Bid More Winning Slams: Boot Camp Bridge

This most helpful and successful bridge book, “Bid More Winning Slams,” has been positively reviewed by Brent Manley of the ACBL and the editor of the Unit 51 monthly “Contract Bridge Bulletin.” The American Bridge Teacher Association (ABTA) has stated that this book on slams is most creative and enjoyable and should be read by all players be they novice, advanced, or expert. The author, a Gold Life Master and the second Life Master in Iowa has won three NABC firsts and two seconds, all regionally rated, as well as participating in team match between the USA and Mexico, the affair held in the famous Grandmaster George Rosenkranz’s home in Mexico City with the USA team being victorious.

Assisting in this book have been two of Scottsdale, Arizona’s top professionals. Grand Master Jerry Gaer is one of the 100 best pair players in the world, and Cambridge educated Ken Barbour, who is Britain’s prestigious Gold Cup champion and winner of the Crockford Cup as well.

Engineering genius, Ed Marzo of Massachusetts, the inventor of the famous Dealmaster Pro machine which spins out the statistics for the evaluation of a hands success or failure of its high cards and distribution, was instrumental in assisting Joan Cantor Sands, our superb proofreader and editor, to create the percentages and graphs that you will find to be so helpful in evaluating slam possibilities. How much you will enjoy learning how the magical and might theory of “Q” will enhance your ability to predict the success value of your holding.

From these statistics, you will learn how to apply LTC, HCP, Rosenkranz Controls, and distribution to evaluate slam possibilities in a manner you many never have thought about before reading this book. Of course, the author has utilized the information to be found in the “Encyclopedia of Bridge” published by the ACBL a copy of which should be on the desk of every serious bridge player.

Our artists, Ardis Phillips and Barbara Buscemi, have contributed their talents to produce the 17 lovely and sometimes humorous illustrations that describe a slam convention. You will never forget the artist’s rendition of a gaily-garbed and haughty circus clown leading all of his four slam ducks all in a row. Who would ever forget the pained look on the face of the skinny splinter bid cartoon in the article explaining the splinter bid that famous Mark Lair and claims it to be the best slam going bid ever invented?

Many of these creative and colorful pictures have been duplicated on bridge note cards, the inside sharing a short bridge tip to send to a bridge-loving friend for any occasion, be it for a birthday, a holiday or just to say “hello.” These cards may be obtained by contacting the author at or by calling him at 602.296.5531.

Along with a creative story of a mythical boot camp for slam bidding in Ft. Smith, AK, and the many entertaining pictures, the book is superbly indexed so that it is useful at the home bridge table while you practice bidding winning slams with your favorite partner. Some Scottsdale, AZ budding players, state that they read a bit of “Bid More Winning Slams,” each night in their bed before falling asleep.

The book describes 17 conventions or treatments to make your slam bidding 75% successful along with a comical story about the Nine of Clubs being lost in a bridge-playing lady’s purse. The lost card spends the night in the company of a sweet bottle of perfume and they have the time of their lives. It is this creative story along with the colorful pictures that promotes learning how to bid slams with ease and fun that even a Grand Master at a World Championship in Bermuda would admire.

So, in conclusion, no matter your bridge experience, open this easy-to-read book on slams, and we promise you that your slam bidding will not only be 75% successful but also accomplished with more fun and professionalism than ever before.