INTRODUCTION TO THE LOSING TRICK COUNT

(continued)

6. ASSESSING PARTNER'S LOSERS

On the surface this seems to be a tough problem but in reality it is no more difficult than gauging partner's points. If you can tell how strong partner's hand is, you can calculate the losers. The basis is:

MINIMUM OPENING HAND = 7 LOSERS

We have seen that the actual losers vary according to strength and shape. Nevertheless, the average minimum opening is around the 7 loser mark and this is the best starting point for your assessment. These are routine 1§ openings on around 13 points:

ª A Q 7 4 ª 7 6 4

© J 4 © K  3

¨ 6 3 2 ¨ 9 8 3

§ A K 9 3 § A K Q 8 6

Note that each hand has 7 losers.

You calculate partner's losers based on the strength revealed in the bidding.

A simple working guide would look like this:

Accordingly, if the bidding begins:

Partner You 1

§ 1© 2

©...

partner has shown a minimum opening and you should expect 7 losers

Had the bidding started :

Partner You 1

§ 1© 3

©...

partner would be showing a stronger hand. As partner is bidding for one trick more, you are entitled to expect one loser less. The normal holding for that sequence is 6 losers.

If the bidding began:

Partner You 1

¨ 1ª 4

ª

...

partner would be showing a very strong hand. As a minimum rebid would be 2ª, partner's jump to 4ª is two tricks extra, and so should hold two losers less. The normal holding for this sequence would be 5 losers.

We can now see how you would go about assessing the hand with which we started on at the beginning of the lesson:

ª K 1 0 8 6 4 3 © 7 ¨ 4 3 § A 8 4 2

Partner opens 1¨, you respond 1ª and partner's rebid is 4ª. What now?

Your thoughts would speed swiftly along these lines: "We have a good trump fit. I hold 7 losers. Partner has shown two tricks better than minimum opening and so should have 5 losers. 7 + 5 = 12. 24 - 12 = 12. I see we have potential here for a slam. I must therefore keep on bidding and must not pass it out at 4ª."

How you keep on bidding will depend on your partnership's slam techniques. On this holding Blackwood is a sensible move but on other hands cue bidding might be the right approach (but only if the partnership is familiar with cue bidding techniques, of course).

Incidentally, that sequence: 1¨ - 1ª - 4ª is not a "shutout" by opener. Shut out bids occur only on the first round of bidding and are designed to keep the opponents out of the auction. There is no such concept as a shutout with opener's rebid. The reason is that if the bidding has been, say, 1¨ - 1ª, who would opener want to shut out? Two opponents who could not enter the auction on the first round?

Some confuse the given auction with 1ª - 4ª, where the 4ª response is intended to be a shut out, but here the 4ª bid occurs on the first round of bidding and is designed to keep fourth player out of the bidding.

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