Tuesday, January 18, 2005 1:33 AM
Hand Evaluation – HCP’s ( Duplication of Value )
PITBULLS:
Duplication
of value is an expression used quite extensively in Bridge. What is it ? Splinter theory is based on it but
the concept comes up again in many Bridge decisions. It
is hand evaluation with HCP’s but
also a way of “thinking Bridge”. You have a void or a stiff opposite KQx .
Your 5 HCP’s are virtually wasted as partner was also pulling full weight to their void or singleton. With splinters , you find out if you have duplication of value or
not. Duplication of value is a concept so you must
generalize to many Bridge situations , not just
splinters.
The
subject of duplication of value comes up again with penalty doubles. Your partner opens
1♦ & rebids diamonds . You have a scattering of
points including the KQx of diamonds do you
double their 3♥ partial ? Not a chance
because your KQx of diamonds
are horrible cards for defense as with partners length they will be “wiped out”
by a singleton in the opponents hand. This is a form of “defensive” duplication of value.
Length in partners suit is also
“defensive” duplication of value . You hold ♠10xx ♥Qx ♦xxxx ♣AKJ10 and partner opens 1♠.
Your RHO bids 4♥ and puts pressure on you. Do you double or bid ? Again your length in partners suit should deter you
from a double. A double gets you –790 and 4♠ gets you –50. I played with
a tormentee who doubled 3♦ with 10 HCP and KQxx after I had overcalled 2♥. Normally that would
be OK except part of her 10 HCP was Kxx
of my suit. Too much length & too many values in partners long
suit to double. Sure enough –670 was the result with
+140 in hearts makes our way.
Values
in the opponents suit are instant “duplication of
value” . This causes wrong competitive decisions so
the dreaded pseudo sacrifice. I avoid coming into the auction if the bulk of my
hand is in their
trump suit. Putting the green card on the table works way better. Here is a hand
that involved one of the tormentees. ♠KQJxx ♥KQ9x ♦xx ♣Jx . My partner ( both vul ) opens 2♥ so do you overcall 2♠
? Lets force the bid on you and see what happens. LHO
bids a quiet 3♥ , a male tormentee bids 4♠.
This gets
doubled & redoubled by the male tormentee. Dust clears & your side must score –1600 !! ♠Axxx ♥x ♦QJ10xxx ♣Qx . The tormentee was pulling full weight to his singleton in the opponents suit which turned out to
be just horrible duplication of value.
Need we say more ? The entire idea of “trapping” is based on the fact
that duplication of value in their suit does not play very well for your side. It is
better that your HCP’s are located in your sides’ suits. Location , location & location.
Here
is a sample hand that shows devaluating a hand due to soft values , poor
distribution & duplication of
value in their suit. My partner held ♠Q10xx ♥KQJx ♦Qxx ♣xx , LHO opens 1♥ & I make a T/O
dbl. OK , hand evaluation is the order of the day. You have a balanced hand
4-4-3-2 which is one strike against this hand. You have soft values with 3 queens &
a jack & horrible duplication of value in their suit. If your ♥KQJx was in another suit , you have a clear 2♠ call. My partner bids 1NT & we make a partial.
If partner bids 2♠ we are in game going down one as I will accept the invite & of
course , a Q bid is absurd . You have 10 HCP’s
but hand evaluation dictates that you hold far less than that. Unless of
course , you are a slave to the HCP system
& do not do hand evaluation. Demoting hands in bidding is
just as important as promoting hands.
Duplication
of value is the basis for the D.S.I.P. competitive
doubles that my partners & I play in competitive auctions. How many times in
competitive auctions have you wanted to double the opponents because you have
KQ10 in their suit. You know it’s horrible duplication
of value for partner .
Only to hear partner compete one more
time in our suit in front of you
& go down two when they should be doubled going down two. We
play a competitive double as saying I want to compete again in our suit but I
have defense , so if you want to pass instead go
ahead. You have the best of both worlds. You pass with duplication of value otherwise , you pull the double. The D.S.I.P. double like a splinter ferrets outs duplication of value.
When partner is an unlimited
hand , let her in on the duplication of value as early
as possible. This prevents partner from having delusions of grandeur with slam
bidding. You are vul vrs
not with ♠AKJ ♥Jxx ♦xx ♣Axxxx
so you
open 1♣. Partner bids 2♣ which is “limit raise or better” so
potentially an unlimited hand. The opponents crawl in 2♠ so what action
do you take? Since partner is unlimited , lets warn her of the extreme
duplication of value right away with a 2NT bid. A pass might be interpreted as
a minimum with a lack of duplication of value in their suit. If you do pass , partner gets excited & splinters with ♠x ♥Qxxx ♦AK ♣KQJ1098 & drives the
hand to slam. A 2NT bid fetches a 3NT bid as partner gets discouraged with the
duplication of value.
Again duplication of value is like “good-bad” cholesterol
. The opponents bidding & applying
patterns have
told you that your side has no duplication of value. The opponents have told
you with their bidding that they have 10 HCP wrapped up in the heart suit ( for example ) . You have 3 hearts so giving them 9 hearts
partner has a singleton. This is a 30 HCP
deck for offensive purposes. Applying
patterns is splinter theory in action without anybody splintering !!
Many other bridge concepts are based
on duplication of value. Forcing pass
theory is partially based on “duplication
of value” in their suit. You give a green
light for bidding by passing with extreme shortness in their suit or double to indicate duplication of value.
Trapping initially & then bidding shows duplication of value in
their suit as it begs the
question on why you did not bid initially. Coming in later with a double of
their 2nd suit , shows a trap in their
first suit with negative double theory. Rubensohl over NT is an excellent
tool for identifying duplication of value in their suit. The fact that you can
“super accept” the transfer gives partner a reading on the duplication of value
in their suit. This is very
valuable for slam purposes or finding the correct game.
Italian
style Q bidding where you can Q bid 2nd round control
ferrets out ill fitting hands & duplication
of value. A local couple had this auction recently ♠AKxx ♥10xx ♦J ♣KQ109x , her
partner opened 1♥. She
bid the obvious 2♣ , partner bid 2♦ so
she bid 2♥. Partner bids 2♠
so warning bells should sound as over ½ her hand is tied up in spades opposite partners known stiff. However
, her hand is worth one more try to she tries 3♣. Partner now bids
3♦ so it is time for the death
response to tell partner the hand is not fitting well with duplication of value
in spades. She bids 3♥ &
partner carries onto 4 as he was just making courtesy Q bids in case the hands fit well !
Your opening bids should identify duplication of value. When you have equal length in the minors
, open the better minor not just clubs. This allows partner to properly
assess how the hands fit. If
partner opens a major
, it is a good assumption that there are values in that suit which will
fit poorly with your stiff. In 3rd seat & 4th
, you open “where you live” for proper leads & bidding decisions
based on duplication of value. An opening bid is a bidding tool so do not abuse the
bid by being cute & opening suits you do not have ( HCP’s
). Open 4 card majors ,
if that is where you live. Partner can assess duplication of value when you do.