Last Board

I enjoyed this book.  A lot.  It starts with the fabulous 1971 Bridge World article by Ron Klinger that inspired the book, and which is almost worth the price on its own.  It then proceeds to relate 56 tales of occasions from 1957 through to 2016 when the final board was decisive in a match or tournament.   You can’t help but be impressed by the depth of research that has gone into finding, not just the deals, but also the personalities and the stories around and behind them.  On top of which many chapters include several of the deals that build up to the climax of the final one.   While it is the drama that predominates in the telling, there are often significant points of bridge technique and judgment to instruct alongside the entertainment.  As you would expect, many of the deals feature slam, or game, or doubled contracts.  But there are also many where a humble partscore making or failing proves decisive, or even a single additional over- or undertrick It’s not a book you should try to read through in one or two sittings, though it’s tempting to do so as the excitement of the narratives carries you forwards.  I did in fact read through it in a couple of sessions, but I’ll be re-reading it at a more leisurely pace in the near future.  Probably more than once.