[inquiry]

I have added this new forum to fill need that seems to be growing: that is, a place to post reviews of bridge related material.

When writing a review, try to note a few common things.
1) Level of the material (beginner, intermediate, etc).
2) A rating from No stars to 4 stars. Let's not get carried away with 10 stars, etc.
3) A comment or two about what you like, or dislike about the material.

Let's restrict the each thread to a single topic. That means, if someone reviews "I fought the law" book, don't also try to squeeze in a review of the "To bid or not to bid" in the same thread, although those are closely related (in a way).

Also, it might be nice to add a poll to your review, so others could share their thoughts on the level of the material and the quality of material presented.

[matmat]

Hi, Ben.

Good idea. It might be useful to try to define what is meant by Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced/Expert in this context... (of course, also damn well impossible).

[Phil]

Are you going to parse out the Bridge Software Review and the Bridge Book review threads?

(No idea how much work that is)

[TimG]

You ought to move the two "review" threads from the General Bridge section.

[inquiry]

 TimG, on 2010-December-23, 14:17, said:

You ought to move the two "review" threads from the General Bridge section.

Done

[inquiry]

 Phil, on 2010-December-23, 14:10, said:

Are you going to parse out the Bridge Software Review and the Bridge Book review threads?

(No idea how much work that is)

I don't really have any plans to do so. But it was the difficulty paging through the long review theads that made me decide we need this thread (that and people finding a need to create webpages just to do the same thing). I guess if we start a thread on a book or software already reviewed, we cut paste ealier content out of the other threads should anyone feel energetic enough to do so.

[inquiry]

 matmat, on 2010-December-23, 14:07, said:

Hi, Ben.

Good idea. It might be useful to try to define what is meant by Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced/Expert in this context... (of course, also damn well impossible).

This would be very difficult, but if you include a poll, the others who have read it might help correct any wrong evaluaion the first poster makes. For instance, if i was to review "how to read opponents cards" by mike lawrence, I might say it for for Advanced players. Mike himself, I think, said intermediate players. So as other posters here vote in a poll that include the question of skill level needed, teh material forum members would correct my mistaken evaluation.

Without too much thought on the process, I might divide the groups as follows.

For play, beginners would only be how to play, how to count hcp, etc. So most books/etc that include beginners will probably also include intermediates.

Intermediates would (for play) focus on counting winners, counting losers, counting opponents hands. And less complicated subjects like don't pull trumps if you need your trumps to ruff, rudimentary endplays, infrafinesses, restricted choice. Law of total tricks, competitive bidding, rudimentary bridge odds, things like that.

Advance would be squeezes (I think intermediates could start learning these as well), trump coups, more complicated endplays, tricky suit combinations, percentage calculations/plays, etc.

Expert: Everything already 0covered in advanced, but complicated hands, as experts differ mostly in that they make fewer mistakes than the rest of us. However, clearly books like Adventures in card play would fall into the expert category. So you could include things like backwash squeezes, entry-shifting squeezes, etc as expert level stuff. ALSO, I would throw in here material where you have to take partner's problems into consideration during bidding and/or defense.

[matmat]

Also, would you encourage people asking for reviews of books? or at least opinions on them?

I don't particularly like writing reviews, but I have read lots of bridge texts (yeah, i know, it doesn't show) and would probably try to chime in if someone were to ask about a book they are thinking about getting.

[cloa513]

 matmat, on 2010-December-23, 15:54, said:

Also, would you encourage people asking for reviews of books? or at least opinions on them?

I don't particularly like writing reviews, but I have read lots of bridge texts (yeah, i know, it doesn't show) and would probably try to chime in if someone were to ask about a book they are thinking about getting.

Read everything and be totally confused- worse than ever.

[BillPatch]

 inquiry, on 2010-December-23, 14:05, said:

I have added this new forum to fill need that seems to be growing: that is, a place to post reviews of bridge related material.

When writing a review, try to note a few common things.
1) Level of the material (beginner, intermediate, etc).
2) A rating from No stars to 4 stars. Let's not get carried away with 10 stars, etc.
3) A comment or two about what you like, or dislike about the material.

Let's restrict the each thread to a single topic. That means, if someone reviews "I fought the law" book, don't also try to squeeze in a review of the "To bid or not to bid" in the same thread, although those are closely related (in a way).

Also, it might be nice to add a poll to your review, so others could share their thoughts on the level of the material and the quality of material presented.

I am considering writing a review on new ideas on Takeout Doubles in Mike Lawrence's various writings. Since this covers more than one work, I should either split the post into separate threads or make the post under "General Bridge Discussions."