Team Tactics in Bridge -Book Review 

By Jared Johnson
D17 ScoreCard Editor 

There still aren’t many bridge books on team play strategy. You can find mention of the strategy to adopt on a particular hand, depending on whether it's home bridge, team play or duplicate matchpoints. The common wisdom is that at home rubber bridge or team play, you bid and play more conservatively to get to the safest contract and then play safely to make that contract.  

At duplicate matchpoints, more risks are taken to get to the best scoring contract. And sometimes you will even risk your contract to make an overtrick. It’s usually not worth jeopardizing your contract for an overtrick at team play. 

But what is mostly lacking in the bridge book arena is a discussion of the overall long haul strategy for team games of various sorts. 

Thus, we have Team Tactics in Bridge, Winning Strategies by Peoria, Arizona’s Steve Bruno, a fairly slim but valuable volume. All types of team games are discussed including Knockouts, Swiss Teams, IMP Pairs and Board-A-Match Teams. Take note that Board-A-Match (still relatively rare on tournament schedules) is a team game, but the strategy is more like matchpoints. In fact, it’s been called “super matchpoints” since you get a zero, a half, or a one on each board. 

Bruno presents a wide variety of factors to take into consideration in planning your overall approach in a team game. 

The strength of the opposition: Are your teams evenly matched? Are you playing an inferior team? Are you playing a better team? Different tactics are called for. Intermediate players, in particular, should be interested in the advice on how to increase the chances of defeating a better team. 

The state of the match: This can sometimes be harder to gauge in a seven or eight board Swiss match since you don’t know what’s going on at the other table. But of course, in a Knockout you get to compare at the half and know where you stand. And even in a Swiss match, you may have a good idea how you stand at your table. 

The length of the match: Is it a short match (Swiss) or a long match (Knockout)? 

The state of the match: Are you up in the match? Are you down in the match?  

How much? Different strategies are dictated. 

Particularly when someone is down in a match, desperation can set in, and one can end up even further in the hole. 

There are times to take chances, but not foolish chances. Knowing the right time to stir up a little action in the right fashion can be an art in and of itself. 

And there are psychological considerations as well. In a team game there are four people instead of just two to get enthusiastic and optimistic or demoralized and discouraged, as the case may be. If someone goofs, there are three people to cast blame, not just partner. Maintaining team morale is also important. 

Pick up this book and set yourself and your team on the road to victory in your next game. 

Team Tactics in Bridge is published by Steve Bruno and PDI Bridge Supplies and distributed by PDI Bridge Supplies in Anacortes, Wash., Phone: 1 800 854-4660.