Barbara Seagram

Since its publication in 1999, the bridge text book 25 Bridge Conventions You Should Know has sold more than 300,000 copies in six languages. It has become a much-valued learning tool and reference for everyone from social players to those who regularly spend time at their local bridge club. A new edition in 2022 was thoroughly updated, while retaining the approach and features that made the original so popular. Every convention in the book was carefully revised to reflect the way it is used in the modern game. Three chapters (Landy, Grand Slam Force and Ogust responses to Weak Twos) were dropped completely in favour of Bergen Raises and the DONT and Meckwell defences to 1NT. This new edition of Practice Makes Perfect, a compendium of practice hands to help students understand and practice the conventions in the parent book, has been updated in similar fashion, to reflect the changes in 25 Conventions.

Revised and updated edition of the handy pocket-sized guide to basic bidding conventions for bridge players. This pocket guide is based on the information in the standard bridge textbook 25 Bridge Conventions You Should Know. Since that book’s original publication in 1999, it has sold more than 300,000 copies in six languages. It has become a much-valued learning tool and reference for everyone from social players to those who regularly spend time at their local bridge club. That book was thoroughly updated in 2022 (ISBN ISBN 978 177140 071 8) , while retaining the approach and features that made the original so popular. Every convention in the book was carefully revised to reflect the way it is used in the modern game. Three chapters (Landy, Grand Slam Force and Ogust responses to Weak Twos) were dropped completely in favour of Bergen Raises and the DONT and Meckwell defenses to 1NT. This new edition of the pocket guide has been updated in similar fashion.

THIS EASY GUIDE to defense, both fun and memorable, will take a newer player quickly up to an intermediate skill level, if not beyond, with all of the tools needed to progress even further. The mix of ideas presented in the chapters, and then reinforced with such a perfect selection of hands, with gentle repetition of the most important factors, will be a tremendous learning aid for the ambitious player.DEFENSE IS THE MOST EXCITING part of the game, without a doubt. There is nothing better than when you and partner are communicating effectively on the defense of a bridge hand. This book is aimed at both teaching you how to do that and instilling in you and your partner that same sense of enjoyment from defending accurately.

Since its publication in 1999, 25 Bridge Conventions You Should Know has sold more than 250,000 copies in six languages. It has become a much-valued text and reference for everyone from social players to those who regularly spend time at their local bridge club. But bridge has changed in the last 23 years. Bidding has changed. Some of the conventions in the original book have fallen into disuse, while others have gained in popularity and importance. Many basic conventions have changed in subtle ways as bidding methods have developed. Today's players need to be in tune with what is happening and stay current. This new edition has been thoroughly updated, while retaining the approach and features that made the original so popular. Every convention in the book has been carefully revised to reflect the way it is used in the modern game. Students are now universally taught to play transfers in response to a strong no-trump opening, and the new edition reflects that change in several ways. Three chapters (Landy, Grand Slam Force and Ogust responses to Weak Twos) have been dropped completely in favour of Bergen Raises and the DONT and Meckwell defenses to 1NT.

At rubber bridge or teams scoring, declarer’s objective is to make his contract – nothing else matters. Playing it safe is of vital importance. Yet playing safe can take many forms – it might involve simply choosing the best percentage line of play, or keeping one opponent off lead, preserving entries, or even giving up a trick you don’t have to lose, all in the cause of bringing that contract home securely. Recognizing all these situations, and knowing what to do when you encounter them, will improve your bridge scores by leaps and bounds.

An expert bridge coach’s guide for beginners who are looking to move their game up to the next level. This book is for readers who have finished their beginner lessons, and are trying to move their game up to the next level. The tips cover all aspects of bridge -- bidding, play and defence. Advice and examples are drawn from material Barbara Seagram has developed for her students over the last twenty years -- it's like having your own personal bridge coach sitting beside you!

Following on from their earlier book, Planning in Defense (January 2019; ISBN 978 177140 053 4), Seagram & Bird move on to more sophisticated aspects of defensive cardplay for advancing players. Using the same step-by-step approach, the authors guide the reader through the issues involved in communications, deception, trump promotions, discarding and avoiding the embarrassment of being endplayed.

