Tuesday, January 17, 2006 1:49 PM

Hand Evaluation – HCP’s ( Dynamic Evaluation ) 

 

PITBULLS:

 

            Hand evaluation via HCP’s is “dynamic” . What do I mean by that ? The opponents bidding ( patterns )  & location of a “big” hand changes the value of your hand during the auction. How many times have you heard an expert say “my hand has grown during the auction” . Location or the opponents bidding are the key factors. A Tormentee opened 1NT with a super maximum ♠AK ♥xxx ♦AKxxx ♣K10x . I personally would not have opened that hand one NT as I have a good 5 card suit with all controls ( quick tricks )  . This hand gets promoted to a minimum of 18 HCP & therefore  a 2NT rebid. You cannot just be a slave to the HCP system via your original total  of HCP’s. You , like a personnel manager in a company , should be constantly demoting & promoting hands depending on 5 card suits or whether your HCPs are quick tricks  or queens & jacks. Bridge players know that quick tricks add to the playing & defensive potential of the hand.  The location & the opponents bidding also changes the original value of your hand. My partner would evaluate this hand to a 2NT opener J .

 

          Anyway the Tormentee opened 1NT , Steve Willard doubled which in their system shows a single suited hand. I passed , LHO bid 2♣ & Mr. Willard bid 2♥. I crawled in 3♣ & LHO bid 3♥ . So now what do you do ? Hand evaluation is dynamic . What is the heart suit pattern around the table as shown by the opponent’s bidding ? Steve shows 6 hearts & LHO shows 3 so the pattern is 6-3-3-1 with partner having a stiff heart !! All we need from partner is Axxxxx of clubs & 6♣ has a shot. Turned out I held ♠xxx ♥x ♦Qxx ♣QJxxxx so 5♣ is cold. The tormentee did not re-evaluate her hand in light of the opponents bidding & passed 3♥ which we beat one trick.

 

            This particular hand evaluation goes back to our old friend patterns . Applying patterns during the auction is standard dynamic hand evaluation. Like splinter theory , by applying patterns you have found a stiff heart in my hand. Your xxx of hearts as in splinter theory is no duplication of value. Tom Gandolfo would have made a slam try with this hand. The aggressive players of the world by always being in the auction can be helpful to re-evaluate your hand. Using the opponents as a “stepping stone” to further your own bidding is a basic Bridge strategy. Translating bidding is still another application of applying hand patterns.

 

            You hold ♠Qxxx ♥AQ ♦Kxx ♣J10xx & you find yourself in 4th seat. You have a marginal 12 HCP hand but you do have 4 spades so you open 1♣. They overcall 1♦ , partner bids 1♠ & LHO bids 3♦ . Dynamic hand evaluation is called for so has your hand improved or deteriorated during the auction ? The location of the diamond king has turned your hand into a non opening bid. You probably have a flat 9 working HCP’s for your passed hand partner. So do you freely bid 3♠ to show a hand  worthy of going to the 3 level ? Of course not , so you pass . Partner now bids 4♣ so you give preference to 4♠ & with favourable location of cards you make +450. OK we will force an overbid of  3♠ bid on you so partner bids 4♦ . So do you do anything but bid the “death response” with a hand that had only 12 to begin with but went down on the auction ? The tormentee now Q bid 4♥,  followed by partner bidding 6♠ for a well deserved zero. 

 

            You hold ♠xxx ♥J10xx ♦AQx ♣J9x , everybody vul partner opens 1♥  to which you respond 2♥. This gets passed  & they balance with a double . You can XX to show your maximum but you choose to pass. They bid 2♠ & partner bids 3♣ . Now what ? partner did not compete to 3♥ but bid 3♣ so why ? Something has dynamically changed partner’s hand to now make a game try. Sounds like the spades are 5-4-3-1 and partner likes his hand due to the stiff spade. This is all you need to hear so you leap to 4♥ so you get +650.

