Hand Evaluation

* Defensive Strength and Strength in Attack

A tripleton AJ10 means that you will probably win two defensive tricks, while with a 7-card suit such as KQJxxxx you will probably win 6 tricks in attack, but none in defense. So, to say, in one instance, that we have 5 points, and in the other 6, means nothing; at the end of the play what really matters is the tricks actually won, and, during the bidding, those that can be predicted, either in defense or in attack, and not the actual points.

* Cards in Major Suits

Since the first goal of each partnership is to bid and make game, there is a wide difference between major suits (10 out of 13 tricks) and minor suits (11 out of 13).

Statistics from the World Open Finals 1980-1989 (2300 auctions) show that game and slam bids in Hearts or Spades (made or not) were 57%, those in NT were 30%, while Clubs and Diamonds together only accounted for 13%. As for slams, those in Hearts or Spades were 58%, while those in NT were 12%. What this shows is that games and slams are bid most frequently in majors. In other words, the first goal of bidding is to win the game bonus at 4© or 4ª; only when that is not possible, a detour is made towards 3NT.

Using 1© and 1ª opening bids, as I propose, we have the advantage that they indicate simply and exactly a 5-card suit, so that at the second round of bidding more precise information may be given than would be possible with a normal (old-fashioned) "natural" system based on 4-card majors.

Still more immediately informative are the 1NT and 2NT opening bids that I suggest, which between them cover a wide point range (10/12 - 18/19), and indicate a shape of 4-3-3-3 (12-15 or 16-19) and 4-4-3-2 with a minor doubleton (11-14 or 15/18), thus eliminating these probable shapes from 1§ and 1¨ opening bids (21%). What all of this means is that much stress must be placed on giving information on majors, to allow for an immediate conclusion toward game in majors, or, at least, at NT.

* Cases of Equivalence Between Point-count and Length

I said earlier that there is no "true equivalence" between point-count and length, but it is also true that, when you bid a long suit, your partner will be induced to locate your points in the long suit you have declared, because this is the most probable location for them. Likewise, when you interfere with the opponents opening bid, you will indicate either two 4-card suits, or two 5- or 6-card suits. In either case, there is no problem if one of the suits declared to be a 4-carder is actually 5-card long.

In fact, you may indicate as 4-card long a good tripleton (AJx or KQx or KJ10), particularly if you have no other way of communicating a non-minimum point-count with respect to the declared point range. Likewise, you may consider AKJxx as being a 6-card suit, if you don't have a better bid, because it is crucial, particularly if you don't have a minimum point-count, that your partner get the message (never postpone information). You will also be well advised to consider a 10xxx as a tripleton; worst-case scenario, you will show as 'tripleton' even a bare AQ.

The best opening bid is the one that immediately gives partner a good idea of the shape and high-card strength of your hand, even if it does not strictly conform to the expected distribution and high-card point range.

In the same manner, when opponents open the bidding, the best interference may be a bid, although not strictly kosher, which gives a good idea of your hand so as to communicate the situation to your partner. Your partner is half of your partnership. It is he whom we must help by providing him with a maximum of information in the shortest possible time. This is what bridge assist is all about.