You can play bridge all over the world, and wherever you go, you can make new friends automatically by starting up a game of bridge. What exactly is it about bridge that fascinates countless millions, has fascinated countless millions, and will continue to fascinate countless millions? In a nutshell, Bridge is a social game: You play with a partner and two opponents. Right off the bat you have four people together. Inevitably, you meet a host of new friends with a strong common bond, the game of bridge. Bridge is a challenging game: Each hand is an adventure; each hand presents a unique set of conditions that you react to and solve. You have to do a little thinking. Bridge is a game of psychology: If you fancy yourself a keen observer of human behavior, look no further. You have found your niche. Players aren’t supposed to show any emotion during the play, but there are always a few leaks in the dam. Bridge is fun: Hours become minutes! Playing bridge can mean endless hours of pleasure, a host of new friends, and many laughs. If you’re an absolute bridge beginner, you need the hand-held tour of the game that Bridge For Dummies can give you. Take your time getting to know the fundamentals, carefully examine the real-life examples, and get a feel for the basics before you start to play. Even if you have played bridge before, this book still has much to offer you. Author Eddie Kantar condenses his fifty years of experience with the game into tips and hints that can make you a better player. Start with a birds-eye view of bridge and begin with techniques for taking tricks in a notrump contract. Move on from there to cover the following aspects of the game and more: Counting and taking sure tricks Working with trump suits Finessing for extra winners Grasping the importance of bidding Knowing when to pass and when to rebid Slam bidding Keeping score Playing defense After you play a few hands, you may find that you can’t stop playing bridge. If this happens, call a doctor – you may be a bridgeaholic. The only cure for your addiction is play, play, play. In order to satisfy your craving for bridge, Bridge For Dummies will help you connect with bridge clubs, tournaments, computerized games, and even online partnerships.