Nick Smith, the Oxford Times bridge columnist and author of Bridge Literature, has written a new book in partnership with Julian Pottage, twice winner of the World Bridge Press Association's prize for Best Book of the Year. The new book is called Bridge Behind Bars and tells the story of Tim Newman, incarcerated for a very unfortunate crime, who finds that his bridge-playing skills come in surprisingly handy in Great Yarborough Prison. Fans of Victor Mollo and David Bird will admire BBB for its mixture of amusing situations, colourful characters and spectacular deals, many of which were originally played in Oxfordshire events.
The two authors were adversaries in three hard-fought varsity matches in the early 1980s and it has taken Nick almost thirty years to recover from some of Julian's more outrageous psyches, but their first book together combines their respective skills in storytelling and hand-analysis. Readers will be highly entertained while learning a few new tricks. Signed copies of Bridge Behind Bars (published in America by Master Point Press) are available direct from nick@ool.co.uk for £12.50.