November 2012 - 25

Book Reviews

ten much livelier.
What The Contested Auction isn't is a compendium of
standard defensive conventions; rather, it is advanced
bidding theory for the partnership seeking a framework in which to define its own competitive bidding
methods."Expert partnerships need 'system' as much for
competitive auctions as for non-competitive ones," the
author insists.
After pausing to broadly advise a partnership undertaking the construction of its competitive bidding system ("be
guided by principles," "document," "define, completely,
exactly and early," etc.), Hughes lays out an exhaustive
examination of competitive bidding situations and visits
the possibilities and responses from all four table positions. In some cases, he relies on conventions that are
somewhat mainstream: There's very thorough discussion
of the use of low-level doubles, including takeout, repeat
takeout, negative, support, responsive and snapdragon,
for example; support actions including mixed raises and
fit-showing jumps; and escape maneuvers, including SOS
redoubles and 1NT runouts.
Less mainstream are the use of transfer responses and
transfer advances (with credit to Jeff Rubens for his early
Eighties series of articles on the useful-space principle
in The Bridge World); inverting the meaning of pass and
double in a variety of contexts, and an innovative structure for precisely showing strong, one-suited hands and
two-suited hands (either limited or strong).
Though it is written with great clarity, this is definitely
not a book for beginning bridge players. Rather, it is an
excellent tool for advanced partnerships to study and
work through together. I envy the pairs who do just that.
For, as Hughes points out, "Partnerships who rely on judgment and bridge logic in competitive situations, without
comprehensive agreements, will inevitably suffer losses to
their better-prepared competitors."
Published by Master Point Press (masterpointpress.
com) and available from Amazon and bridge supply
houses. Also available as an ebook from bridgewinners.
com and ebooksbridge.com.

Larry Teaches 2 over 1
Game Forcing
By Larry Cohen
$12.99 Spiral bound,
60 pages

Rating: A-

Reviewed by Paul Linxwiler

No-frills excellence

Although Larry Teaches 2
Over 1 Game Forcing is not
the shortest book ever written
on the popular bidding sys-

tem, it's certainly close to the record. Despite its brevity
author Larry Cohen has succeeded in presenting a nice
outline of the approach in a coherent, no-nonsense fashion.
As a long-time instructor, Cohen has spent many years
persuading students - many of whom learned to bid
decades ago - of the superiority of 2/1 versus "standard."
In truth, some of the differences are superficial, but Cohen
stresses that one of the main advantages is the elimination of "no-man's land" that is created in some standard
auctions when responder is allowed to make a 2/1 bid on
as few as 10 or 11 high-card points: Standard bidders can
easily wind up on the three level in non-competitive settings and still not know if they have the values for game.
Additionally, 2/1 eliminates the need to jump to show good
hands. It provides space to explore.
Cohen is quick to point out the necessary conditions
for a 2/1 game-forcing auction to occur. There are only six
sequences where 2/1 exists: 1ࡗ-2ࡔ, 1ࡖ-2ࡔ, 1ࡖ-2ࡗ,
1ࡕ-2ࡔ, 1ࡕ-2ࡗ and 1ࡕ-2ࡖ. Never over a 1ࡔ opening. Only if opener is in first or second seat. Never if the
opponents overcall or double. You can tell by his strict list
of warnings that he's seen all the ways his students can
misapply the 2/1 structure.
Cohen defines what each response should show. He then
examines what all of opener's rebids should mean. Every
auction comes with examples and quizzes from the point
of view of both opener and responder.
Lastly, Cohen takes on his least-favorite part of 2/1, the
forcing (or semi-forcing) 1NT, a necessary systemic evil if
two-level responses promise game-forcing values.
The only thing I didn't like about this work was the
format. Although Cohen is constitutionally incapable of
writing a bad book, he's apparently not immune from publishing spiral-bound notebooks that look like they were
printed and put together at an office supply store. Still,
content trumps form, so don't judge this book by its cover.
Available at larryco.com and Baron Barclay Bridge Supply.

Bridge at the Edge
By Boye Brogeland and David Bird
$21.95 Softcover, 245 pages

Rating: A

Reviewed by Brent Manley

Treasure trove

For readers who like well-played
deals, this new book is ideal. Although only 39, Norwegian Boye
Brogeland has vast experience in
high-level, international competition, with a world championship and two North American titles to his credit.
➤
November 2012 Bridge Bulletin

http://www.larryco.com http://www.ebooksbridge.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November 2012