Download or read book Samurai Bridge written by Robert F. MacKinnon and published by Karger Publishers. This book was released on 2001 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Undoubtedly the most unusual piece of bridge fiction ever published, Samurai Bridge takes the reader to a remote village in early 19th century Japan. At first, the characters may seem familiar -- the heroic masterless samurai (a ronin), the evil town magistrate, the downtrodden peasants, the tea-house madam with a heart of gold, and so forth. But soon we realize that these people are different -- they are all fanatical bridge players, and the climactic battle between the forces of good and evil will take place not in the dojo, but at the card table. A host of fascinating people inhabit this book -- a seductive ghost with her own agenda for the ronin, a Buddhist monk who finds it hard to relinquish earthly pleasures, a bathhouse-girl whose humble appearance masks something much more deadly, an out-of-work actor who has unwillingly become involved in a complex masquerade, a notary whose father was bridge professional to the Emperor until he fell out of favor, and many more. There is plenty of swordplay and romance as the story moves along, interspersed with philosophical asides on the Zen of bridge and a fascinating account of bridge as played at the Imperial court. Sex, violence, my

Download or read book Autumn Bridge written by Takashi Matsuoka and published by National Geographic Books. This book was released on 2005-07-26 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the year 1311, in the highest tower of Cloud of Sparrows Castle, a beautiful woman sits by the window, watching as enemies gather below and fires spread through the night. As she calmly awaits her fate, she begins to write, carefully setting down on a scroll the secret history of the Okumichi clan…of the gift of prophecy they share and the extraordinary destiny that awaits them. For six centuries, these remarkable writings lay hidden—until they are uncovered by an American woman, a missionary named Emily Gibson, who arrived in Edo harbor in 1861, in flight from a tragic past. Soon an extraordinary man would enter her life: Lord Genji of the Okumichi clan, a nobleman with a gift of prophecy who must defend his embattled family—and confront forbidden feelings for an outsider in his midst. Emily, too, soon finds herself at a turning point; courted by two westerners, she knows her heart belongs to the one man she cannot have. But Emily has found a mission of her own: translating Genji’s ancestral history, losing herself in an epic tale of heroism and forbidden love. For here is the story of Lady Shizuka, the beautiful witch-princess who has enchanted Okumichi men for generations…of Genji’s ancestors, Lord Hironobu and Lord Kiyori, and of the terrible betrayals that befell them…and of Genji’s parents: a wastrel father and his child bride whose tragic love has shaped Genji as a leader and as a man. As Emily sifts through the fragile scrolls, she begins to see threads of her own life woven into the ancient writings. And as past and present collide, a hidden history comes to life, and with it a secret prophecy that has been shrouded for centuries, and may now finally be revealed. Takashi Matsuoka’s spellbinding novel is infused with spectacle, intricately woven, magically told. Autumn Bridge is a feast for the senses, a work of truly dazzling storytelling.

Download or read book The Bridge Bum written by Alan Sontag and published by Master Point Press. This book was released on 2003 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Pathways to Better Bridge Defense written by Danny Roth and published by Master Point Press. This book was released on 2003 with total page 170 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: So you tend to be dealt very bad hands. I know exactly you feel! But, facing the facts of life and recognising that it is not your fault, you are going to have to accommodate this failing and improve your defence. It is a hard part of the game; even in international competitions, the standard of defensive play is, to put it kindly, modest. Yes, you will get plenty of reports of brilliances involving spectacular switches, deceptions, unblocks and discards of honours. But for every one of those, there are countless others in which the display would disgrace any beginners' class. I am going to assume that you are a regular club or tournament player who knows the basics of defence but who comes unstuck when it comes to situations where you have to work the hand out in detail. This book will help you to improve dramatically in this area. -- Danny Roth.

Download or read book The Samurai s Garden written by Gail Tsukiyama and published by St. Martin's Griffin. This book was released on 2008-06-24 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The daughter of a Chinese mother and a Japanese father, Gail Tsukiyama's The Samurai's Garden uses the Japanese invasion of China during the late 1930s as a somber backdrop for this extraordinary story. A 20-year-old Chinese painter named Stephen is sent to his family's summer home in a Japanese coastal village to recover from a bout with tuberculosis. Here he is cared for by Matsu, a reticent housekeeper and a master gardener. Over the course of a remarkable year, Stephen learns Matsu's secret and gains not only physical strength, but also profound spiritual insight. Matsu is a samurai of the soul, a man devoted to doing good and finding beauty in a cruel and arbitrary world, and Stephen is a noble student, learning to appreciate Matsu's generous and nurturing way of life and to love Matsu's soulmate, gentle Sachi, a woman afflicted with leprosy.

