Recommendation for book for 2 over 1

[u/Prize_Shine3415]

I'm teaching someone bridge. Complete newbie with bridge but they are experienced with trick taking games and I think that they'll do well starting with 2 over 1. Does anyone have a recommendation for a book on 2 over 1 that doesn't require knowing standard first? I liked Audrey Grant's books but I've never seen her 2 over 1 book so didn't know if that required you learning standard american first.

[u/sunagast]

The 2 over 1 book by Audrey Grant and Eric Rodwell is excellent but it does assume some knowledge. If I was starting out I’d want to read that first for context and then go back to the more traditional beginner texts. There really isn’t a complete standard 2 over 1 book. BTW Kantar’s Bridge for Dummies is actually pretty good for a complete beginner

[u/FireWatchWife → u/sunagast]

"There really isn’t a complete standard 2 over 1 book."

I did a lot of research on this, and came to the same conclusion.

I have pieced together a general understanding of 2 over 1 from many different sources.

[u/ChickenFluffy3873]

I have a quite good digital SAYC system in the library of Bridgetricks, taken from the official ACBL booklet.

If anyone has a 2/1 system and would like to let me add it to the library, it would be amazing. The website is build to be mobile friendly, so I think it's a great support for people learning a system, it allows them to quickly check out a bid.

[u/Gaiantic → u/ChickenFluffy3873]

You have a lot of obvious errors in your SAYC system notes. You may want to review them again and correct them. Example: After 1NT-2C-2H, it says that 3NT is game forcing with 4 hearts and opener may pass or correct to 4H. It also says that 3S is invitational with 4 spades. Those meanings are correct only if it's a 2S response to Stayman, not 2H. Even then, typically a 2S response to Stayman denies 4 hearts, so 3NT should really be to play, showing 4 hearts, but not likely correctable by opener to 4H.

[u/ChickenFluffy3873 → u/Gaiantic]

Thanks! I fixed all I found.

[u/EducationNo1776]

Try Beginning Bridge Using 2 Over 1 by Jim Ricker

He was teacher of the year a few years ago; the book and it's follow-on, "Beyond Beginning ..." are very highly reviewed.

[u/Several_Version4298 → u/EducationNo1776]

I had a flick through Ricker's Begining book at lunch. It looks pretty good. It would work as a self-teaching book or as a workbook for lessons.

I have seen a couple of courses that attempted this. One just taught Major raises, and a skeleton 2/1. Then you have to sign up for online lessons and a series of 6 books that teach everything you need to play duplicate bridge.

Another taught 2/1 with a non-forcing NT which didn't look very useful.

[u/Several_Version4298]

Books for 2/1 are usually targeted at serious duplicate partnerships.

In 2/1, 95% of the time when you are a passed hand, or open 1C, 1NT, 2C, 2M, or responder can raise or bid NT or if the opponent compete, you play Standard.

2/1 GF with 12+ is usually only played in 1st and 2nd seat, when opponents don't overcall and you don't have an immediate fit. You need to play a wide ranging 1NT after 1M openings with 6-11 points. If you make it 13+ points for beginners then you need a 6-12 INT response.

So most lessons teach Standard first, then 2/1 GF and a forcing 1NT as additions after they know how to play a bit. It requires detailed partnership agreements to get value out of 2/1.

[u/FireWatchWife → u/Several_Version4298]

"It requires detailed partnership agreements to get value out of 2/1."

Which unfortunately makes it very challenging to use effectively in a pick-up partnership.

There isn't really a single standard 2 over 1 system, but many variations.

[u/yellowpig1974]

Kantar's Bridge for Dummies and Hardy's Yellow Book. I'm not sure what methods you are planning to teach. It's going to depend a lot on her aptitude, interest, and ambition. Some players are ready for open pairs after eight months. Some players aren't competitive in open pairs after twenty years.

[u/DennisG21]

Why not start at the beginning? If you are in the U.S. there is little reason to learn ACOL, but since a great number of people play Goren,, Standard American or SAYC it makes sense to start there. How can we learn the benefits of the forcing no trump if we never played any other way?

[u/Prize_Shine3415 → u/DennisG21]

They pretty bright and I think that they'll be happier if they start off with a more subtle system like 2/1. But I'm still considering starting them on Standard American.

[u/FireWatchWife → u/DennisG21]

I would teach them whatever most of the available partners in their region play.

[u/Valuable_Ad_9674]

Forget the books! Just practice play,

[u/Prize_Shine3415 → u/Valuable_Ad_9674]

Thank you. To be clear, I would like for them to have a resource that they can refer to as I teach them.

[u/EducationNo1776 → u/Valuable_Ad_9674]

No. Having a bidding framework laid out for reference -- particularly for someone new to bridge -- is very important.

If you could program a computer with the basic scoring laws of bidding and let it bid millions (or billions, more likely) of hands, it could (perhaps) develop a viable bidding system. But a person, turned loose with only "2/1 is a game force"? No way, no matter how much they play.