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47 of 47 found the following review helpful:
 The utimate bridge book Jan 03, 2006
By Paul-Emile Lamarche
First, my mother tongue is French, I'm sure you will excuse my style. In the past, I read Mollo, Kantar, Grant... always on a quest to find a great and complete bridge book and never entirely satisfied... too simplistic, too advanced, hard to read, poor teaching skills...
I wanted to find a book that was covering both the dummy play and the defense. Also, I wanted to revisit the very basics, to have a solid start, and then to go gradually into more complex techniques, covering virtually all aspects of the play, including the more advanced techniques. I was looking for the ultimate book: the Bridge Bible written by a brilliant teacher!
When I was not really looking for a book anymore, I finally tried Watson's book. I hesitated at first, because I was told his style is a bit dry and too detailed. EUREKA!!! I regret not having started with this book the very first day I played bridge. This is the ultimate BIBLE! Not only it fulfilled all my above expectations, but it goes one step beyond, he is a genius, each chapter is a revelation. I did not learn techniques; I learned the principles underlying the techniques. It is like being thought secret knowledge by a wise guru, realizing how simple everything was in the first place. His style is clear, concise, and straight to the point, but he covers a lot of material. His summaries are ideal for fast and easy review. I don't have to mention how drastically my level of play changed.
My quest is now over, I found the Grail, I now understand why Watson's book is recommended by most schools around the world. This is probably the only book you will every need about the play of the hand.
29 of 30 found the following review helpful:
The classic book on play of the hand May 02, 2003
By Bob Simkins
"Bob"
Every accomplished bridge player has a copy of this book, but don't expect them to lend it to you. This is the oldest and most comprehensive guide to understanding the cards. There is a wealth of information on suit combinations, basic strategies, and other principles of declarer play. You won't be able to read it in a weekend, or even a month, so plan to take it slowly and study each chapter carefully. A bestseller for over 65 years. My mother gave me this book almost 40 years ago, and I still find valuable information in it.
22 of 22 found the following review helpful:
 A classic, but dry Oct 07, 2002
The Play of the Hand remains one of the definitive books on declarer play and defense. It's a excellent reference and well worth reading if you want to improve your game. Unfortunately wading through it is something of a chore... it's rather dry. Unless you're serious about "studying" bridge, this book probably isn't for you. Try "Card Play Technique" by Victor Mollo -- it's equally thorough, covers many of the same topics and is written in wonderfully engaging and humorous prose.
31 of 34 found the following review helpful:
 Good but too verbose Aug 15, 2001
By Prasad Upasani
This is a good book overall, and is generally considered a classic. However, it takes the reader through each deal in excruciating detail. Having said that, I have heard it being said that if you have the patience to go through it a few times(!!), you learn by "osmosis", and your game does go up a level. Meanwhile, for us mere mortals, Victor Mollo's "Card Play Technique" (also a classic) is much, much better. I have read that book cover-to-cover many times, and still learn every time I read it. Both are classics, but the difference is that Mollo's book reads like a modern well-written textbook, complete with review questions and answers.
11 of 11 found the following review helpful:
Should be in everyone's library Jun 30, 2005
By Michail Chourdakis
I have 40 bridge books. This one teaches you the 90% of bridge, and all the others the rest 10%. Top classic.
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