Just Plain Bridge by Ned Downey

Most bridge books are aimed at intermediates or experts, except for textbooks aimed at absolute beginners, such as the ACBL's Audrey Grent series. In between these two extremes, nothing much was available to help the beginner reach the stage where he could profit from reading the more advanced books. Ned Downey, the popular director/teacher from Maui, has sought to fill that gap with Just Plain Bridge. Using a style popularized by Mike Lawrence, Ned invites the reader to sit beside him during a series of 36 hands with Ned and his wife Joyce playing against another couple. The style is light and conversational, and the writing is excellent. Ned explains his thought processes as each hand develops. These are excellent lesson hands which illustrate good basic declarer play and defense. The bidding is kept deliberately simple, so that any graduate of an Audrey Grant Club Series course can understand it. What would you lead against 1NT/P/3NT, holding S 8632 H 94 D 97432 C 87? If you led anything but a heart you might profit from reading this book.

An appendix introduces the reader to the limit raise, reverses, Stayman, Jacoby transfers and Weak Two Bids, but this is not the place for the beginner to learn how to cope with the bidding he will encounter in the tournament world. The book is highly recommended for 99ers, and most non-Life Masters will find something here to improve their game. This reviewer liked the book enough to buy several copies to use as gifts.