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FOREWORD

I’ve known Larry Cohen throughout his thirty-plus years in the tournament bridge world. By combining his talents as player and writer to select his favorite 52 deals, he has come up with a compilation that will be a treat to bridge aficionados everywhere.

In my partnership with Bob Hamman in the 1980's we often found ourselves face-to-face with Larry and Marty Bergen. It was no surprise to me that several deals from that era have found their way into his favorite 52. They brought back memories for me and made me wonder how many other ‘lost gems’ were never written about.

So many deals in this book have never been published before — it is like an unearthing of recent bridge history. Many of the exhibits are spectacular. It increases one’s fascination with the great game of bridge to see how these amazing deals were actually solved at the table by real humans in real time. I enjoyed the way these deals were presented — I had a chance to try to find the right bid or play for myself, and then read the story of what actually happened at the table.

I have always admired and respected Larry’s great contributions to the game, and it was a treat for me to see his all-time favorite deals. I know that readers will share my joy.

Bobby Wolff
Las Vegas, NV
March 2009 

From Judy Kay Wolff Bridge Blogging

JUDY KAY WOLFF

I am half way through and loving the book, but I have to confess I get distracted by the pictures. It looks like an advertisement for The Beatles — though it is serious stuff and very well presented. Amazing the things I have learned already and I’ve been on the scene as long as Methuselah.

I bought the book in Washington at the Nationals and just started reading it. Larry Cohen is not only a great player but a great teacher. His style of showing his thought process as the hand is bid and played is terrific.

From BBO creator Fred Gitelman:

 
I just wanted to let you know that I finished reading My Favorite 52 and that I enjoyed it more than any bridge book in recent memory.

Dear Mr. Cohen

My name is Ignacio Jimenez (2BONOT2B in BBO), from Madrid Spain, Spain.

I am in love with this game since 25 years ago. I am a big reader of bridge books. I have read most of them (some several times) and probably I have the best collection of bridge books in Spain.

Recently I bought your Favorite 52 at the Canam and I have just finished reading it. Let me tell you Mr. Cohen it is one of the best (if not the best) I have ever read. It is instructive, sincere, pleasant and funny. Excuse my audacity for sending this email but I need to congratulate you about it and ask you a favour. I don’t want to wait until 2029 to read your next 52 favorite hands!

Best regards,

Ignacio Jimernez
 

Review of Larry Cohen's CD "My Favorite 52' Reviewed By William Frisby (England)

As the title suggests, this a collection of hands The format will be familiar to those who have seen Larry's other CDs: the 'reader is walked through each hand interactively, and given a series of decisions to make at critical points in the bidding and play. . .This is not a CD for the novice player. Familiarity with standard bidding is assumed, and the play problems are, in general, quite advanced. However, the running commentary and analysis are exceptionally clear and comprehensive, so most regular players will have no problems 'keeping up'.Obviously what we look for in a product like this is entertainment and instruction. Do we get them? A resounding YES in both cases.In the introduction Larry explains he has been 'hoarding' these hands for 25 years, waiting for the right format to present them, and they are wonderful - intriguing, bizarre, amusing, and exciting by turns. Furthermore, they all have something out-of-the-ordinary - no small feat given how much has been written about the game in the past 70 years!The risk with a collection of 'unusual' or 'brilliant' deals is that we tend to think of them as something too remote from our normal bridge: 'Oh yes, that's a clever textbook play but I could never do anything like it in real life'. That is NOT the case here. Larry takes enormous pains to show that, however spectacular the winning action appears, it IS possible to find it, using only simple, logical steps and careful attention to detail. . . The thing that comes through above all is the author's enormous enthusiasm for the game. (He even includes 8 'bonus' hands as a little extra that he couldn't bear to leave out). He loves finding a tricky winning line himself, but seems to get just as much satisfaction from watching his partner find one - or even from suffering a crushing defeat because an opponent does!

In short, the majority of bridge players should enjoy and benefit from this CD. Highly recommended.

 

Larry Cohen is one of the most successful American bridge players of the last 20 years. In My Favorite 52, Cohen presents a collection of his favorite personal bridge moments, using an intimate 'over-the-shoulder' presentation, taking the reader through more than 60 deals (no, not just 52!). Each deal is important to him in some way, or technically interesting, or just plain fun. The book's interactive style allows the reader to follow bidding and play, and even to make their own decisions at key points. Read this book for fun, or study it in depth and learn from it - whichever you choose to do, you will find it hard to put down. 

