What this book is NOT meant for: Not meant for a complete beginner -- this is not a "Learn how to play bridge" book. This book presupposes the knowledge of terms that belong to someone that has already learned at least enough bridge to sit at a table and play (although not necessarily very well). This is a book that is more geared towards teaching someone that already knows something about bridge (and bidding in particular), and gives him/her a self-contained, complete description of the current "standard". I place standard in quotes because I consider his referring to the 2/1 system as "standard" not yet totally accurate (though perhaps before long it will be). Nowadays, at most clubs in the US, you will see a significant percentage of players, even experts, that hold to older standards.