Todd Flowerday - a recent transplant to Minnesota with his family as of late last fall - and both a non-Life Master (but working towards that goal) and an author, contacted me a few weeks ago. Todd is an energetic person who has a variety of talents and activities - one being a fine writer! Todd asked me if I would like to have some articles from him - and delightedly, I said yes.
I think we all are too aware of long time players that we have lost over recent years. Thus, I'm very happy to have Todd write about some of his experiences about Bridge in Minnesota - and - a review of some of Frank Stewart's fine writing, too!
If we want our game to thrive and stay alive (which I assume almost everyone does) - I am delighted to present Todd to us all! Welcome both to our state, Todd - and to our bridge world, too! And thanks for your first article!
by Frank Stewart. 220pp, softcover. Published by Baron Barclay Bridge Supply.
In his prologue, the author relates a bridge class in which he lists popular conventions and notes how many hands were raised by his audience members who used them. “I will suggest something heretical,” he continued. “Conventions only minimally affect how well you do. … (C)onventional bidding will significantly impact your results once in 50 deals. And I didn’t say ‘favorably’ impact; sometimes the effect will be adverse.”
Yep, I thought. Even the simple ones. Like when I went silent when a passed partner drops a 2♣ card on the table. At auction end, my partner pipes up, “Failure to alert,” that wonderful phrase we haven’t heard in a year. Oh snap! I think. Drury. And that’s one of the easy ones.
The prologue continues with a mention of two factors that separate those who toil for good results and players who reliably get them: rock-solid fundamentals (never blundering a basic problem in bidding or play) and reducing avoidable errors.
Mr Stewart divides his book into 3 nearly equal sections. (Yes, there’s one on bidding, but it’s the last one.) What I enjoyed most was part one, Dummy Play. I marveled at the first hand in “technique” where the key is to forego the finesse in 6♠ and work to promote the fifth heart from a holding of J7432 opposite a five to discard the losing ♣Q. Would I have seen that?
This isn’t really a problem-solving book. Except for the discussion on opening leads in part two, and some bidding examples, most illustrated deals show all four hands. The point is recognizing basic methods, and why experts make winning judgments. I appreciated that approach in the middle section on defense—the toughest part of my game.
As for bidding, the topic of discipline was a good one for me to absorb. Particularly when the auction is competitive, and I have a minimum hand for my bidding. When should I give my partner room to contest, double, or pass?
The book’s subtitle sums it up: The Advancing Player’s Handbook for Success. That seems right. Some of the content is basic, and some is a good bit above that. In an epilogue, the author devotes three pages to “Winning Attitudes.” Mr Stewart’s advice is to “read, focusing mostly on play and defense” and to play up. Keys is a good book to read. As for playing up, sometimes I have to convince my partner, and sometimes he has to convince me. After the session, I usually find I’m glad I did.
