2007-09-22
09:20
Hand
Evaluation – HCPS ( Mental Notes )
PITBULLS:
Being a “human HCP
odometer” is one of the skills an expert player has in her repertoire . This skill is just another in a series of “mental notes” that a good
player makes both on defense & as declarer.
Like all good Bridge habits,
you have to train yourself to do
it though. It is much easier than you think , so
give it a try. Do not let your Bridge inferiority
complex rob you of having & using this skill.
I kibitzed
the maestro Tom Gandolfo play a 1NT contract at a local club game against Wayne
Shaw & Ed Lam . He did not disappoint …
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Tom’s side was vulnerable & the
opponents were not. Debbie opened 1♦ & Tom
responded 1NT & that ended the auction. Wayne led his 4th best
spade which looked like a 5 card suit. Tom played small & Ed Lam produced
the jack. Tom won his queen & led the ♥Q & ran it
& the queen won the trick. What is going on here & how do you proceed ? Being a human HCP odometer , you notice that LHO
has a 5 card spade suit to the AKxxx & if he held the heart king its very likely
he would have bid 2♠ ( matchpoints ) . If he
indeed held the heart king , the diamonds must be all offside or else he would have certainly bid. Wayne not covering the heart King with the 9
showing on the dummy is very suspicious.
If the heart king is indeed offside , the roof is
about to cave in for down 3 vul. Tom has 1♠ , 2♥ & possibly
4♣ tricks so he can make 1NT or go 1 down. 2♠ looks like it could make the other direction
so Tom cashes out for making 1NT !. This was worth a top as
there were many –200 & –100 N/S & if he took the heart finesse
again he would have been –300 for a zero. Ed Lam had held up on the ♥K when he had
1NT beat for +200. Nicely played Tom !
A Tormentee
held this hand & bought the contract in 2♥ against Linda Taschuk .
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Linda opened 1♦ , the Tormentee overcalled 1♥ , LHO made a
negative double. I passed , Linda bid 1♠ &
the Tormentee bought the contract in 2♥. LHO led a
small spade , Linda won the king & Ace and
returned a 3rd one which the Tormentee
ruffed. Mental note time. Opener has shown up with ♠AK
but not the queen. The Tormentee led the ♣queen , Linda won her Ace & returned a club which the Tormentee won on the board. Now what ?
Opener has shown up with 11 HCP so far so if she holds the diamond King , she cannot hold the king of trump. In fact , if she had the diamond king, she may not have sold out for 2♥. It looks like
Linda wants to ruff clubs so taking the ♥ finesse is not
a good idea. You lay down the Ace & you get rewarded with the ♥K dropping . You scamper home with 4♥ , 3♣ &
1♦ tricks for +110 & a top
board.
We are not used to players who count HCP’s on defense. Practicing deception
as declarer is a must against these type
of players. When you have an AK , always win the trick
with the Ace. A KQJ combination , win the King etc. Deception will not fool
partner as she is supposed to be sleeping as dummy.
Being an HCP odometer is much easier than you would ever expect , as Bridge players count HCP’s all the time when
they pick up their hand. You have trained yourself to do it & have already acquired this skill.
Take the next step & take
this skill for a test drive. You will like it.