2008-06-24 17:52

Hand Evaluation - HCP Addiction

PITBULLS:

        Experts use hand evaluation concepts to evaluate a Bridge hand , last of which are HCP’s. HCP’s are just a guide & nothing more. Bidding is more than just totaling HCP’s. Beginner’s are addicted to HCP’s because that is the way they were taught. Experts realize that playing the vulnerability , good suits , hand patterns & type of HCP’s ( quick tricks ) are more important than the total of HCP’s you hold. A Tormentee & I held the same hand in a club game the other day. I opened the bidding which assisted our side in reaching a baby slam. She did not open the bidding as she is still addicted to HCP’s as opposed to hand evaluation concepts. I held ♠x ♥Axxx ♦KQJ10x ♣xxx in first seat NV vrs vul. By playing the vulnerability , it is an excellent strategy to “fire the first shot” to impede their progress to get to a vulnerable game. Say you did pass & the auction went 1NT-P-3NT & they were +600 as partner had no way to find a diamond lead ! This “terrorist” vulnerability makes it safer for your side to open light. Bridge is a game of suits & you have a nice suit so is it not a good idea to introduce this suit to partner ? Your HCP’s , although limited are quick tricks ( controls ) & concentrated in two suits. You have a 5-4-3-1 hand pattern so you have some distribution for some ruffing value in a heart contract. Stan Cabay said he would always open this hand & a pass was out of the question. No beginner would open this hand because the HCP’s did not total 13 HCP as they were taught in the club series.

        Here is another hand where lack of hand evaluation skills stuck out like a sore thumb in a local duplicate game. ♠AKJ109x ♥AQ ♦x ♣K1087 . Three pairs were in 4♠ making 5 for +650 & the rest of the field were +200 in 3♠ making 5. The auction went at most tables

1♠-P-1NT-P

3♠-P-P-P . I did a check on the board & determined a couple of the three E/W players who were +650. One was Lee Barton who played the board against Susan & I , one was Peter Jones & the other was not identified. Both Barton & Jones chose a different bid than a 3♠ rebid. The rest of the field were “one dimensional” & fixated on only HCP’s.

OK , lets analyze this hand ♠AKJ109x ♥AQ ♦x ♣K1087 . Using only the Goren HCP system , this hand is a 3♠ rebid as you only have 17 HCP’s Gerald. Yes , Rita would rebid 3♠ with this hand as that is the only hand evaluation criteria she knows. Players like Barton & Peter Jones thought this hand was too strong for a 3♠ rebid so why ? The Tormentees have read many articles presenting the notion there are other hand evaluation criteria used for evaluating a hand besides HCP’s. Some articles zero in on suit quality . “Bridge is a game of suits” . If you have a nice solid suit , we advised to upgrade your hand. ♠AKJ109x does not get much better as far as suit quality is concerned.

Other articles zeroed in on controls & quick tricks. We advised that all HCP’s are not created equal. Controls should be upgraded over queens & jacks. Quick trick combinations should be upgraded as opposed to unsupported kings , queens & jacks. This hand has a wealth of controls & the only queen is in a quick trick combination. This hand has 4 defensive quick trick’s which in itself propels this hand past the invitational range. 10’s & spot card’s have been brought up in some articles as a means to promote a Bridge hand. This hand has nice spot cards.

Literally hundreds of articles have been sent to the Tormentees on hand patterns. We have advised that some hand patterns play better than others. The offensive hand patterns should promote a hand upwards over the balanced hand patterns. We said pay particular attention to the 5-5 hand patterns & the 6-4 hand patterns as they are way more powerful than the balanced ones like 5-3-3-2 , 6-3-2-2 or even 7-2-2-2. This hand is a powerful 6-4 distribution which promotes the hand even further past the invitational range.

The last reason for not bidding 3♠ with this hand is systemic. Since we play the multi 3♣ strong jump shift , our 3 spade invitational rebids are lighter than standard & more suit orientated. With a good 14 HCP’s in controls & a good suit , the hand qualifies for an invitational hand & a jump rebid in your suit. This particular hand above can be easily described with a 3♣ jump shift followed by a relay to 3♦ by responder & a fast arrival to 4♠ to emphasize suit quality & your minimum for a strong jump shift. This hand fits your system perfectly.

All articles on hand evaluation concepts point to this hand as being too strong for a 3♠ rebid. This is of course you do not bid like Rita & are a slave to the HCP system. 100’s of articles on hand evaluation repeatedly tried to discourage that though. If just totaling HCP’s were bidding , we would not need to write any articles on hand evaluation.