|
Distribution Points - Additive points based on one of
the following (but not both):
|
1. |
Length |
A suit with
more than 4 cards, ideally with several honors. This method anticipates the
suit becoming
declarer's trump, thus promoting low cards into winners. |
|
2. |
Shortage |
A suit with less than 3 cards, ideally
opponent's suit. This method anticipates allowing partner to eliminate losers by ruffing the
suit -- assuming adequate holdings in
partner's planned trump suit.
|
Here
are various distribution point count methods, some complementary and some
unique: (also see Cover
Cards associated with Losing
Trick Count)
Work Point Count
Robertson Point Count
Reith Point Count
Culbertson Point Count
Sheinwold Point Count
Goren Point Count
Karpin
Point Count
Roth Point
Count
Kantar Point Count
Bergen Point Count
Losing Trick Count
Work Point Count - Opener and responder's hand count:
|
Ace |
4 |
|
King |
3 |
|
Queen |
2 |
|
Jack |
1 |
|
Two 10s |
1 |
Robertson Point Count
- An alternative hand evaluation method based on 64 points in the deck:
|
Ace |
7 |
|
King |
5 |
|
Queen |
3 |
|
Jack |
2 |
|
10 |
1 |
Reith Point Count:
|
Ace |
6 |
|
King |
4 |
|
Queen |
3 |
|
Jack |
2 |
|
10 |
1 |
Culbertson Point Count (including Work HCP):
Opener's hand count:
|
5 card trump suit if raised |
1 |
|
6 card trump suit if raised |
2 |
|
7+ card trump suit if raised |
3+ |
|
4+ card side suit |
1+ |
Responder's (dummy) hand count: deduct points for 4-3-3-3 hand, 3 trumps (versus 4+):
|
6+ card trump suit |
2+ |
|
Void |
1 |
|
Two singletons |
1 |
Sheinwold Point Count (including Work HCP):
|
Initial Hand Valuation |
|
Void |
3 |
|
Singleton |
2 |
|
Doubleton |
1 |
|
Aceless Hand |
-1 |
|
3-4 Aces |
"worth more" |
|
Queen or Jack |
Only worth full value when
accompanied by Ace or King |
|
Singleton King or Doubleton
Queen or Jack |
"not worth full value" |
|
Declarer Hand Valuation |
|
5th card in trump suit |
1 |
|
6th card in trump suit |
3 (2 additional over 5th) |
|
7th card in trump suit |
5 (4 additional over 5th) |
|
Dummy Hand Valuation |
|
4+ trump and Doubleton |
1 |
|
4+ trump and Singleton |
3 |
|
4+ trump and Void |
5 |
Goren Point Count (including Work HCP) - also see
Goren Bridge Books
and Goren System:
Opener's hand count:
|
Void |
3 |
|
Singleton |
2 |
|
Doubleton |
1 |
Responder's (dummy) hand count: deduct points for 4-3-3-3 hand, 3 trumps (versus 4+),
non-guarded honors; add point for face card in trump (allowing up to 4 HCP in
trump)
|
Void |
5 |
|
Singleton |
3 |
|
Doubleton |
1 |
Karpin Point Count (including Work HCP):
Opener's hand count:
|
5 card suit |
1 |
|
6 card suit |
2 |
|
7+ card suit (etc) |
3+ |
Responder's (dummy) hand count:
|
4+ trump |
3 trump |
|
Void |
3 |
2 |
|
Singleton |
2 |
1 |
|
Doubleton |
1 |
0 |
Roth Point Count (including Work HCP) -
Opener's hand count:
|
Void |
3 |
|
Singleton |
2 |
|
Doubleton |
1 |
|
6+card suit |
1+ |
Responder's (dummy) hand count: add 1+ point when opener supports responder's 5+ card
suit
|
0-2 trump |
3 trump |
4+ trump |
|
Void |
0 |
3 |
4 |
|
Singleton |
0 |
2 |
3 |
|
Doubleton |
0 |
1 |
2 |
Kantar Point Count (including Work HCP):
|
Declarer Distribution Points |
| |
7 - 8 card
Trump fit |
8 card
Trump fit |
9+ card
Trump fit |
|
Doubleton |
0 |
1 each Doubleton |
2 extra |
|
Singleton Honor in Side Suit |
-1 |
-1 |
-1 |
Bergen Point Count (including Work HCP):
|
Bad Distribution |
|
4-3-3-3 |
Bad for offense and defense |
|
5-3-3-2 |
Bad offensively for suit
contracts |
|
Excellent Distribution |
|
5-4-3-1, any
5-5, any 6-4 |
|
Void Value with Trump Fit |
|
Declarer |
3 |
|
Dummy with 5 trump |
5 |
|
Dummy with 4 trump |
4 |
|
Dummy with 3 trump |
3 |
|
Singleton Value with Trump Fit |
|
"Normal" |
2 |
|
Dummy with 4+ trump |
3 |
|
Extra Length Points in Notrump |
|
5 card suit |
1 |
|
6 card suit |
3 |
|
7 card suit |
5 |
|
"Great suit" |
1 Extra |
|
"Poor suit" |
Subtract 1 |
|
Extra Length Points in Side Suit with Fit |
|
5 card suit |
1, unless balanced (including
5-3-3-2) |
|
6 card suit |
3, but 2 if 6-3-3-2 |
|
7 card suit |
5, but 4 if 7-2-2-2 |
Losing Trick Count - Simply stated,
once partnership has identified a 8+ card suit fit (unless the opener has a very
strong-long major, e.g., a "self-sustaining suit), each suit
has between 0 to 3 losers; Aces and Kings are not losers (except a singleton
King), Queens may or may not be
losers depending on the suit support. Adjustments to LTC include:
A J 10 [x...] = 1.5 losers, Q x x = 2.5 losers, while
J 10 x = 3 losers and Q x= 2 losers, but are a
"plus". See Details
See BridgeHands newsletter on
Losing Trick Count as well as our
LTC quiz
(please allow 1 minute to download the attached music and audio file)
Also see
BridgeHands
newsletter on
Cover Cards as well as our
Cover
Cards quiz (please allow 1 minute to download the attached music and
audio file)
|