As a consumer, I like to savor life's pleasures - especially good food and good books. That's my complaint about the new work from Larry Cohen: I couldn't put it down, leaving me feeling that it would be "used up" too quickly.I guess my only option is to read it several times. Life is tough.My Favorite 52 is unusual because it was originally published as interactive software. Linda Lee of Master Point Press adapted it to the softcover version. In most cases, the book comes first.Bridge players who prefer to study the game away from the computer should be overjoyed at the availability of this treasure trove from Cohen's vast archive of interesting deals. In fact, there are more deals than the title promises, but the alliteration was irresistible, not to mention the utility of having 52 in the title of a bridge book.It's the content that counts, after all, and Cohen manages to include a ton of instruction as part of his description of deals from real games, most of them in high-level competition (he played each one or was dummy). Each of the 52 has multiple parts, and Cohen offers a clock symbol to warn the reader to stop and think before proceeding. The book is nearly as interactive as the software and is ideal for someone striving to improve.Cohen "retired" last year from major tournament play, saying he will concentrate on teaching and writing for the foreseeable future (he will continue his column in this magazine). He will be missed at tournaments, but if Cohen has more time for writing, that can only be a good thing for his many fans. --The Bridge Bulletin, February 2010  

Some bridge books entertain you with a great story, i.e. books by Zia Mahmood, and any number of authors have very technical books that will make you a better bridge player. "My Favorite 52" does both. It's an extremely entertaining book that teaches what action to take in critical situations. First, Larry sets the scene which usually involves top level tournaments with famous players. Next he shows you the critical 13 cards and asks you what your bid would be. When the bidding is complete he shows you the dummy and asks you what card to play. Then he explains the proper play. This sequence is usually repeated several times during the hand. Finally, he tells about the score & the effect that it had on the tournament. Each hand is like a short story & each hand stands alone, so you can put the book down, which is very hard to do, and you do not have to remember what has gone before, in the unlikely case other actions demand your time.While it's a close call, of all the several dozen bridge books that I have read, this is my favorite.Only two things about the book are disappointing. First, finishing it. Occasionally, when I read a book that I really enjoy, I'm disappointed when I reach the end & there is no more.Secondly, Larry wrote that his next version won't come out until 2029. If you read this, Larry, I'll be 91 in 2029 if I make it. So you might not be able to count on me as a customer.Larry, also consider that you probably play, observe & discuss over 100 hands a week. Surely, 1% of those would be worth writing about. You know how many weeks are in the year, so do the math... & hire a secretary to take notes & type up these hands.  

My Favorite 52 is for any library strong in intermediate to advanced bridge playing and provides a collection of the successful bridge playing author's favorite personal moments. More than 60 deals important to him in some way, or technically interesting, are presented in an interactive style allowing readers to understanding the bidding and playing process. From the pros and cons of different options to winning actions, this packs in a lively survey perfect for bridge playing audiences.

Midwest Book Review on Amazon.com

‘Outstanding. Cohen has an easy-to-read style and explains things so well. Solving the problems requires the reader to be aware of the myriad of little things that experts do in the card play that make them better than other players. Almost every deal has something that will be instructive even for good players.’

"[A] treasure trove from Cohen's vast archive of interesting deals. The book is nearly as interactive as the software, and is ideal for someone striving to improve. I couldn't put it down!" A+

"One of the best (if not the best) I have ever read. It is instructive, sincere, pleasant and funny. I don't want to wait until 2029 to read your next 52 favorite hands!"

"A book that will provide you with many entertaining and instructive hours of reading. The memorable deals show off the author's talents as a wonderful teacher."

"This book caters for all categories of bridge players learning and being entertained at the same time."

"A major addition to the bridge literature, this well-written work needs to be read by all serious players."

"Larry Cohen's newest book 'My Favorite 52' is definitely worth reading! Larry sets the style, like Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio, where the reader virtually plays the role of kibitzer, but has the added dimension of having Larry's voice in your ear acting as a cross between your conscience and your high-level bridge advisor.
"Hand after hand (and every one is a treasure) takes the reader through the thought process of adjusting to the unfolding facts and making key decisions whether it be declarer's play, partnership bidding or top level defense. Through it all, and I can assure you Larry is a very thorough bridge thinker, he doesn't relax in his updating the reader on what direction to take to assure success, or, at least not to make a costly mistake..
"This book represents what Larry has always stood for, the best that bridge has to offer."