Robert Tischman is just looking for a game of bridge, but when a mysterious woman persuades him to partner her in a two-session event at the Engima Club, he gets much more than that. This is a book that can be enjoyed on several levels: 1) as a fun read with lots of great bridge deals. 2) as a glimpse of what the game might be like if technology were applied to it with more imagination. 3) as an exposition of the author's ideas on encrypted bidding and encrypted signals - bids and plays where, in full compliance with the Laws of Bridge, partners can exchange information that cannot be deciphered by their opponents. Consumer warning: these methods, though fascinating and ingenious, are illegal in many bridge jurisdictions.

Author Biography

Peter Winkler is a former cryptographer who now teaches mathematics and computer science at Dartmouth College. He originated the idea of encrypted signals some twenty-five years ago, and has been fighting to legalize them ever since.