The New York Times Bridge Book: An Anecdotal History of the Development, Personalities, and Strategies of the World's Most Popular Card Game

by Alan F. Truscott, Dorothy Truscott

Finally, a book for every bridge fan -- never before has there been a comprehensive history of the game, filled with anecdotes about famous players, key tournaments, strategies, scandals, and a little instruction for good measure . Evolving at some point in the 18th century from a card game known as "whist," bridge has undergone countless variations, and acquired a massive following of clubs and organizations in the ensuing centuries. The New York Times Bridge Book is aimed not only at the bridge-playing community but also an armchair audience fascinated by the role of cardgames in world history.

Genres: Games

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Alan Fraser Truscott (April 16, 1925 – September 4, 2005) was a bridge player, author and columnist. He wrote the daily bridge column for The New York Times for 41 years, from 1964 to 2005.
Truscott was born in Brixton, London, and showed early prowess at chess as well as bridge. He attended Whitgift School, and served in the Royal Navy towards the end of World War II. He studied at the University of Oxford from 1947, playing for the university at both chess and bridge. He was a member of the British team (along with Terence Reese and Boris Schapiro) that won a bronze medal at the European bridge championships in 1951, aged only 26. In 1958 he was a member of the British team that finished second, and in 1961 his team won the gold medal in the same event at Torquay. Truscott's team also finished third in the 1962 Bermuda Bowl held in New York City.
He was also involved in the investigation of a cheating scandal at the Bermuda Bowl in Buenos Aires in 1965. A pair of British players (Reese and Schapiro) were accused of using their fingers to pass information about their cards by an American pair (B. Jay Becker and Dorothy Hayden). Truscott believed the British pair were guilty. They were subsequently adjudicated guilty by the World Bridge Federation authorities at the tournament in Buenos Aires. The British Bridge League (BBL) then convened its own inquiry, and several months later the BBL acquitted them. Truscott later published a book on the affair, entitled The Great Bridge Scandal. Reese published his own version of events in The Story of an Accusation.
Truscott wrote 13 books on bridge, and was executive editor of the first three editions of The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge.
He had three children with his first wife, but they divorced in 1970. He married his second wife, Dorothy Hayden, an American mathematician and international bridge player who was one of the original accusers in the Buenos Aires affair, in 1972. He died in Russia, New York.

Reviews

[ALLEN · Rating 4 out of 5]

You could almost call this chipper volume BRIDGE'S GREATEST HITS. Written by experts in the field (Dorothy and Alan Truscott) this part-history, part-tutorial takes the game from its early yachting-club beginnings to mass popularity under the guidance of masters like Charles Goren, Ely Culbertson and the Truscotts themselves. Topics covered include slams, famous feuds, the Marmic or “strong pass” system, and “Some Strange Situations.” Recommended no matter what level you're playing. 2002. Hardbound.

[Scout Who · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book. Provides rewarding strategy tips for all levels of players.

[Zach Besich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative history of Bridge by someone who was playing at a high level during many of the formative events of Contract Bridge as we know it.

[Raymonds009 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok. So everyone says a book is a must read. Having said that I will add that if you love bridge and haven't read this you are missing out. Along with being a great history of the game and its development there are the stories of the people who influenced play and changed and modified the rules. Did I say people? I meant characters. Murder, intrigue and mayhem. Therefore, read.

[Laura Shi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a thrilling read for a fledgling player like me. Bridge has a deep and interesting history, which was filled with well-known characters that even non-players would recognize. The strategies and developments discussed are fairly easy to understand or at least fun to read, and I have been greatly inspired to keep growing as a player.

[Greg Fanoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really fun read. Don't need to be a bridge expert to appreciate this but it does assume some entry level knowledge.