Monday, October 27, 2003 1:33 AM

Hand Evaluation – HCP’s ( Quantitative Bidding )

 

PITBULLS:

 

            HCP’s work well in NT contracts. Everyone is familiar with the standard quantitative auctions . 1NT-4NT or 2NT–4NT. A little less familiar are the 1NT– 5NT & 2NT–5NT auctions which say bid 7NT with a maximum or 6NT with a minimum. In the old days,  responder  had a way of showing slam interest immediately holding a lot of HCP’s via the strong jump shift. In today’s game , quite often you must make up for the lack of responder’s SJS bid , by bidding quantitatively. The alternative of taking control with a big hand & not inviting partner to the party is for beginners.

 

            When partner has forced to game with a 2/1 or a 4th suit forcing auction , a leap to 3NT has a meaning. In all cases a jump to 3NT shows extra with a hand in the 15-17 HCP range.

 

1♠-P-2♣-P

2♦-P-3NT              3NT shows extra , A 2NT bid is an either or hand . A minimum flat hand or the

                             18-19 HCP hand.

 

            You have a flat 15-17 HCP hand with a 4 card heart suit & partner opens 1♦ . A direct leap to 3NT is a picture bid showing a 4-3-3-3 16 HCP ( you play 2NT as limit raise or better ). How do you show the flat hands with a 4 card major in the 15-17 HCP range? 4th suit forcing to the rescue . Bid a 4th suit later & jump to 3NT . You did not bid 2NT going in , so you probably have more HCP’s.

 

 

            How about the bigger hands in the 18-19 HCP range ?  Bid 4th suit forcing or 2/1 & leap to 4NT . This is not Blackwood as you have to agree a fit first. If it is a minor fit , then a jump in the minor is Blackwood anyway.

 

            1♥-P-2♣-P

            2♦-P-4NT            

 

  This is not Blackwood with hearts or diamonds as the trump suit. You would have established a fit by making a different bid earlier. This is simply telling partner I have a flat 18-19 HCP’s so bid accordingly.

 

            If you have a 4th suit forcing bid available  & you do not use it , is there a meaning for the 4NT jump ? Yes in a non fit auction there is a meaning

 

1♣-P-1♦-P

1♥-P-4NT        

 

            You did not bid 4th suit forcing or XYZ  before you jumped to 4NT nor did you confirm a fit before leaping to 4NT . This has to be quantitative as you probably have spades so why bother mentioning them when partner shows 9 cards in clubs & hearts ( misfit auction ) ?  It can not be Blackwood as why are you so lazy as to not show the heart fit thru XYZ first ?  It should not be Blackwood on that basis even in Rubber Bridge.

 

            Sometimes in a 2/1 auction or if opponents interfere with a 3 level pre-empt ,  you are too strong to bid 3NT. Since you have not established a fit , a leap to 4NT just means you are too strong to bid 3NT. Dora Lee & I reached 7NT with one of these auctions. She opened 1♦ , they overcalled 3♠ so I felt I was too strong to bid 3NT , so I bid 4NT. Dora had a huge hand so we landed in 7NT where I had 18 top tricks.

 

There is a law in Bridge that 4NT is not Blackwood unless there is a major suit fit established with some rare minor suit exceptions. This means established  , not just implied somehow. There should be no confusion with 4NT . The default for 4NT in non fit auctions is quantitative , not Ace asking. 4NT in a misfit auction when no fit has been suggested just means you are too strong to bid 3NT. Very important concept. When you take away the strong jump shift by responder , you need a way of quantitatively showing extra. Bidding quite often a “forced 3NT” does not do that.

 

            Perry & I get to a nice 6♣ slam via the 4NT bid being too strong to bid 3NT principle. Perry held ♠AJxx ♥Kx ♦xx ♣AKQJx a cool 18 HCP  with a source of tricks in clubs. I open 1♥ , Perry bid 2♣ followed by 2♦ by me & 2♠ by Perry. I bid 3♦ so Perry has a hand where in the old days they would have made a strong jump shift in clubs . He cannot bid 3NT as he has not yet advised partner that he has a source of tricks & 18 HCP’s in controls with the key ♥K . Perry bids 4NT which must be quantitative as we are in an obvious misfit auction. I have ♠x ♥AQ10xx ♦KQJxx ♣xx so I bid 5♣ over 4NT as a choice of contracts. Perry bids 6♣ & they are in 6NT at the other table going down for a 17 IMP pickup.

 

Quantitative bidding quite often is counting HCP during the auction & bidding quantitatively. There is a rule when holding a 5 card major after partner opens 1NT. If you have HCP’s  scattered around 6 or 7 , you can pass 1NT if you wish. You have 22 or 23 HCP so why gamble that partner fits your anemic 5 card major suit fit ? She may have a worthless doubleton , so you found the only contract that can not make. What about if you have very few HCP’s ? This is desperation time as 1NT will probably go down quite a few so you have nothing to lose by transferring. Transferring also as a psychological effect on the opponents as you have concealed your HCP’s or lack thereof from them. My partner held ♠xxx ♥Qxxxx ♦xxx ♣xx  & passed my vul 1NT bid recently. The opponents balanced & played in 2NT making 3 for –150. This translates to down 3 vul for me , if they had not balanced !  We opened up the slip & the entire field was in 2♥ making our way as the transfer had indeed done the psychological job.

 

Another hand which shows counting HCP’s during the auction ♠xx ♥Q1098x ♦A10x ♣xxx. Partner opens 2♣ so you bid 2♦. Partner bids 2NT & you transfer which partner super accepts. You bid 4♦ as a re-transfer but partner interprets it as a Q bid & bids KCB . Counting HCP’s with partners 24 HCP maximum & your 6 totaling 30 , you are well short of the HCP’s needed for 6NT ( 33 HCP the norm) . So you could pass 4NT , but you answer your Ace anyway. Partner now bids 5NT confirming to your unlimited hand that you have all the controls. You bid 6♥ & you get a top as 6♥ is cold. Of course , you can not bid 6NT as you know from bidding quantitatively you are well short of the required HCP’s for that contract.