The perfect stocking filler for lovers of Bridge. When you open this little book, the state secrets of the game of bridge lie in your hands. They cover everything you need to know to go from being a bridge beginner to an international mastermind! The book is split into short, concise and easy-to-follow tips that will help to improve all aspects of your game and strategy. They reveal how to play a good defensive hand, how to devise a bidding system, what you can read from an opponent's play, plus lots more. The beautifully decorated pages and luxury pocket style make this book something a little bit special. With it by your side you'll always come up trumps!

Ever wonder why some partners seem to be able to read each other's minds? Why they are so successful at anticipating the other's intentions, avoiding all pitfalls and traps, and seem to win every time? The answer is that they are not usually guessing - by learning defensive signals it is possible for even novice players to drastically improve their game.Defence is the most difficult part of bridge, but it can be made easier by using signals to help your partner along the way to success. The book will enable readers to use, recognise and understand all the standard defensive signals used in bridge and to gain an awareness of alternative methods.

Competition brings many benefits - or so all the politicians say. Bridge players certainly subscribe to the theory. These days somewhere between two-thirds and three-quarters of all auctions see both sides entering the fray. Having a basic knowledge of how to get into or stay in the bidding is therefore a key attribute for success at the bridge table. You will often hear rules quoted such as 'do not double them into the game' or 'leave the five level to the enemy'. This book covers all the rules likely to help you and, as usual in this series, you will find plenty of examples both for and against each one.

'Life's tough being an ace.' On everyone's list of all-time favorite bridge books is Right Through the Pack by Robert Darvas and Norman Hart. Published just after the end of World War II, the book presents 52 tales using exquisite deals, one for each of the cards in the deck. Now, decades later, Julian Pottage has collected 104 deals - two for each card in the pack. He presents each story through the eyes of the cards, paying homage to Darvas and Hart. Keeping the intermediate bridge player in mind, Pottage takes extra care to have the cards educate while entertaining the reader. "The deals are excellent and the setting pleasantly reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland." - David Bird

This is the greatest bridge problem collection ever Any Questions? Julian Pottage has developed a well-earned reputation as a great problem constructor. His answers are sharp, to the point, and usually make you say, "of course." Problem collections usually contain 50-100 deals. This one has almost 200, each fresher than the last. Try one problem each night before you go to bed. No sleeping until you get it right.

Julian is an Associate Editor for Mr. Bridge, publisher of "Bridge" and contributes to many bridge magazines.

In 2004, Julian Pottage's 'Play or Defend?' was the IBPA Book of the Year. An unusual problem format, it gave the reader all four hands and challenged them to analyze the deal and decide whether they wanted to play or defend. This sequel comprises 72 problems, presented in the same unique fashion, and will appeal to the same readership.

Prison life has a silver lining for Tim - bridge. An expert player, he finds that his ability earns him unlooked-for respect amongst his fellow-prisoners. This is a bridge novel filled with unusual characters and great deals - and a bridge game that gives new meaning to the term 'cut-throat'!

Defenders in bridge invariably base their strategy on declarer's bidding. Yet declarers often fail to return the compliment. They play without a thought of what the defenders have or have not done. Just one bid from an opponent may tip off declarer to the winning play - perhaps warning of a bad break or that a finesse is doomed. When the defenders have made several bids the declarer may be able to make spectacular double-dummy plays. The problems in this book contain situations where an astute declarer can listen to the bidding, or lack of it, and derive information critical to the success of his contract. This book was originally published in 1985, and in this new edition it is substantially revised and expanded. Julian Pottage is a British bridge expert who is well-known for his problem books. His previous titles include "Play or Defend?" and "Bridge Problems for a New Millennium".

Julian Pottage worked on a number of books with the late Terence Reese, and this one pays homage to a man who was certainly the best bridge writer of his time. One of Reese's classics "Play These Hands With Me" pioneered the 'over-the-shoulder' style of bridge writing. What that book did for declarer play, this present one will do for defence: the reader can follow the thinking of an expert player, stopping at critical points in the play to make their own decisions about how to continue...This is both a tribute and a sequel to one of the most famous bridge books ever published: "Play These Hands With Me" by Terence Reese. It is intended for intermediate to advanced skill levels (for serious club and tournament players).

This book was originally published in 1985, and in this new edition are substantially revised and expanded. It is a collection of bridge problems designed to teach players how to think along the right lines as they approach the play or defense of a hand at the bridge table. Anyone who absorbs even a fraction of the ideas presented here will find himself making contracts that might have been defeated, and defeating contracts that might have been made.

This book was originally published in 1985, and in this new edition are substantially revised and expanded. It is a collection of bridge problems designed to teach players how to think along the right lines as they approach the play or defense of a hand at the bridge table. Anyone who absorbs even a fraction of the ideas presented here will find himself making contracts that might have been defeated, and defeating contracts that might have been made.

This is an unusual problem book in the style of Diosy's 'There Must Be a Way', in that the reader is shown all four hands and asked whether declarer or defence should prevail with best play. A fascinating challenge for the advancing player.

Quiz books are always popular among bridge players. In this one, British author Julian Pottage has compiled a set of challenges that will test the reader's ability both as declarer and on defense. The hands are organised by theme, so readers are able to concentrate on a particular aspect of card-play if they wish.

Here you can learn how to avoid bidding contracts that prove to be impossible to make. Bidding depends to some extent on the agreed system, but underpinning those methods are standards that are common around the globe: the Golden Rules. The authors combine experience from both sides of the Atlantic and whether you play Acol, Standard American or a Strong Club System, this book offers plenty for you. THE GOLDEN RULES OF CONSTRUCTIVE BIDDING follows the pattern of previous books in this series giving examples of when to use the rule and when not to do so.