Download or read book Along the Samurai s Route written by Jorge Orpianesi and published by Editorial Autores de Argentina. This book was released on 2022-10-27 with total page 627 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Along the Samurai's Route, with its 9 maps and more than 200 ophotographs, invites the reader to go on a journey into the geography and history of Japan. Dare to travel the Land of the Rising Sun with the help of an experienced martial artist who will act as a guide, while recounting the incredible experiences of his journey. Following the life of the famous warrior Miyamoto Musashi, the author will discover the iconic places of samurai culture and its most deeply rooted traditions. This book is a journey back in time where he shares his experiences in sacred places such as temples, shrines, castles, museums, cemeteries, forests, battlefields, and even the climb of mythical Mount Fuji. This inspirational adventure, which started as a dream and took many years to prepare, places the reader, both neophyte and experienced, closer to the culture of this mysterious country.

Download or read book 25 Bridge Myths Exposed written by David Bird and published by Master Point Press. This book was released on 2002 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Do you remember the first few times you played bridge? To get you started, a friend probably gave you a few helpful hints -- perhaps one of the ones listed to the left. There are many such general guidelines for bridge players -- some of them valuable, some not. But these are the Bridge Myths, not the Bridge Rules -- because they all have exceptions and none should be followed blindly. In reading this book you will get to see what it is about each guideline that makes it so useful; more importantly, you will also learn to recognize the times when you should ignore it. DECLARER'S MYTHS - Draw trumps straight away - Hold up an ace - Win as cheaply as possible - Play low in second seat - Eight ever, nine never - Ruff losers in the dummy - Finesse whenever you can - Play on your longest suit first - Lead towards high cards - Ruff the defenders' winners - Lead low to a trick - Run your longest suit - Leave the big decision until last DEFENDER'S MYTHS - Third hand high - Return partner's suit - Cover an honor with an honor - Second hand low - Capture an honor with an honor - Lead through strength - Discard from your weakest suit - Score a ruff when you can - Never give a ruff-and-sluff - Split your honors - Follow low when a trick is lost - Don't ruff partner's winner David Bird, who lives near Southampton, England, has written more than 100 books on the game. Despite spending much of the year travelling, he still finds time to write new stories every month for a host of magazines around the world, usually featuring his best-known characters, the monks of St. Titus Abbey. He is also a regular commentator on BBO broadcasts of top-level competitions.

Download or read book The Best of Bridge Today Digest written by Matthew Granovetter and published by Master Point Press. This book was released on 2001 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bridge Today Digest recently celebrated its first anniversary (and 100th issue) as an Internet-based 'bridgezine'. It is renowned for its practical advice, its wonderful bridge stories, and the wry humour and personal touch of its editors. For this collection, they have selected the very best pieces from their first year, and come up with a compendium that every bridge player can read, enjoy, and learn from. It includes short pieces from world-renowned writers, questions and comments from readers (and the editors' responses to them ), and a wealth of fascinating hands, anecdotes and advice from the editors.

Download or read book Play Or Defend written by Julian Pottage and published by Master Point Press. This book was released on 2003 with total page 148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is an unusual problem book in the style of Diosy's There Must Be a Way, in that the reader is shown all four hands and asked whether declarer or defense should prevail with best play. A fascinating challenge for the advancing player.

Download or read book Thinking on Defense written by Jim Priebe and published by Master Point Press. This book was released on 2001 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Defense is the most difficult part of bridge, and for most players, the hardest part of defense is figuring out what kind of strategy they should be pursuing. In this book, the reader is shown step-by-step how to visualise declarer's cards from the bidding and play, and then how to use this information to form a plan for the defense. This book is based on Jim Priebe's popular articles 'Visualisation on Defense' which appeared in the ACBL Bulletin in early 2001.

Download or read book Following the Law written by Larry Cohen and published by Master Point Press. This book was released on 2002 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Following the LAW, the sequel to To Bid or Not to Bid, was published in 1994, and took the basic concepts explained in the first book to a higher level of sophistication, while giving many practical examples from expert play of how to use the Law of Total Tricks correctly. Both books are must-reads for every improving bridge player.

