bridge books from Master Point Press and here is what he had to say:

My Top 5 MPP books

I enjoy reading bridge books almost as much as I enjoy writing them. What are my ‘Top 5 Masterpoint Books’? Hmm, that requires some thought.

One obvious choice is Marc Smith’s World Class. Beautifully written, with plenty of great deals and photos, this describes the bridge careers of 25 of the world’s top stars. It’s one to keep by your bed-side.

Another lively book, giving a clear picture of the human side of playing world-class bridge is Sabine Auken’s I Love This Game. I certainly enjoyed that one.

For my third choice, I combine two books into one. Story of an Accusation, by Terence Reese, is a gripping account of the Reese/Schapiro cheating scandal, seen through his eyes. The other side of the affair, containing table photos and many deals from the court case, is presented by Alan Truscott in The Great Bridge Scandal. Both books are compelling reading.

I should include a technical book in my list and a clear-cut candidate is Countdown to Winning Bridge, by Tim Bourke and Marc Smith. The more you play bridge, the more you understand the importance of counting. All aspects of this are clearly explained in this fine book.

An email has just arrived from Master Point Press, saying that authors are allowed to include one of their own efforts in their Top 5. It doesn’t seem very good manners to do so, but… well, I will end with a book that I recently co-authored with the great bridge teacher, Barbara Seagram. It’s called Planning the Play of a Bridge Hand (SOLD SEPARATELY). For both notrump and suit contracts, it explains a systematic approach to making a plan for the contract.

Download David Bird’s selections at www.ebooksbridge.com before the end of the year and receive a 15% discount off your entire order! For more information on this and on other bridge book collections from other authors and bloggers, see eBooksbridge.com.

What are your five all-time favorite bridge books?

We sent this question to all of our bloggers and authors to see which bridge books stood above the rest. We at Master Point Press are pleased to announce that every bridge ebook edition of a title that was mentioned by our authors and bloggers will be discounted by 10% off between now and the end of this year. Happy Holidays, everyone!

In addition to this special offer, If you purchase a complete list of 5 books, you will get 15% off the total price of the package as an extra special discount!

To see more information on this limited time Holiday Special, visit our bridge ebook store at www.ebooksbridge.com.