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Bridge

Bridge is, in my humble opinion, one of the most interesting (card)games out there. It keeps me busy for several hours a week, either because I'm playing or reading about it. I've started to play bridge in march 2003 and am eager to learn as much about it as I possibly can. Learning by doing seems the best approach but that is not always easy as I also have many other things to do. I play once a week at de Lindeboom and try to play once or twice per week on Stepbridge. Also I read a lot about bridge.

Bidding

I've tried to organize my thoughts on bidding in the form of a small booklet I've dubbed the system HeX for now. The booklet is, essentially, an ever-evolving document as my insights grow. Feel free to read it and send me comments. They are more than welcome! Older versions of this booklet can be found here (Biedermeyer-like), here (with 12-14 NT), and here (with new 2-level openings and other gadgets).

Systemcard for Stepbridge
The 1430 RKC convention (Dutch)
The Lebensohl convention (Dutch)
The Raptor convention (Dutch)
Some defences after openings by opponents (Dutch)
A constructive, interesting system for bidding at the two-level is Chemeleon (Dutch)
The weak no trump opening is quite popular. I read a very interesting approach to this opening in the Wally American system by Wim Gielen.
Highlights from the book vijfkaart hoog by Ed Hoogenkamp
The coCa convention against oppenents 1NT

Books

I've collected quite a few books on bridge in the last few years. I've read most of them cover to cover. Some of them are so good that I've read them several times already. Some books, however, are still a `work in progress'. I also have a wishlist with books that I would like to have/read. If you happend to have one of these and wish to part with it, please let me know :-)

Belladonna & Garozzo
- Precision & power precision bidding
Bergen, Marty (with Tim Bourke)
- Negative doubles for acol players
Bird, David
- Heavently contracts
- The abbot's great sacrifice
Bird, David & Helgemo, Geir
- Bridge with imagination
Bird, David & Hoffman, Martin
- Inspired cardplay
Herman W. Filarski
- Een-twee-drie bridge
Förch
- Het grote bridge boek
- Bieden voor gevorderden
- Spelen voor gevorderden
Charles H. Goren
- A guide to winning bridge
Hoof, T. van
- Het proef-doublet en andere bridge-verhalen
C. Th. Huizer
- Bridge, inleiding tot de culbertson speeltechniek
Kantar, Eddie
- Roman keycard blackwood, slam bidding for the 21st century
- Test your bridge play, volume 1
- Test your bridge play, volume 2
- Gamesman bridge, play better with Kantar
- Kantar for the defense, volume 1
- An expert's guide to improving your bidding skills
- Introduction to defender's play
Kelsey, Hugh
- Bridge odds for practical players
- Killing defence at Bridge
- More killing defence at Bridge
- Alles wat u altijd wilde weten over parentactieken
- Dwangposities
- Test your elimination play
Klinger, Ron
- Improve your bridge memory
- Bridge conventions, defenses and countermeasures
Lawrence, Mike
- The complete book on overcalls in contract bridge
- The complete book on takeout doubles
- The complete book on hand evaluation
- How to play card combinations
- Opening leads for ACOL players
- Dynamic Defense
Miles, Marshall
- Competitive bidding in the 21st century
- Modern constructive bidding
Victor Mollo
- Finesses van het bridgespel
- Victor Mollo's Bridgeclub
- Bridge in the fourth dimension
- Card play technique
Pottage, Julian
- Clues from the bidding at bridge
Reese
- Precision bidding and precision play
Sint/Schipperheyn:
- Bridge, van Start tot Finish 1
- Bridge, van Start tot Finish 2
- Bridge, van Start tot Finish 3
- Bridge, Biedermeijer rood
Alan Truscott
- The NewYork Times Bridge Book
Westra, Berry
- Leer Bridge met Berry, deel 1
- Leer Bridge met Berry, deel 2
- Beter Bridge met Berry Westra, deel 1
- Beter Bridge met Berry Westra, deel 2
- Leer Wedstrijdbridge met Berry Westra
- Bieden met Berry deel 1, het constructieve bieden
- Bieden met Berry deel 2, het ompetitieve bieden
- Bieden met Berry deel 3, Conventies en gadgets
- Spelen met Berry deel 1, basis afspel techniek
- Spelen met Berry deel 2, basis tegenspel techniek
Woolsey, Kit
- Modern defensive signalling in contract bridge

I have also borrowed and read/ browsed the following books

Hoogenkamp, Ed
- Vijfkaart hoog voor iedereen
Klinger, Ron
- The modern losing trick count
Westra, Berry
- Analyse deel 1, kaartlezen bij afspel
- Analyse deel 2, kaartlezen bij tegenspel