Download or read book Eddie Kantar Teaches Topics in Declarer Play at Bridge written by Eddie Kantar and published by Master Point Press. This book was released on 2002 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Kantar's two-book series on Bridge Defense (Modern Bridge Defense and Advanced Bridge Defense) won an ABTA Book of the Year Award in 1999. This newer book addresses a more popular topic, using a similar approach. While not a comprehensive treatment of declarer play at bridge, this book deals with specific topics exhaustively, and will be invaluable to the improving player: finesses (when and how to take them, and equally importantly, when to avoid taking them), endplays, eliminations, issues with entries, suit establishment, and counting. Designed to be used by bridge teachers, or by students learning on their own, this book like its predecessors contains a host of features that help the student to grasp the material: clearly laid-out concepts, margin notes, practice hands, chapter-end quizzes, key-point summaries at regular intervals, and an index. Kantar's various beginner books have sold hundreds of thousands of copies, not least because of his unique writing style and the humor that he introduces into the learning process. Eddie Kantar Eddie Kantar (Santa Monica, CA) is one of the most popular and prolific bridge writers in the world. A winner of two World Championships, and a member of the Bridge Hall of Fame, his many books include Modern Bridge Defense, Advanced Bridge Defense, the hilarious Kantar on Kontract, and of course, Roman Keycard Blackwood. His work appears regularly in many bridge magazines around the world.

Download or read book Reading the Cards written by David Bird and published by Master Point Press. This book was released on 2001 with total page 68 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Intended for intermediate players, these three books complete a twelve-book series that takes the reader through the most important aspects of card-play technique at bridge. Each book is short and full of practical examples, and end-of-chapter quizzes reinforce the concepts. The series will appeal to beginners who are anxious to improve in stages, and to more experienced players who want to improve their knowledge of a specific aspect of card play.

Download or read book Enaction written by Domenico Masciotra and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2007-01-01 with total page 231 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is addressed to all those in the field of education or related fields, including teachers, teacher-trainers, consultants, and researchers, who are interested in exploring the question, “What does it mean to know, to learn and to teach?”

Download or read book Flask of the Drunken Master written by Susan Spann and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2015-07-14 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: August 1565: When a rival artisan turns up dead outside Ginjiro's brewery, and all the evidence implicates the brewer, master ninja Hiro Hattori and Portuguese Jesuit Father Mateo must find the killer before the magistrate executes Ginjiro and seizes the brewery, leaving his wife and daughter destitute. A missing merchant, a vicious debt collector, and a female moneylender join Ginjiro and the victim's spendthrift son on the suspect list. But with Kyoto on alert in the wake of the shogun's recent death, a rival shinobi on the prowl, and samurai threatening Hiro and Father Mateo at every turn, Ginjiro's life is not the only one in danger. Will Hiro and Father Mateo unravel the clues in time to save Ginjiro's life, or will the shadows gathering over Kyoto consume the detectives as well as the brewer? Flask of the Drunken Master is the latest entry in Susan Spann's thrilling 16th century Japanese mystery series, featuring ninja detective Hiro Hattori and Jesuit Father Mateo.

Download or read book Cloud of Sparrows written by Takashi Matsuoka and published by Delacorte Press. This book was released on 2002-10-01 with total page 432 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Exotic, entertaining . . . [an] exceptional first novel.”—San Francisco Chronicle The year is 1861. After two centuries of isolation, Japan has opened its doors to the West. And as foreign ships threaten to rain destruction on the Shogun’s castle in Edo, a small group of American missionaries has arrived to spread the word of their God. They have yet to realize that their future in Japan has already been foreseen. For a young nobleman has dreamt that his life will be saved by an outsider in the New Year. . . and it is said that Lord Genji has the gift of prophecy. What happens next—when the handsome lord meets an appa rently reformed gunslinger and a woman in flight from her own destructive beauty—sets the stage for a remarkable adventure. For as this unlikely band embarks on a journey through a landscape bristling with danger, East and West, flesh and spirit, past and future, collide in ways no one—least of all Genji—could have imagined. Praise for Cloud of Sparrows “The book seizes you from start to finish.”—The Washington Post “Adventure-filled.”—Entertainment Weekly “Rich . . . with an ambitious, unexpected ending that cuts deeper than a samurai sword.”—San Francisco Chronicle

Download or read book Bridge Probability Information written by Robert F. MacKinnon and published by . This book was released on 2010-02 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: While firmly rooted in mathematics, this is a book that aims to be accessible to any bridge player. It develops ideas about probability and information theory and applies them to bridge. Concepts such as vacant spaces, restricted choice and how splits in one suit affect the probabilities in other suits, are discussed in depth.