2007-10-28 03:22

Hand Evaluation – Tactics ( Top Down Thinking )

PITBULLS:

Sometimes it is very helpful to look at the game of Bridge from the “top down”. What do we mean by that ? You look at the game of Bridge from a lofty perspective & generalize. For example , all Bridge hands can be classified as either defensive or offensive. Defensive hands have flat distributions 4-4-3-2 , 4-3-3-3 , 5-3-3-2 etc. Offensive hands have the wilder distributions 5-5-2-1 , 6-5-1-1 etc. A logical Bridge conclusion is reached from this observation. Bid more with the offensive hand types , pass & defend more with the defensive hand types.

Looking again at the game of Bridge from the top down. Not all high card points are created equal. Quick tricks like Aces & Kings are more valuable than queen & jacks. Quick tricks are transferable values , good for defense & offense. With HCP’s in quick trick combinations , tend to double & with soft values tend to bid NT , bid a suit or pass. D.S.I.P. competitive double theory is based on quick tricks to determine when to double. Hand evaluation via HCP’s is not simply totaling them but evaluating them for trick taking potential. Advocates of garbage openers have pathetic hand evaluation skills & appalling ignorance of trick taking potential. They are usually ignorant of what damage they are doing to the partnership aspect of the game of Bridge.

Again looking at Bridge from the top down , Bridge hands are either flat or distributional. If you can generalize & bid all flat hands with a NT bid , the partnership is better off. I hate up the line bidding with a passion . Why ? because I cannot tell if partner has a flat hand with its diminished trick taking potential. Knowing that partner has a flat hand will steer our side towards a NT contract rather than 4-4 in the major. Knowing that partner has a flat hand will discourage me from making a game try or a slam try. There are billions of Bridge hands , So when you can show me the balanced ones by bidding NT , we are in a better position to make a decent decision. Balanced hands do not have the trick taking potential of distributional hands. Not even close.

The most obvious top down approach to bidding is do we have a fit or do we not . How good is the fit ? The more you fit partner , the higher you raise the level of bidding to show this. Do not hide fits from partner. Penalty doubles are designed to show that a misfit is present. Partner I am doubling the opponents for penalty because I do not fit your suit. Avoiding misfit auctions is a hand evaluation skill. Fit – no fit . Look at your length in partner’s suit or length in their suit. Are your HCP’s in their suit ? The dreaded duplication of value. With HCP’s in their suit , shy away from bidding unless it is NT. Let them play the contract preferably doubled.

Again looking at the game of Bridge from the “top down” . Your side either “owns the auction” or it does not. When you own the auction , forcing pass theory comes into effect. ♠KQx ♥xxxx ♦Jxxx ♣xx & everybody vul. Partner opens 1♥ they overcall 2♣. You bid 3♥ which shows a simple raise with 4 trump. They bid 3♠ & partner bids 4♦. What is 4♦ ? Partner is making a slam try as there is no need to give a lead director in this auction when she is on lead against 4♠. She could have passed or bid 4♥ but is introducing a new suit at the 4 level. Of course , a slam try says you own the auction & turns on forcing passes. They bid 4♠ so in accordance with forcing pass theory you double for a +400 swing . You are +200 instead of –200 in 5♥.

You should always be looking for bidding clues to see if your side owns the auction. You should be using your hand evaluation skills to determine if you have quick tricks instead of soft values . You look at your distribution to see if your hand is flat or distributional & bid accordingly. Do not introduce ambiguity in Bridge. Do not bid 3 card suits with flat hands & expect partner to figure out the difference when you have a distributional hand. Do not bid defensive hands with quick tricks ♠x ♥J10x ♦AQx ♣AKxxxx the same way you would bid ♠x ♥J10 ♦KQx ♣KQJ1098x . Look at Bridge from the top down. Is my hand offensive or defensive ? Are my HCP’s quick tricks or useless HCP’s on defense ? Do we own this auction or do we not ? Do I have a balanced hand which I can describe with a NT bid or am I distributional ? Do we have a fit or do we not ? Avoid ambiguity by top down thinking & you make the game of Bridge much easier.