Sunday, November 19, 2006 4:41 AM

Hand Evaluation – HCP’s ( Location )

PITBULLS:

Location , location and location are the three main factors of real estate. In the game of Bridge also , experts use HCP location for their hand evaluation skills. HCP location is defined in two ways. Bridge is played in a clockwise order . If you are behind an opening bidder or a takeout double , your HCP’s get evaluated upward because of the excellent location where finesses are bound to succeed. When your HCP’s are in front of a known big hand , your HCP’s are downgraded because the majority of the points are behind you.

Location is also important in where your HCP’s are located in your hand. HCP’s in your long suits are more valuable than HCP’s in your doubletons or singletons. HCP’s in quick trick combinations have more trick taking potential & are fully transferable. Quick tricks form the basis for an opening bid & define defense. “Duplication of value” is an expression used where your HCP’s are located badly relative to your partner’s suits. Badly means HCP’s located opposite partners known singleton or void. A lack of HCP’s & shortness in the opponents suit are promoted upwards as an example of HCP hand evaluation. Knowing whether your cards are in a suit that should be onside during the bidding , is a hand evaluation skill. You are in effect making a finesse before the bidding is over !

This hand ♠KQxxx ♥KQJ ♦xxx ♣Ax do you open 1♠ or 1NT ? You have a flat 15 but 6 of your HCP’s are concentrated in a 3 card suit. I would open this hand 1♠ so with an expected 1NT , I can bid 2♣ so we do not lose the heart suit. 2♣ leaves room for a 2♦ bid so you can find a heart fit from your side. This hand is simply not a good 15 HCP for a 1NT opener. The 3 card heart suit is also a deterrent as you may miss a heart game by opening 1NT..

Being aware of the location of your honours are a hand evaluation skill in identifying misfit auctions. Are your HCP’s too concentrated in your own suits with no HCP’s in partner’s suits ? Quantitative auctions are not just taking out an abacus & counting your beans when you have extra information to consider. ♠x ♥AKxxx ♦10xx ♣AKQx , you open 1♥ . Partner bids 1♠ , you bid 2♣. Partner bids 2♦ which in your system is more likely to be natural as 2NT is a new suit & a one round force. You leap to 3NT which in your system shows a hand that evaluates to 15-17 HCP. Partner now bids 4NT quantitative asking you to bid 6NT so do you ? You are exactly in the middle of your HCP range but you have zero HCP’s in partners suits with a singleton in partners 5 card suit. This is a clear cut pass. Same HCP’s but change your club queen to the diamond queen in partners suit so with a doubleton spade , 7NT makes on a diamond hook . This is because some of your HCP’s contribute to the trick taking potential of partner’s suits. Partner’s hand ♠AKQ10x ♥Jx ♦AJ9x ♣10x as you get 5 spades , 2 hearts , 4 diamond and 2 clubs for 13 tricks. Accepting quantitative invites are a hand evaluation skill. When you do not fit partners suits in length, having some HCP’s located in partner’s suits will do nicely.

You have ♠xx ♥J109 ♦Jx ♣KQ98x , partner opens 1♠. You respond 1NT & partner makes a 3♣ strong jump shift forcing to game. How do you evaluate this hand ? You have 7 HCP’s but this time you have the majority of HCP’s in partners suit plus a 5^th card fit. Opposite partners hand of ♠AQxxx ♥AQx ♦A ♣A10xx you have a two hook grand slam or a 75% small slam. You play 3♣ as the multi-purpose strong jump shift but it could be clubs. You relay to 3♦ , partner bids 3NT announcing a club jump shift but only four of them ( 4♣ shows 5 ). You now must make a decision to bid 4♣ ( slamish) or 5♣ ( fast arrival ) . Very close call. Partners hand could be ♠AKxxx ♥x ♦AKx ♣A10xx so with her minimum 18 HCP strong jump shift , 6♣ is lay down. I would opt for the slam try …

 There are two ways to show two suited hands in the majors with transfers . Everybody should have an assigned meaning for transferring into the lower ranking major as opposed to the higher. Partner opens 2NT & you have ♠Kxxxx ♥AJ109xx ♦xx ♣void . This hand is worth a slam try as your 8 HCP’s are concentrated in their suits. You transfer to hearts first & bid & bid spades to force partner to the 5 level as a slam try. Change the hand slightly by changing the hand to ♠Kxxxx ♥J1098xx ♦Ax ♣void. This hand would need a miracle fit in the majors so slam is odds on against. I would just transfer to spades & bid & rebid hearts to find the best game. A super accept would probably be needed before there is slam with only 4 HCP’s located in your two suits. Do not forgot there 20 HCPs in the minors in the deck. The location of your HCP’s is a very important hand evaluation concept.