[LashOut]

Hi, could you please give me some recommendation?

[Huibertus]

Practice in Bridge is massively over rated. Unless you have a coach looking over your shoulder you tend to miss what you are doing right and wrong, you don't really learn.

Really study (that is not just read) good books instead, it'll massively improve your game.

- How to defend a Bridge - William S. Root is strongly recommended.

And even though it only is a small part of defense, certainly study

- Complete Book of Opening Leads - Easley Blackwood I'd say is mandatory.

Others could add good recommendations I guess.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

you need a partner.

There are books out there, from Kelsey and others, ..., it does not work for me,
but it may work for you, Roots book is also good, although for declarer play.


Any way, if you work on declarer play, this will help you with defence as well,
you need to count.

With kind regards
marlowe

[mike777]

COUNT

[LashOut]

Huibertus, on 2025-December-05, 12:13, said:

Practice in Bridge is massively over rated. Unless you have a coach looking over your shoulder you tend to miss what you are doing right and wrong, you don't really learn.

Really study (that is not just read) good books instead, it'll massively improve your game.

- How to defend a Bridge - William S. Root is strongly recommended.

And even though it only is a small part of defense, certainly study

- Complete Book of Opening Leads - Easley Blackwood I'd say is mandatory.

Others could add good recommendations I guess.

Thanks!

[LashOut]

P_Marlowe, on 2025-December-05, 13:01, said:

Hi,

you need a partner.

There are books out there, from Kelsey and others, ..., it does not work for me,
but it may work for you, Roots book is also good, although for declarer play.


Any way, if you work on declarer play, this will help you with defence as well,
you need to count.

With kind regards
marlowe

Thanks!

Meanwhile, I'd like to know the most recommended books for a green hand like me.

If other senior members see this, please reply to this thread.

[P_Marlowe]

LashOut, on 2025-December-05, 20:43, said:

Thanks!

Meanwhile, I'd like to know the most recommended books for a green hand like me.

If other senior members see this, please reply to this thread.

You wanted to say, that I prefer Bill Roots book on declarer play (how to play a bridge hand)
over his book on defence (How to defend), but they are both good, the declarer play book
was cleaner, but defence is messy.

A book rarely mentioned

https://www.amazon.c...ormat=4&depth=1

There is a section / chapter in it "the seven principles of defence", someone said, the chapter alone is worth it,
you find it on the back of the book.

[LashOut]

P_Marlowe, on 2025-December-06, 02:19, said:

You wanted to say, that I prefer Bill Roots book on declarer play (how to play a bridge hand)
over his book on defence (How to defend), but they are both good, the declarer play book
was cleaner, but defence is messy.

A book rarely mentioned

https://www.amazon.c...ormat=4&depth=1

There is a section / chapter in it "the seven principles of defence", someone said, the chapter alone is worth it,
you find it on the back of the book.

Thanks again!

[DavidKok]

I really like "Killing Defense at Bridge" by Hugh Kelsey. It is an intermediate level book on defense that teaches you how to think at the table and arrive at the correct conclusions. However, it is quite challenging.
Additionally, I think "Partnership Defense" by Kit Woolsey is good - again an intermediate level book.
Thirdly I like "Deadly Defence" by Wladyslaw Izdebski, Roman Krzemien and Ron Klinger, but this too is intermediate level.

Most books on defending aren't beginner level, and I do not like the ones that are. Defending is quite difficult, and I think that books that try to dumb this topic down too much fail to teach useful skills. For example, I've read "Complete defense bridge play" by Edwin Kantar (the big red one), and I think it's a waste of time. The examples are fine, but the book is not structured in a way that helps retain any information.

That being said people are all different, and what worked for me might not work for you and vice versa. Personally I really valued getting shown solid foundations and a methodical approach to defending, which helped me appreciate much better what kind of thoughts should be going through my head during the play.

[LashOut]

DavidKok, on 2025-December-06, 08:48, said:

I really like "Killing Defense at Bridge" by Hugh Kelsey. It is an intermediate level book on defense that teaches you how to think at the table and arrive at the correct conclusions. However, it is quite challenging.
Additionally, I think "Partnership Defense" by Kit Woolsey is good - again an intermediate level book.
Thirdly I like "Deadly Defence" by Wladyslaw Izdebski, Roman Krzemien and Ron Klinger, but this too is intermediate level.

Most books on defending aren't beginner level, and I do not like the ones that are. Defending is quite difficult, and I think that books that try to dumb this topic down too much fail to teach useful skills. For example, I've read "Complete defense bridge play" by Edwin Kantar (the big red one), and I think it's a waste of time. The examples are fine, but the book is not structured in a way that helps retain any information.

That being said people are all different, and what worked for me might not work for you and vice versa. Personally I really valued getting shown solid foundations and a methodical approach to defending, which helped me appreciate much better what kind of thoughts should be going through my head during the play.

I share the same observation with you that beginner friendly books talk little on defence.

But how do people level up on defence from a green hand?

When it's on me to open, there's so little in my mind for me to form a strategy.

[LashOut]

DavidKok, on 2025-December-06, 08:48, said:

I really like "Killing Defense at Bridge" by Hugh Kelsey. It is an intermediate level book on defense that teaches you how to think at the table and arrive at the correct conclusions. However, it is quite challenging.
Additionally, I think "Partnership Defense" by Kit Woolsey is good - again an intermediate level book.
Thirdly I like "Deadly Defence" by Wladyslaw Izdebski, Roman Krzemien and Ron Klinger, but this too is intermediate level.

Most books on defending aren't beginner level, and I do not like the ones that are. Defending is quite difficult, and I think that books that try to dumb this topic down too much fail to teach useful skills. For example, I've read "Complete defense bridge play" by Edwin Kantar (the big red one), and I think it's a waste of time. The examples are fine, but the book is not structured in a way that helps retain any information.

That being said people are all different, and what worked for me might not work for you and vice versa. Personally I really valued getting shown solid foundations and a methodical approach to defending, which helped me appreciate much better what kind of thoughts should be going through my head during the play.

I share the same observation with you that beginner friendly books talk little on defence.

But how do people level up on defence from a green hand?

When it's on me to open, there's so little in my mind for me to form a strategy.

[thepossum]

Huibertus, on 2025-December-05, 12:13, said:

Practice in Bridge is massively over rated. Unless you have a coach looking over your shoulder you tend to miss what you are doing right and wrong, you don't really learn.

I am afraid I completely disagree about practice in Bridge and anythinng for that matter
The way to learn anything is through practice - ideally practice in a real situation too

I think people like to make things sound very complicated, write endless books, expect endless lessons and coaching and advice.
There are a few very basic principles in Bridge, even more basic in defence
But the two of you not seeing partner's cards adds a small extra dimension
And you generally have less time in defence

I will let the experts explain them, rather than me