Killing Defence at Bridge (Master Bridge Series)

Hands like these do not come along very often; the solutions are by no means obvious. What it does do however, is to amplify the need to COUNT, COUNT and count out the declarer's hand, his number of tricks, and envision what your partner needs to have in order to set the contract. Then act on it!

This book encourages one to visualize partner's and opponent's hands. I'm sure the ideas are good, but understanding the bidding that led to the contract is critical. The bidding used in the examples is very old fashioned and that makes it very difficult to understand the composition of the hands. I am an intermediate player, trained in the last 10 years and cannot recommend this book unless you are comfortable with 1960s style bidding rules and conventions such as opening 4 card majors, 12-13 pt 1 NT opening, no weak twos, etc.

Killing Defense is very well structured. Each hand is well illustrated and structured so you can follow the analysis. The hands vary in nature from simple to complex, and lead the reader through the thought process of the serious defender.

Hugh Kelsey has written 10 excellent books mainly on playing techniques for the advanced bridge player. My favorite is "the Tough Game" published in 1979. Unfortunately "Killing Defence At Bridge" is a very cheaply done reprint of the 1966 classic, which has excellent content but is very difficult to read.

There is a lot of very useful information in this book, but while I have not yet finished it, it is difficult for me to absorb it all.

One of the best bridge defence books I have ever read.

Difficult to understand condescending

Must read for al bridge players

Good instructions but dry reading

すいません。本当は指を使って数えるのは反則です。さて、この本にはCountingという単語が嫌と言うほど出てきます。Countingが嫌いな人はこの本を読まないでくれ、ぐらいのことが序章に書かれいるぐらいですから。Defenceこれ即ちCounting、でも実際には何をどうやってCountしたら良いの？Countした後何を考えればよいの？といった所が書かれている良書です。

My copy has just fallen apart - so have re-bought. The book is appropriate for experienced beginner to advanced student of the game.Chapters cover a range of different areas but the focus is counting and the contexts in which counting can be used at the bridge table. Kelsey discusses the importance of counting points, hand patterns and tricks (he also suggests rehearsing hand patterns above counting sheep - which may be taking it a little far - particular if you are going to mumble them to yourself at the same time). It is a book which should change your approach at the bridge table immediately and should have an impact on almost every hand that you defend.Hands are studied one at a time, usually one per page and the reader invited to come up with a solution prior to reading Kelseys' analyses. The format is not boring. My approach was to make a real effort to solve each problem and view it as a 'problem book'. Once studied you will find that you have a much clearer idea of what you are trying to achieve at the table and the hazards to your defence. You will certainly find yourself more aware of the need to switch suits and the warning signs in bidding and dummy.Personally I think it is a much better book than Kantar's more recent treatise on defence and easier to read.Warning - your partners defence is about to become a lot more irritating!

This book is a classic example of how good thinking does not necessarily make good teaching material. Obviously Hugh Kelsey knew his stuff and the logic is crystal.But ye Gods what an unbelievably boring format, which basically consists of ... hands. An incessant and steady bombardment of them. No periodic themed discussions to break up the repetition, no sparky wit to keep you from dozing, no light relief in the form of asides about the bidding or the wider game. The lack of such things does not make the book more focused: it simply renders it more difficult to learn from.Ok I realise that this book was written back in the 60s when writers/publishers perhaps weren't so aware of how to get the most out of a reader. But what one shouldn't allow is that a book should be boring because it deals in detail.Although the technique is spot-on, I'm afraid that reading this nowadays is a laborious and rather joyless exercise.

A useful book if you play bridge regularly.