Ten years after their award-winning Planning the Play of a Bridge Hand (August 2009, ISBN 978 1897106 51 8), Seagram & Bird tackle the hardest part of the game: defence. Using the same step-by-step approach, they guide the reader through the minefield of signalling, making a defensive plan and, above all, counting – points, tricks and distribution.

The classic first book on declarer play at bridge, covering the topic with clarity, skill and humor. More than fifty years after its first publication, this book has been revised and updated to bring it into line with modern methods of play and bridge education.

The classic first book on defensive cardplay at bridge, covering the topic with clarity, skill and humour. More than fifty years after its first publication, this book has been revised and updated to bring it into line with modern methods of play and bridge education.

The sequel to Practice Makes Perfect. You asked for it again! Following the runaway success of Practice Makes Perfect (April 2016, ISBN 978-177140-029-9), bridge teachers asked the authors to produce a similar companion book to 25 More Bridge Conventions You Should Know (December 2004, ISBN 978-189415-407-9). And here it is - a brief summary of each of those 25 more conventions, together with example hands that can be dealt out and used to apply your new knowledge.

Seagram and Bird's previous book Planning the Play of a Bridge Hand (ISBN 978 1897106 51 8; August 2009) was named Book of the Year in 2010 by the American Bridge Teachers' Association. It introduced the basic concepts of how to go about making a plan as declarer for beginning and improving players, and is a popular text for bridge teachers. This sequel extends the plan to more complex situations, and covers ideas such as safety plays, avoidance play, trump control, dummy reversal, and endplays. It will appeal to players who have a good grasp of the basics of declarer play, and are looking to improve from there.

You asked for it! 25 Conventions You Should Know has sold more than 250,000 copies since it was first published, and continues to top the bridge bestseller lists. Over the years, readers have suggested that it would be an even better book if it offered some way to practice what they had learned. Well, here it is: a brief summary of each of those 25 conventions, together with example hands which can be dealt out and used to apply your new knowledge. Bridge teachers and students will find this book invaluable.

Using the same format as The Pocket Guide to Bridge, this is a handy pocket guide to intermediate-level conventions in bridge cardplay, such as Bergen Raises, Support Doubles, Puppet Stayman, Inverted Minor Raises, Forcing 1NT and more. In a concise but readable manner, it summarizes the material presented in 25 More Bridge Conventions You Should Know by the same author team (Master Point Press; 2004; ISBN 9781894154659).

The same authors' previous book, 'Declarer Play at Bridge: a Quizbook', was named the 2013 Book of the Year by the American Bridge Teachers' Association. Building on the success of that title, this book gives the near-beginner a chance to practise the principles on which sound bidding is based, from the opening bid onward. This is not just a series of problems, however. Each section contains a brief introduction to its topic, and the ideas are reinforced with carefully explained solutions and helpful tips throughout.

Using the same format as The Pocket Guide to Bridge, this book provides a handy pocket summary of about two dozen basic concepts in defensive cardplay. In a concise but readable manner, it summarizes most of the material presented in 25 Ways to Be a Better Defender by the same author team (Master Point Press; 2004; ISBN 978 1897106 11 2).

Using the same format as The Pocket Guide to Bridge, this book provides a handy pocket summary of about two dozen basic concepts in declarer play. In a concise but readable manner, it summarizes most of the material presented in 25 Ways to Take More Tricks as Declarer by the same author team (Master Point Press; 2004; ISBN 978 189415 447 5).

Planning the Play of a Bridge Hand, by the same author team, (978 1897106 51 8), was named the 2010 Book of the Year by the American Bridge Teachers' Association. Building on the success of that title, this book gives the near-beginner a chance to practice the principles on which sound defensive play is based, from the opening lead onwards. This is not just a series of problem hands, however. Each section contains a brief introduction of its topic, and the ideas are reinforced with carefully explained solutions and helpful tips throughout.

The previous book by this same author team, Planning the Play of a Bridge Hand (978 1897106 51 8), was named the 2010 Book of the Year by the American Bridge Teachers' Association. Building on the success of that title, this book gives near-beginners a chance to practice the principles on which sound declarer play is based: count your winners, count your losers, make a plan. This is not just a series of problem hands, however. Each section contains a brief introduction of its topic, and the ideas are reinforced with carefully explained solutions and helpful tips throughout.