Friday, May 25, 2007 11:25 AM

Hand Evaluation – Visualization ( HCP Awareness )

PITBULLS:

There is one universal benchmark in Bridge & that is there are only 40 HCP’s in the deck. In order to assess the situation , you must keep this figure in your mind. You translate bidding into HCP’s as a must have Bridge skill. The vulnerable opponents open 1♣ after your pass & partner overcalls 1NT. This gets promptly doubled & your hand is ♠KQ10xx ♥Jxx ♦xxx ♣xx so what is going on ? Use the 40 HCP benchmark with opening having 13 HCP & the doubler holding an average of 10 HCP & you hold 6 HCP !!! This gives partner 11 HCP for her 1NT overcall. They subsequently bid 3NT so do you now double ? If you do , they make 7 as partner made an off coloured bid nv vrs vul. Revert to the 40 HCP benchmark when things do not sound right.

I have been beating the drum for years for partners & team mates to translate Bridge information like bidding etc into hand patterns. This process assists your Bridge thinking & enables you to make correct decisions. Totaling HCPs were also designed to be a guide to assist you to make correct Bridge decisions. You translate Bridge bidding into HCP’s also so you are aware whether you are near the game benchmark (25 HCP ) or the slam benchmark of 33 HCP or the Grand slam benchmark of 37 HCP.

There is also the “balance of power” benchmark. A Tormentee held this hand ♠J ♥Kxxx ♦Axxx ♣AKxx & opened 1♦ vul. The opponents overcalled 1♠ & I bid 1NT ( 8-10 HCP ) . They bid 2♠ so now what ? Translate the bidding into HCP’s as the 1NT bid is quite descriptive that way. If partner is maximum , You are at the game benchmark ( 25 HCP ) . If partner is minimum , the balance of power is still your way 23 HCP to 17 HCP. Therefore you make a “balance of power “ double or “D.S.I.P.” double to advise partner that we own this auction. Partner has a minimum so he bids 3♣ which makes. The Tormentee passed 2♠ which they made for a double partial swing ( -7 IMPS ) . By not translating bidding into HCP’s , you may not even be aware that your side owns the auction.

Assume you have no understandings other than standard Bridge about doubling 1NT. They open an 11-14 weak NT, partner doubles showing a minimum of 14 HCP . They run to 2♣ which is an escape showing clubs & diamonds. You have ♠Qxxxx ♥Qxx ♦xx ♣Qxx so you pass . Partner hearing your pass , doubles again which should show at least an Ace above her previous double (18-20) HCP’s. If partner just has clubs & knowing you have nothing , she would just pass. So now what do you do ? You have 6 HCP so with partner’s huge hand sitting over their weak NT , your side are close to 26 HCP & making 3NT your way. So you pass & lead a trump. It turns out they run to 2♦ which partner doubles & you beat it 4 for 800. There were a few people in 3NT but your +800 was taking advantage of the situation. My partner rescued them by bidding 2♠ for +140. The same bid he would have made with zero HCP on this auction.

The auction went 1♥ in 3^rd seat , I responded 1NT . This was passed around & her partner doubled. My LHO , a tormentee, after the hand asked what she should have bid with her 10 HCP. Use the 40 HCP benchmark to figure what is going on. Partner has a heart trap probably holding the equivalent of an opening bid or better for her double . Add this total to yours so you are in the +25 HCP range & they are in 1NT. Close your eyes & put the green card on the table very fast as they are going for a huge number. I indeed had psyched my 1NT response with partner having a 10 HCP 3^rd seat opener.

Other benchmarks are 33 HCP for a NT slam & 25 HCP for a game. An experienced player held 13 HCP with a singleton. Partner opened 2NT so he tried to find a major suit fit but no luck. He did not like his singleton for NT so he leapt to 6♣ on his 5 card suit !! This could have hit partner with a doubleton small club so with a hand that evaluates to 14 & opener holding 20-21 the partnership are in the 33-35 HCP range for 6NT. A leap to 6NT just based on the 33 HCP’s is much safer than leaping to slam on a 5 card minor.

Tom Gandolfo is also aware of the 40 HCP benchmark. He held ♠AJ ♥Qxxx ♦AKxx ♣AJx so with everybody vul the auction went 1♣-P-3♣ which was alerted as a limit raise. Tom has 19 HCP , the opener 13 ( assumed ) so the limit raise hand is a little light with 8 HCP. The opponents have told Tom partner has no HCP’s. Tom passes , they misguess the club jack & go one down in 3♣. If Tom bids , our side is in –800 territory.

A Tormentee held ♠AKJ ♥AQJ ♦9876 ♣Axx & opened 1♦ vul vrs not. Lee Barton overcalled 1NT , I passed & Lucille bid 3NT . What do you do ?. Let’s use the 40 HCP benchmark & see if things add up by translating the bidding into HCP’s. You have 19 HCP , Lee shows 16-18 so Lucille cannot have a 3NT bid which shows around 10 HCP. This bidding sequence totals 45 HCP minimum ! Anyway , the Tormentee passed due to unfamiliarity with counting HCP’s during the auction. I held 8 HCP so I was highly suspicious. Using the 40 HCP rule , my partner & I had 21 or more HCP so something is wrong. I doubled & Lee went for –1400 in his 4♠X resting spot as he had a blatant nv vrs vul psyche. If I passed , Lee goes 6 down at 50 a pop for –300 & as their partners made a vul 3NT their way , a huge loss for us. Translating bidding into patterns & bidding into HCP’s is a required skill in the game of Bridge. After this hand , the Tormentee holding 19 HCP innocently asked how did I know that Lee had psyched !!!!

Splinters & Jacoby 2NT follow the 30 HCP in the deck rule . Partner opens 1♠ , you hold ♠AKx ♥xxx ♦Kxx ♣AKxx so you improvise with a Jacoby 2NT ( no bid perfect ) & partner surprises you with a 3♥ bid. You have 17 HCP outside the 10 HCP’s in hearts so you have 27 HCP accounted for. This arithmetic gives the remaining 13 HCPs to partner for her opener. You could now just bid 6♠ but you bid KCB in case partner has a stiff ♥A ! In another hand you have a flat 14 HCP and open 1♣ . Partner bids 3♣ alerted as less than a limit raise. Arithmetic time to assess the game benchmark of 25-26 HCP for 3NT . Partner has 6-8 HCP which is nowhere enough for 3NT ( you have 20-22 HCP combined ) . You pass and avoid losing 6 IMPS for blowing a simple partial.