How NOT to Lose at Spades, Second Edition

How NOT to Lose at Spades, Second Edition
by JohnGalt Strichman

How NOT to Lose at Spades, Second Edition
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Book Summary Information

Author: JohnGalt Strichman
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2003-09
ISBN: 0970631219
Number of pages: 220
Publisher: Karosa Publishing

Book Reviews of How NOT to Lose at Spades, Second Edition

Book Review: This Book Will Re-Orient Your Thinkking
Summary: 5 Stars

I had played spades in college for about a year (not on-line spades - real cards) and had gotten pretty competent thanks to an excellent partner who carried me. In the intervening (25 or so) years I probably only played 10 or 12 times. Several months ago I happened upon Zone spading and really enjoyed it and played frequently getting my rating up a little over 2200. At this point, though, my game stalled. I could hold my own, but wasn't getting any better. I like to excel, so I started looking around for a book or something to help improve my game.

I read some of Strichman's archived columns on the Zone and they showed me a few things I had been doing wrong (and reinforced some of what I had been doing right!). And, of course, I learned that he had also written a book - How Not to Lose at Spades. I ordered the book and Strichman graciously signed it and promptly mailed it off.

This book changed my whole approach to spades. Before, I had some favorite strategies and tactics. This book taught me that the proper "overall strategy" is to evaluate the potential risks and rewards of your bids and play with the ultimate goal of Winning the Game (or Not Losing the Game as Galt might say). You may say to yourself, "well that's what I already do." IMHO, I doubt it - unless you are among the elite or you have read this or another equally good spades book (I haven't read the others - I offer no opinion of them). I have played with very good players, with thousands of games under their belts who make relatively simple mistakes that would be impossible to imagine if they attacked the game with the appropriate risk/reward approach.

One example (made up by me): Your team has 460 points (no bags) and the opponents have 410. Your partner has bid 3, the opponents have combined for a bid of 3 and it is your bid. You hold AKQJ6 of spades, no hearts, and the rest of your hand is basically junk. What should you bid? Really you should know the answer without looking at your cards - read the book to see why. You bid 1 (after looking - of course I'd actually look - lol). There is zero reward for bidding more than 1. You will win the game if you bid 1, because that will take your point total 500 (+ 1 point per bag) and you cannot possibly bag out even if you take every trick. It doesn't really matter what the risks are from bidding 2, 3, 4, or 5. Because the reward for doing so is exactly zero.

Trust me, this book will reorient your thinking about spades. But that is not all, oh no, that is not all. Strichman knows how you think - he knows the mistakes you make, the strategies that you are not aware of. You will learn to avoid these common mistakes and to implement these winning strategies that you do not know about. Your game will improve enormously unless you are already among the very advanced already.

There is one aspect of the game that is not covered in the depth that would be necessary to help elevate you to the true upper echelons of the game. That aspect is trying to absolutely maximize the number of tricks that you take with your (and your partner's) hands. Bridge players are masters at this and many many thick tomes have been written for bridge players to help them achieve this skill. This is in no way a criticism of Strichman's book - the book would have increased in length four- or five-fold if he had attempted to really address that. This book has excellent advice on maximizing your trick-taking, it's just not the most advanced, in-depth treatment of the subject.

I have not yet fully digested all parts of the book, but I know that it has already improved my game enormously. The book is an easy, even fun, read and is very accessible. And it will improve your game from the first day you read it - assuming you implement its ideas :). I know that the various aspects of my game are at different skill levels at this time. Currently, I am trying to work on maximizing my trick-taking skills, while shoring up the other parts of my game. I look at this book as a solid foundation on all aspects of the game and a great taking-off point for those looking to make it into the elite.

Recommendation: Buy this book if you want to enjoy spades more and start winning more / losing less!

Tiger_CogDis

Summary of How NOT to Lose at Spades, Second Edition

Note: If you would like a BRAND NEW CUSTOM AUTOGRAPHED copy, see the author's listing under "used and new" copies of the book.

Having received unsurpassed acclaim among the Spading community since its publication, the first edition of How NOT to Lose at Spades was the highest rated Spades book and a bestseller here at Amazon.

This edition is even better, with expanded coverage of key topics, and lots of new material.

Written by one of the most highly regarded Spades players on the Internet, How NOT to Lose at Spades identifies 80 common mistakes that players make which cause them to lose games that they could have won. Through the use of over 100 bidding and playing examples, the author shows readers how to avoid these mistakes, and in a very structured approach teaches readers how to think and play like a winning Spades player.

The majority of readers see an immediate improvement in their game, and many readers order additional books for their regular playing partner(s) or friends.

"How NOT to" is highly unique compared to other books on card theory. It is written in a simple and fun style, with the emphasis on humor and enjoyment of the game, rather than on complex diagrams, statistical theory, and technicalese.

Through this unique approach, the author teaches readers how to "think" when they play, as much as how to play, and it is this approach which is the key behind the book's popularity and success, and which has generated a loyalty among its readers which is rare indeed.

Once you have read the book, you will probably think of the game very differently than you ever have before, and you just may wind up being rewarded in Spades.

Readers have achieved the following results using the teachings in the book: ZSTOC (Zone TOC): WIN, ATLANTA, 2001 LIVE TOURNEY: WIN, LAS VEGAS, 2001 LIVE TOURNEY "Main Event Cash Prize": WIN, ZONE CLUB CHALLENGE: 2ND and 3RD out of 114 teams, ZONE CLUB HONORS: (11 game tourney among the Zone's very best) WIN and 3RD Place, Igames TOC: WIN, ZONE CLUB CHALLENGE: WIN and 2ND Place out of 125 teams, 2003 ZONE Sweethearts Tournament: WIN and $1,000 Cash Prize!

Do you know... the single most important consideration when playing Spades? the biggest mistake made in Spades? Hamlet's secret to successful bidding? the most powerful convention in the game of Spades? the 2 biggest mistakes players make bidding Nil? how to bid an Autowin? how to make a Faux Throw when playing a Nil hand? the Rule Of Four? how to bid the Prevent Defense? how to use the Potato Chip Attack? how to insure your pard's Nil with the Dormy Dare? when to go Undercover In A Miniskirt? when to use the Cover Charge, and when More is Less?

If you don't want to lose at Spades, you need to know the answers to these questions, as well as how to use the other 100-plus strategy and execution approaches described in this 220-page book.

Special note: The book is 8.5 by 11 inch format, with 14 point normal font.

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