Standard American Lesson 1
Hand Evaluation – High Card Points
Look at the top cards in each suit so that you can describe the quality of your hand to your partner.
HCP = high card points
Ace = 4 HCP
King = 3 HCP
Queen = 2 HCP
Jack = 1 HCP
There are 14 HCP in this hand
| ♠ AK987 |
This is how bridge hands |
| ♥ AK1086 |
are written. It is the same |
| ♦ 52 |
hand as the one above. |
| ♣ 4 |
|
♣ Hand Evaluation – Distribution Points
The shape of your hand can be just as important as your high cards. The longer your suit is, the more valuable it is.
You can add 1 point for each 5-card suit and 1 extra for each additional card in the suit.
♣ Hand Evaluation – Total Points
When deciding whether to open the bidding or not, look at your total points. Combine your high-card strength with your distributional (long suit) strength and you will have an overall result.
TP= total points
The hand below has 16 TP, as you can add 1 extra point for both 5-card suits.
| ♠ AKJ64 |
This hand has 16 TP. |
| ♥ KQJ82 |
(14 HCP + 2 distributional points) |
| ♦ 43 |
|
| ♣ 3 |
|
♦ Opener’s First Bid
The first person to make a bid (other than pass) is called the opener. You should have at least 13 TP to open the bidding.
Start with your longest suit – “Length before Strength”.
The rules differ according to whether you open a major or minor suit.
1♥, 1♠ opening bids
· 13-21 TP
· promises a 5-card suit
· open longest suit
· with two 5-card suits, open the higher ranked suit
|
| ♠ AKQJ |
The correct opening bid here |
| ♥ J5432 |
is 1♥. Even though the spade suit |
| ♦ AK |
is stronger, the heart suit is longer |
| ♣ 65 |
and should be bid first. |
1♣, 1♦ opening bids
· 13-21 TP
· better minor
· promises at least a 3- card suit
· open longest suit, regardless of quality
· with two 4-card suits, open the lower ranked suit
|
| ♠ AKQJ |
The correct opening bid here |
| ♥ 3 |
is 1♣. With two 4-card minors |
| ♦ A865 |
open the lower. You can bid your |
| ♣ AQ32 |
spade suit later, if possible. |
♥ Bidding Game
What is game?
We now know that the opener needs 13 TP to bid. Opener’s partner is called the responder. Responder needs only 6 HCP to make a minimum bid but, if strong enough, she should bid to game.
Bidding to game scores the partnership a big bonus.
Game is
3NT or 4♥,♠ or 5♣,♦
You must bid at least as high as 3NT 4♥, 4♠ or 5♣, 5♦, to get the bonus points on offer.
♦ When to bid game?
You need at least 26 points between you and your partner to bid game.
If responder has 13 points or more, then it is right to bid game. This is because:
13 (opener) + 13 (responder) = 26 TP
♥ Which game to bid?
1. Game in opener’s Major suit
If you have 3 cards in your partner’s suit, you have at least 8 trumps between you. Partner has promised at least 5 with the opening bid. Having 8 trumps is called a FIT. If you have a fit in a major, that will be the best game.
2. Game in Notrumps
If you don’t have 3-card support for your partner’s major suit, you should usually bid 3NT.
3. Game in opener’s Minor suit
Avoid this if possible, because you’re probably better off in 3NT. You will score better and you only have to make 9 tricks instead of 11.
BL 1 © House of Cards 2008: info@bridgedoctor.com
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