2008-05-02 16:57

Hand Evaluation – HCPS  ( Bridge Basics )

 

PITBULLS:

 

             Disasters in Bridge , like in other sports are just a product of not thinking properly. Not thinking properly in your sport or hobby quite often just means not tuning into the basics. The most basic element in Bridge are HCP’s especially in quick trick combinations. Here is a hand where a disaster occurred at two tables with the same hand because the players involved ignored Bridge basics. You hold ♠KJxxx ♥xx ♦Qxx ♣xxx & the auction goes 1♠ in 3rd seat double by partner followed by 2♣ & pass by you around to partner who now balances with 2♦. The 2♣ bidder now competes with two spades. What is your call? You have 3 choices ,  3♦ , pass or double.

 

             Let’s consider the penalty double first. Let’s review the basics for a penalty double. To double the opponents into game , the 1st basic is are we going to set them two tricks or more ? To assist you in that decision , you “think in quick tricks” . Bridge is a game of taking tricks both on offense & defense. Counting your quick tricks helps you to tune into that particular Bridge basic . You may have 2 trump tricks with the above hand but no outside quick tricks or controls so partner must contribute 5 defensive tricks AK AK A or similar combinations of up to 18 HCP . It is certainly unreasonable that partner contributes so much on this auction. The next Bridge basic , Bridge is played in a clockwise direction. You are in front of the spade bidder where your cards will most likely be on side. The next Bridge basic is suit quality. You are missing all the trump spot cards. You do not have the 10 , 9 or 8 of the suit which would guarantee your holding to take trump tricks.

 

            The next Bridge basic is length & values in partners suit ,  diamonds. You have length & your queen in partner’s suit. This devalues your hand defensively as you are decreasing partner’s defensive capability. The next Bridge basic is poor gambling. Partner may have a very good hand on the auction but is it worth gambling doubling the opponents into game to find out ? Your double is so unilateral final as partner has no further say in the auction when she has a reasonable T/O double.  Why not get them up to the 3 level with a 3♦ bid so if they feel like competing again they have a nasty surprise coming. Now partner is part of the decision making process because she knows you have diamond length. Anyway , 2♠ was doubled & a score of –590 ensured for a needless loss of 10 IMPS.

 

            At another table where a disaster occurred with this same hand , it was much worse. The opponents opened light with ♠9xx ♥K1098 ♦J10 ♣AK10x  & her partner responded 1♠ . A T/O double ensued which was  XX’d by the opener ( support ) . You have a partnership understanding that a pass of a XX means that is where you want the contract to be played. With the XX , this is a partial to game decision so the “two trick or more rule” applies . For a mere T/O double you are playing partner for 6 defensive tricks for your pass to be right at the one level which is absurd for a mere T/O double. This contract was played in 1♠XX making overtricks for even a bigger IMP loss. At both tables , they suffered from the disease of “quick trick” myopia.

 

As an aside , the light opening bid was criticized by one of the people at the table. The person who criticized that particular opening bid said she would open ♠Kx ♥Jxx ♦KQx ♣QJxxx , vul vrs not in IMPS , a pathetic 12 HCP hand with minimum controls & only 1 ½ quick tricks Let’s examine the hand that she is criticizing. If you play a control asking system of 2 for an Ace & one for a King , this hand  ♠9xx ♥K1098 ♦J10 ♣AK10x  contains 4 controls with some nice spot cards. For defensive purposes,  your hand is aligned in quick trick combinations , so you have 2 ½ defensive tricks. Following Bridge basics etched in time , this 11 HCP hand is far superior for trick taking potential to the horrible 12 you opened vul & you are risking far less by opening this hand. Aces & Kings  ( controls ) are worth more than the 4-3-2-1 scale indicates & queens & jacks less. This evaluation has been proven with computer simulations & the test of time but experts “just know” that this true with experience. The sooner you evaluate your HCP’s into controls & quick tricks rather than just counting them up like beads on an abacus , the sooner you will evolve into a Bridge player. Points , Schmoints as Bergen says. The hand that the player criticized is an opener according to Bergens rule 8+11 +1 for controls & 1 for 10’s for 21. The hand that she would have “opened”  8+12 -1 too many queens =19 , a hand that Bergen would not open. Talk about being a slave to the HCP system !!!! She is anti Bergen & anti Culbertson  & anti Bridge sense !! These garbage hands play terribly with poor trick potential which defines the game of Bridge & throws the partnership judgment off. Opening these garbage hands prompt me  to quote a golfing great “ he plays a game in which I am not familiar “ .  Cross garbage openers off your list and leave them to the forcing club players or pros with clients who are willing to accept the consequences of their actions systemically or otherwise.

 

            In Hockey , when a power play is having problems , the coach quite often will say “go back to the basics” & practice discipline. The same idea applies in the game of Bridge. Go back to the basics of Bridge ie,  controls ,  quick tricks , suit quality , length in partners suit , penalty double concepts & you can get back on the right track. Good Bridge decisions ( judgment ) stems from hand evaluation basics & HCP fundamentals practiced by the partnership .