Hand Evaluation

1.1 Success at bidding relies upon partnership understanding and knowledge of the system, but hand evaluation is also a crucial element ; slavish adherence to the point count is not enough.

Remember that hand evaluation is your way of judging the strength of your hand and, consequently, how many tricks it will generate. Let us define the additional factors which should influence the way you evaluate your hand. Have a stab at the answers to the questions before you look them up!

1.2 OPPONENT'S BIDDING

Picture yourself holding the hand below.

S K J 4 3 2

H K J 3

D K J

C K J 3

What is the effect on your hand of bidding by

(a) the hand on your right,

(b) The hand on your left? Answer

1.3 INTERMEDIATE STUFFING (lance corporals)

Which of these two hands would you prefer?

(a)	S K 10 9	or	(b)	S K Q
	H Q 10 9 7			H Q 8 4
	D K Q 10			D A J 6 2
	C J 10 8			C 9 7 5 4

Answer

Deduction: The presence of 9's and 10's has a positive effect on the trick-taking capacity of your hand.

1.4 LENGTH and SHORTAGES

Which of these two hands would you prefer?

(a)	S Q 8 5	or	(b)	S Q 8 5
	H A 10 7			H A 10
	D J 10 8			D J 10 8
	C A J 10 9			C A J 10 9 5

Answer

Deduction: The small cards in long suits (particularly in declarer's hand) generally take tricks. To make allowance for this in hand evaluation, it is worth giving them a point value ie one point for the fifth card in a suit, two for the sixth card etc. Shortages are good value in a trump contract in responder's hand and are worth three for a void, two for a singleton and one for a doubleton. Never count length and shortage in the same hand.

1.5 HONOUR COMBINATIONS

The two hands below have identical points but consider their performance against the possible honours shown in partner's hand.

(a)

S K Q 6

with

(b)

S A 7 3

with

H K Q 7

H Q 9 4

D 9 7 3

D K J 9 3

C Q J 8 5

C K 8 4

Which would you prefer?

Answer

Deduction: Honours in combination with each other are more powerful than honours in isolation.

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Serendipity : If you sit down with an unknown partner at the bridge table, what would you expect to agree before you start playing?

Answer