Friday, May 25, 2007 11:25 AM

Hand Evaluation – HCP ( Awareness )

PITBULLS:

There is one universal benchmark in Bridge & that is there are only 40 HCP’s in the deck. In order to assess the situation , you must keep this figure in your mind. The vulnerable opponents open 1♣ after your pass & partner overcalls 1NT. This gets promptly doubled & your hand is ♠KQ10xx ♥Jxx ♦xxx ♣xx so what is going on ? Use the 40 HCP benchmark with opening having 13 HCP & the doubler holding an average of 10 HCP & you hold 6 HCP !!! This gives partner 11 HCP for her 1NT overcall. They subsequently bid 3NT so do you now double ? If you do , they make 7 as partner made an off coloured bid nv vrs vul. Revert to the 40 HCP benchmark when things do not sound right.

I have been beating the drum for years for partners & team mates to translate Bridge information like bidding etc into hand patterns. This process assists your Bridge thinking & enables you to make correct decisions. Totaling HCPs were also designed to be a guide to assist you to make correct Bridge decisions. You translate Bridge bidding into HCP’s also so you are aware whether you are near the game benchmark (25 HCP ) or the slam benchmark of 33 HCP or the Grand slam benchmark of 37 HCP.

There is also the “balance of power” benchmark. A Tormentee held this hand ♠J ♥Kxxx ♦Axxx ♣AKxx & opened 1♦ vul. The opponents overcalled 1♠ & I bid 1NT ( 8-10 HCP ) . They bid 2♠ so now what ? Translate the bidding into HCP’s as the 1NT bid is quite descriptive that way. If partner is maximum , You are at the game benchmark ( 25 HCP ) . If partner is minimum , the balance of power is still your way 23 HCP to 17 HCP. Therefore you make a “balance of power “ double or “D.S.I.P.” double to advise partner that we own this auction. Partner has a minimum so he bids 3♣ which makes. The Tormentee passed 2♠ which they made for a double partial swing ( -7 IMPS ) . By not translating bidding into HCP’s , you may not even be aware that your side owns the auction.

Assume you have no understandings other than standard Bridge about doubling 1NT. They open an 11-14 weak NT, partner doubles showing a minimum of 14 HCP . They run to 2♣ which is an escape showing clubs & diamonds. You have ♠Qxxxx ♥Qxx ♦xx ♣Qxx so you pass . Partner hearing your pass , doubles again which should show at least an Ace above her previous double (18-20) HCP’s. If partner just has clubs & knowing you have nothing , she would just pass. So now what do you do ? You have 6 HCP so with partner’s huge hand sitting over their weak NT , your side are close to 26 HCP & making 3NT your way. So you pass & lead a trump. It turns out they run to 2♦ which partner doubles & you beat it 4 for 800. There were a few people in 3NT but your +800 was taking advantage of the situation. My partner rescued them by bidding 2♠ for +140. The same bid he would have made with zero HCP on this auction.

The auction went 1♥ in 3^rd seat , I responded 1NT . This was passed around & her partner doubled. My LHO , a tormentee, after the hand asked what she should have bid with her 10 HCP. Use the 40 HCP benchmark to figure what is going on. Partner has a heart trap probably holding the equivalent of an opening bid or better for her double . Add this total to yours so you are in the +25 HCP range & they are in 1NT. Close your eyes & put the green card on the table very fast as they are going for a huge number. I indeed had psyched my 1NT response with partner having a 10 HCP 3^rd seat opener.

Other benchmarks are 33 HCP for a NT slam & 25 HCP for a game. An experienced player held 13 HCP with a singleton. Partner opened 2NT so he tried to find a major suit fit but no luck. He did not like his singleton for NT so he leapt to 6♣ on his 5 card suit !! This could have hit partner with a doubleton small club so with a hand that evaluates to 14 & opener holding 20-21 the partnership are in the 33-35 HCP range for 6NT. A leap to 6NT just based on the 33 HCP’s is much safer than leaping to slam on a 5 card minor.

Tom Gandolfo is also aware of the 40 HCP benchmark. He held ♠AJ ♥Qxxx ♦AKxx ♣AJx so with everybody vul the auction went 1♣-P-3♣ which was alerted as a limit raise. Tom has 19 HCP , the opener 13 ( assumed ) so the limit raise hand is a little light with 8 HCP. The opponents have told Tom partner has no HCP’s. Tom passes , they misguess the club jack & go one down in 3♣. If Tom bids , our side is in –800 territory.

A Tormentee held ♠AKJ ♥AQJ ♦9876 ♣Axx & opened 1♦ vul vrs not. Lee Barton overcalled 1NT , I passed & Lucille bid 3NT . What do you do ?. Let’s use the 40 HCP benchmark & see if things add up by translating the bidding into HCP’s. You have 19 HCP , Lee shows 16-18 so Lucille cannot have a 3NT bid which shows around 10 HCP. This bidding sequence totals 45 HCP minimum ! Anyway , the Tormentee passed due to unfamiliarity with counting HCP’s during the auction. I held 8 HCP so I was highly suspicious. Using the 40 HCP rule , my partner & I had 21 or more HCP so something is wrong. I doubled & Lee went for –1400 in his 4♠X resting spot as he had a blatant nv vrs vul psyche. If I passed , Lee goes 6 down at 50 a pop for –300 & as their partners made a vul 3NT their way , a huge loss for us. Translating bidding into patterns & bidding into HCP’s is a required skill in the game of Bridge. After this hand , the Tormentee holding 19 HCP innocently asked how did I know that Lee had psyched !!!!