Book

Defensive Tips for Bad Card Holders

📖 Overview

Eddie Kantar's Defensive Tips for Bad Card Holders focuses on bridge defense techniques for players who consistently receive poor hands. The book addresses common defensive scenarios and provides strategies for making the most of subpar cards. The text outlines specific methods for defending against various contract types, with emphasis on timing and card placement. Each chapter contains practice problems and detailed explanations of defensive concepts. This guide demonstrates how players can turn apparent disadvantages into opportunities at the bridge table. The lessons build upon each other to develop a complete defensive framework for handling weak hands. The work reinforces the principle that successful bridge play depends more on technique and understanding than on the initial strength of one's cards. Kantar's systematic approach transforms defensive play from a source of frustration into a strategic opportunity.

👀 Reviews

There are not enough internet reviews to create a summary of this book. Instead, here is a summary of reviews of Eddie Kantar's overall work: Bridge players consistently rate Kantar's books as clear, practical learning tools. Readers highlight his ability to break down complex concepts with humor and memorable examples. What readers liked: - Simple explanations of advanced concepts - Use of quizzes and practice hands - Engaging writing style with jokes and witty observations - Progressive learning approach - Clear organization and layout What readers disliked: - Some find his jokes dated or distracting - Advanced players note occasional oversimplification - A few readers mention typos in newer editions Ratings across platforms: Amazon: 4.5/5 average across titles (500+ reviews) Goodreads: 4.3/5 average (300+ reviews) "His explanations finally made defensive play click for me" - Amazon reviewer "The humor helps concepts stick in your memory" - Bridge forum comment "Best bridge teacher I've encountered in 40 years of playing" - Goodreads review

📚 Similar books

Bridge Defense for Everyone by Jim Priebe A comprehensive guide to defensive play that builds from basic principles to complex scenarios used at championship levels.

25 Bridge Conventions You Should Know by Barbara Seagram, Marc Smith A step-by-step breakdown of essential defensive conventions that partners need to understand and implement.

Killing Defense at Bridge by Hugh Kelsey Analysis of defensive techniques through real game situations that demonstrate precise card reading and strategic thinking.

Defense in the 21st Century by Marshall Miles A modern approach to defensive play that focuses on partnership signals and tactical decision-making in challenging situations.

How to Defend a Bridge Hand by William Root A systematic examination of defensive techniques that connects foundational concepts with practical applications at the table.

🤔 Interesting facts

🎴 Eddie Kantar is a two-time World Champion bridge player and the only player ever to have represented the United States in both the World Bridge Olympiad and the World Poker Olympiad. ♦️ The book focuses on defensive play in bridge, which is considered by many experts to be the most challenging aspect of the game, as defenders can only see their own cards and dummy's cards during play. ♠️ Kantar has written over 35 bridge books and is known for his humorous, conversational writing style that makes complex bridge concepts accessible to players of all levels. ♣️ The defensive techniques taught in this book are particularly valuable because studies show that defensive mistakes account for approximately 75% of all points lost in duplicate bridge tournaments. 🃏 The book is part of a broader series of bridge instruction materials by Kantar that have been translated into multiple languages and are used in bridge courses worldwide.