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 this skill.

I kibitzed Tom Gandolfo play a 1NT contract in a local club game against Wayne Shaw & Ed Lam .

x	A	K	A
x	J	x	Q
	9	x	x
	x	x

Q	Q	x	K
10	10	x	10
x	x	x	x
			x

Tom’s side was vulnerable & the opponents were not. Debbie opened 1♦ & Tom responded 1NT & that ended the auction. Wayne led his 4^th 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♠. 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 +300.

A Tormentee held this hand & bought the contract in 2♥ against Linda Taschuk .

J	9	Q	K
10	x	J	x
x	x	10	x
		9

x	A	A	Q
x	Q	x	J
	10		10
	x		9
	x

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 3^rd 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 can not 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.