[gwnn]

The word "intermediate" on the front cover is a joke, right? I went through KDIB a couple of times and I found that if I do concentrate and think the hands through, I get most of them right, but the sequel is much tougher from what I see. If this is an intermediate book, what is an advanced/expert book on defence? (Just asking to know which books I have to avoid for the next few years.)

[Jinksy]

I believe the only two expert/advanced books in that series are Bridge with the Blue Team and Adventures in Card Play. So yeah - when you're at Forquet's level, you're allowed to stop calling yourself an intermediate.

Someone should notify the BBO population.

[neilkaz]

This book has seemed difficult to find here in the USA, but finally Bridge World has it so I ordered it today, along with a few Krzysztof Martens' defense books. I have no doubt I'll have some mind boggling reading and studying from some adv/exp books .

EDIT: My books arrived and I have to say that I am impressed with the sequel to KDaB and it is not an intermediate book!

[BillPatch]

Jinksy, on 2014-August-30, 02:16, said:

I believe the only two expert/advanced books in that series are Bridge with the Blue Team and Adventures in Card Play. So yeah - when you're at Forquet's level, you're allowed to stop calling yourself an intermediate.

Someone should notify the BBO population.

Yes, BBO has a serious problem with theblarge number of lesser world class players describing themselves as intermediates.

[KurtGodel]

neilkaz, on 2015-August-17, 12:27, said:

This book has seemed difficult to find here in the USA, but finally Bridge World has it so I ordered it today, along with a few Krzysztof Martens' defense books. I have no doubt I'll have some mind boggling reading and studying from some adv/exp books .

EDIT: My books arrived and I have to say that I am impressed with the sequel to KDaB and it is not an intermediate book!

I think Martens' defence books are significantly tougher. I didn't think that "More Killing Defence" was that tough, but to describe it as intermediate is obviously a joke. On "Adventures in Card Play" it says intermediate/expert, which is even more stupid, only God can play like that.

[Phil]

It's probably easier to sell a bridge book labeled for intermediate players than adv/exp.

I've never read a bad Kelsey book. Had a copy of MKDAB but cant seem to locate it.

[phil_20686]

KurtGodel, on 2015-November-10, 19:04, said:

I think Martens' defence books are significantly tougher. I didn't think that "More Killing Defence" was that tough, but to describe it as intermediate is obviously a joke. On "Adventures in Card Play" it says intermediate/expert, which is even more stupid, only God can play like that.

#humblebrag

[phil_20686]

FWIW on defence books I would recommend Masterpieces of Defense. Thats another not really intermediate book by Julian Pottage.

I thought MKDaB was pretty hard, I could do only about half of all the problems in the book. I like the kelsey books because his hands are very carefully prepared to have only one right solution, and you can usually figure it out if you take 20 minutes per hand. They are in that sense, very pure hands.

Other defence books seem to have more "real world" type hands where there are several viable alternatives and there is usually some quite subtle piece of card reading involved to decide. I find those books really hard as solutions are so dependent on partners carding.

[Phil]

phil_20686, on 2015-November-11, 12:45, said:

FWIW on defence books I would recommend Masterpieces of Defense. Thats another not really intermediate book by Julian Pottage.

I thought MKDaB was pretty hard, I could do only about half of all the problems in the book. I like the kelsey books because his hands are very carefully prepared to have only one right solution, and you can usually figure it out if you take 20 minutes per hand. They are in that sense, very pure hands.

Other defence books seem to have more "real world" type hands where there are several viable alternatives and there is usually some quite subtle piece of card reading involved to decide. I find those books really hard as solutions are so dependent on partners carding.

This book is currently on my nightstand. Even after a long tiring day I always manage to do a few sets of problems.

[Cyberyeti]

This book had an odd effect on me. I was awarded it as a prize aged about 14 (they had a load of Kelsey books to give away, I happened to get that one). I realised I knew even less than I thought I did (had been playing "proper bridge" for about 3 years by then), and strove to work much harder to improve. No way is it an intermediate book.

[rmnka447]

The key with Kelsey is to take your time and try to completely think through each hand. It's not about how fast you can get through the book, but about developing the analytical thought process required to find the best defense. You probably won't get a majority of the hands right maybe not even many right. But if you diligently do the work, by the end of the process, you'll be a much better defender.