 

            An inexperienced pair tonight held this hand ♠AKJ ♥xxx ♦A109x ♣AKJ , the auction went 2♥-X-3♥-4♣ & she bid 5♣. The field was in 6♣ for +920 so she asked me how she should have bid the hand. I said that the opponents mapped out a heart stiff or void in partners hand so you playing with a 30 HCP deck of which you have 20 of them . Give partner almost all the rest for her 4 level free bid so you just leap to 6♣. I said your hand get re-evaluated dynamically taking the opponents bidding into consideration.

 

            Dynamic hand evaluation is using the opponents to your advantage. You hold this hand ♠AJ ♥KJ10x ♦QJxxxxx ♣void with the opponents  vul & you are not . 3rd seat the vul opponents open 3♣ so how do you use your hand evaluation skills ? First of all you have a huge playing hand 7-4 ( offensive hand pattern )  , 2nd you have 12 HCPs with a void which is 16 HCP ( Goren count ) . You have good heart spots which is a plus but the main hand evaluation is that you are void in their vulnerable suit. Almost instantly your hand has grown into a monster. Say you pass , they bid 4♣ & partner as a past hand doubles. You have trapped yourself as there is no way you can show a hand that you should have initially bid. You can never play “catch up” as partner could never visualize such a hand that took no initial action. You leap to try & play catch up but you land in the wrong contract of 6♦ when 6♥ is cold.

 

            Another example of a hand that you use the opponents to dynamically evaluate your hand my partner held in Calgary. ♠Qx ♥void ♦K1098xx ♣Jxxxx with everybody vul his LHO opened 1♣ & I doubled , his RHO bid one heart. What has dynamic hand evaluation told you ? The opponents opened 1♣ in your 5 card suit & partner shows shortness with her double. Your RHO bid 1♥ vul in your void so the odds favour a lack of duplication of value in partners hand in hearts. You have 6 HCP so your side should have ½ the deck with partners double. Your hand has dynamically grown into a monster.with a 6-5 offensive hand pattern.  For the sake of argument , let’s give partner some ideal hands. ♠AJ10x ♥J10987 ♦Axxx ♣void & a grand slam in diamonds in on a finesse. Why ? because the opponents have broadcast that the HCP’s are in their hands for two suits that you & your partner are extremely short. This is theoretical of course , so adding some duplication of value for the T/O double you may make 7, 6 , 5 or just a diamond partial. A player said she would pass with this hand instead of competing with a mere 2♦ which,  of course is absurd.

 

            Dynamic hand evaluation is not being a “slave to the HCP system” so you bid game or compete more because you “like your hand” in some way. Why do you all of a sudden like your hand ?  The opponent’s bidding has improved it during the auction. A Tormentee held ♠KQxxxx ♥Axx ♦10xxx ♣void  & they opened 1♣ in your void. You overcall 1♠ & partner Q bids 2♣ showing limit raise or better. The opponents now bid 3♣. How has your hand changed dynamically during the auction ? The opponents have confirmed that you have little or no duplication of value with your club void. Pulling full weight to your club void , 6th spade & controls some players might Q bid 4♣ as a slam try. Some would leap to 4♠ as the bidding has improved the overcall so much. A Tormentee competed to 3♠ , oblivious to how her hand has grown dynamically during the auction. She told me she only had 9 HCP’s L .

 

            Do not forget to also demote hands during the auction. ♠Qx ♥xxx ♦KJ10 ♣Axxxxx in 3rd seat vul , partner opened 1♠ & they overcall 2♥ so you try 3♣. LHO bids 3♦ , partner passes & RHO bids 3♥. Now what ? Your ♦KJ10 are now useless so you have just 6 working  HCP’s for partner. The player bid 3♠ & went down 3 vulnerable as partner opened 1♠ for a lead in 3rd seat with 10 HCP & ♠AKJ10 of spades. 

 

Dynamic hand evaluation, do not leave home without it ..