The BMBC has a small set of good bridge books available for members to borrow. If you want to improve any aspect of your bridge, from bidding, to declarer play, to defence, there might be a book for you.
If you borrow a book, please log it in the Library Borrowing Book, and please return it as soon as you can so that it is available for others to borrow.
If you have any books of your own that you think others would benefit from, please consider donating them to our library.
Thank you, and enjoy.
* * * Recommended for Beginners * * *
1 Planning the Play of a Bridge Hand by Barbara Seagram and David Bird
A good book on declarer play, with a lot of examples and then exercises to work with. Suitable for beginners, this quickly moves up a level, suiting Improvers as well.
2 The Principles of Card Play by Paul Marston
This book covers standard techniques in declarer play for no trumps and suits, as well as defence. Suit Beginners and Intermediate.
3 A First Book of Bridge Problems by P O'Connor
This book of beginner level problems let you practice in the comfort of your own armchair.
* * * New Books (courtesy of the Macleans) * * *
Defending at Bridge - A first Course by Bill Treble Novice/Intermediate
A well-written overview of the basics of defense. 8 lessons & many practical examples explain opening leads, signalling, second & third hand play, discards & other topics.
Named 2017 Book of the Year by the American Bridge Teachers Association
12 Important Bridge Lessons on Defense by David Bird Intermediate +
12 important topics describing defensive techniques that you might apply during every session you play.
Books are in alphabetical order.
Beginners' Play by Derek Brown
This book takes the Beginner player through various aspects of card play, including basic declarer play in trump and no trump contracts, opening leads and subsequent play.
It is simple to follow, has plenty of examples and quizzes, and is a good follow up to the Absolute Beginners course.
Bidding to Win at Bridge - Book One, The Modern Losing Trick Count by Ron Klinger
Do you want to be able to bid makeable games with no more than 20 HCP, or slams with 26 HCP?
The Losing Trick Count is a method to evaluate hands where a trump fit has been established and shape and distribution are more important than points.
This book illustrates the method and provides a simple introduction.
Worth looking for Improvers and beyond.
Bridge Basics by Ron Klinger
A good introductory book that was until recently used for teaching beginners.
It mainly covers bidding, but the examples also have good notes on leads and declarer play.
Extensive enough to be worth looking at for both Beginners and Intermediates.
Bridge Basics 2 - Competitive Bidding by Audrey Grant
A very good book for Beginners and Improvers that introduces topics like pre-emptive openings, overcalls and doubles in a clear and readable way.
Each topic has examples along the way, quizzes and prepared hands to allow the reader to really understand the principles.
Bridge Basics 3 - Popular Conventions by Audrey Grant
Another good book for Beginners and Improvers, covering the main conventions you need to be a good bridge player: Stayman, Transfers, Strong Openings and Blackwood.
Each topic has examples along the way, quizzes and prepared hands to allow the reader to really understand the principles.
Bridge for Dummies by Eddie Kantar
A book aimed at Beginners, but difficult to use to learn from scratch, it covers the range – bidding, declarer play and defence.
Bridge in the Menagerie by Victor Mollo
‘Curious hand. Both sides can make 4 hearts!”
A humorous book based on some players with rather extreme (but relatable) bridge playing characteristics, and some equally extreme hands, the likes of which I hope never to see!
A good fun read, and you might learn something too!
The Bridge Player Who Laughed by Ron Klinger
Some of the funnier incidents that have occurred around the table, as related by one of Australia’s foremost bridge experts.
Bridge players have a sense of humour – who knew?
Bridge Quiz - Slam Play by Raymond and Sally Brock
60 different slams to try to make, plenty to test good Intermediate players and beyond.
Worth looking just to see how good players reach slams in many different ways.
Guide to Better Bridge by Ron Klinger
Focussing mainly on bidding and aimed at players who understand the basics and want to progress further, this book has plenty of examples and hands to help you.
Guide to Better Card Play by Ron Klinger
Aimed at Intermediate and beyond, this book covers both consolidation of basic defence and declarer play and improvements to both.
With hundreds and exercises and deals to test your understanding on, this book will help you make more contracts and defeat more too.
Guide to Better Duplicate Bridge by Ron Klinger
This is a great book for those looking to progress beyond the basics, and introduces the next level of bidding conventions, including more competitive bidding.
Improve Your Declarer Play - Five Steps to Simplify the End Play by Audrey Grant
A good little book covering one specific skill for declarers – the end play.
Definitely a book for Improvers and beyond.
Improvers Bridge by Derek Browne (Donated By Lorraine Newson)
Introduction to Bridge by Paul Marston (Donated By Lorraine Newson)
Introduction to Declarer's Play by Eddie Kantar
A good revision book to help reinforce declarer play techniques in both No Trump and Suit contracts.
Mainly aimed at Beginners.
Introduction to Defender's Play by Eddie Kantar 1968)
Covers defence against No Trump and Suit contracts. Later books on Defence by Kantar are even better but this is a good start.
Killing Defence at Bridge by H W Kelsey
This book is excellent reading for Improvers and beyond who want to improve their defence (and every bridge player should want to!).
While the bidding is largely based on Acol, fortunately that is not the focus here – we are looking at how to use the information we have to defeat contracts more often.
The Language of Bidding by Paul Marston
A comprehensive book covering standard opening, responding and competitive bidding as well as many more complex conventions up to tournament play. Plenty of examples and quizzes to work through on the way.
Other books have more accessible bidding for Beginners, so this probably suits Improvers and beyond looking to add to their bidding repertoire.
The Cummings Collection edited by Denis Howard (Donated by Lorraine Newson)
The Play of the Hand at Bridge by Louis H Watson
Once you get used to the slightly archaic language, this is THE book for playing strategy, both as declarer and defender.
You shouldn’t borrow this one, you should buy it!
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