The Weak Notrump: How to Play It, How to Play Against It

by Andy Stark

Book Overview

All North American players are taught to play using a strong notrump, but that is not the way of the rest of the world. Even in North America, weak notrump systems, or even Kamikaze notrump systems,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 189415469X
• ISBN13: 9781894154697
• Release Date: March 2006
• Publisher: Master Point Press
• Length: 196 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Pretty good

Nice coverage of NT response structure (weak NT doesn't need the same kind of structure that a strong NT uses, you don't need to 'protect' the weak NT hand), runouts, defense against. The reason I don't give it 5 stars is I'd like to see alot more about the impact of using a weak NT will be on the rest of your bidding. How it affects showing unbalanced hands, and subtle implications. People don't seem to realize that just mixing and matching conventions or HCP ranges for bids can create hidden problems and holes. Absolutely worth buying, but still not enough to use the weak NT successfully.

Good starting point

What I was hoping for was a book that would explain all the subtle inferences of using a 10-12 or 12-14 NT, especially on costructive bidding. With a 12-14 NT, minor suit opening bids tend to be stronger and/or longer. How does that affect Walsh responses if at all? Any effects on contructive raises or Overcalls or balancing? Does an opening bid of 1 Heart mean something slightly different now? Are you less likely to open a 5 card major instead of a weak NT? Pros - I like the authors style and sense of humor. He seems to be knowledgeable and plays with strong players. (I don't want to read books by average players, I want expert opinion) - Reasonable coverage of the 12-14 and 10-12 NT on bidding. (though I would have liked a lot more) - Provides a run out structure and defenses, plus some NT responses other than traditional Stayman Cons - Almost half the book was on different NT response conventions, or defenses. While tahts fine in a book on NT, what I really wanted was "How to use the weak NT in the context of your other bids". How does the weak NT affect teh meaning of other bids? Forget about opening 1NT, what changes if you don't open 1NT? How will the bidding be different? Whats changed? - The author even says he could write more on opening/responding with unbalanced hands. I liked the book, its worth reading, but it didn't have enough of what I was looking for. I liked this A LOT more than Lufts "How I became a Life master using the Weak NT".

Great Book

I was telling a friend that the weak notrump always kills me whenever the opponents bid it, and he recommended this book. Now I feel confident playing against a weak notrump, and I feel like I actually understand what's going on at the bridge table. This book is also great if you want to learn or improve your own weak notrump bidding. I loved how Mr. Stark gives lots of example auctions and discusses the good and the bad points of everything. I really felt like I came away with a real understanding of the weak notrump and everything that happens afterwards. The book is fun to read too, as Mr. Stark keeps the tone light enough that the book doesn't become boring. This book does deal with the bidding philosophy of the weak notrump (Chapters 1 and 14), not to mention since Mr. Stark explains the theory behind using all the conventions he recommends, the philosophy becomes clear. This book does not just emphasize the 1NT opening bid, responses to it, and defenses against it, but goes into much greater detail about changes to your bidding structure when using a weak notrump as well as other ideas. Chapters 5, 6, 7 all deal directly with the differences that will happen with your other auctions. It is true that Mr. Stark doesn't talk about preemptive openings (tournament players often use a 2 of a major opening to show a weak hand with a long suit), but I fail to see why a weak notrump structure would change that in any meaningful way. In short, this is a great book, and if you ever wanted to learn more about playing or defending against the weak notrump, do not be afraid to pick it up. It's a great investment.

One of Only a Few Books about the Weak No Trump Bidding System

Stark's book appeared four months before my own on the same topic. Neither of us knew, while we were writing, that the other was in the process of filling a large and longstanding gap in the bridge literature. Both are good books. A comparison is warranted. I believe that our two books complement each other very well. Anyone who wishes to learn the weak no trump should read both. Where mine fails, his succeeds; and where his fails, mine succeeds. Together they just about cover it all. Stark's is more technical, more narrowly conceived, more practical, and has more examples. Mine is more conversational, more anecdotal, more theoretical, and more "fun to read." Stark, I believe, must have been influenced by the style of Mike Lawrence, Eddie Kantar, Bill Root, Charles Goren, and other solid bridge writers. I, on the other hand, feel more influence from Victor Mollo, S.J. Simon, Marty Bergen, Zia Mahmood, and Larry Cohen. Stark's book has no bibliography, index, or sample convention card. Mine has. He does not discuss the implications of opening suit bids, whether 1-level or preemptive, within the framework of a weak no trump system. I do. Stark likes Landy and Mohan to defend against the opponents' opening 1NT; I like revised Cappelletti. Stark describes Crowhurst, modified Wolff, the Baron corollary, DONT run-out sequences, and several other conventions; I describe elaborate escape systems, a great variety of specialized cue bids, Klinger doubles, ConFit, checkback Stayman, and many defensive, preemptive, or obstructive bids. We both advocate Lebensohl and puppet Stayman. In short, Stark emphasizes just the 1NT opening bid, responses to it, and defenses against it. I see it in a broader context, as the centerpiece of an entire bidding system.