 | Counting For Short Suits |
How to evaluate a hand with short suits.
Introduction
Back in the olden days, people were taught to count 3 points for a void, 2 points for a singleton, and 1 point for a doubleton, regardless of any bidding by your partner or your opponents. Quite frankly, this advice is wrong.
Evaluating the value of short suits is a bit of an art, but the following guidelines are the ones recommended by modern experts.
When Planning To Open
Do not count any points for short suits; count length instead (see the article on the Rule of 20 for more details). Here’s an example:
Example 1
| You are the dealer, and you hold: | ||
| ♠ — ♥ K Q 7 ♦ A J 9 5 4 ♣ 9 7 6 5 2 | This is a hand where the old style can get you into trouble. If you count 3 points for the spade void, you will open this hand 1♦. What always seems to happen is that partner responds 1♠, you rebid 2♣, partner rebids 2♠, and you end up in a poor contract with a bad score. Pass this hand and wait for further developments. | |
When Partner Bids
Only count points for short suits when you have support for partner’s suit. That doesn’t mean you plan on raising partner’s suit immediately, only that you have the option to if you choose. Under these circumstances, count 5 points for a void, 3 points for a singleton, and 1 point for a doubleton. Here are some examples:
Example 2
| Partner opens 1♠, and you hold: | ||
| ♠ K Q 7 5 ♥ 4 ♦ Q 8 7 6 ♣ 9 6 4 2 | If you don’t consider shortness, you would only value this hand at 7 points and you would respond 2♠. However, if you count the singleton heart as 3 points, this hand is now worth a limit raise to 3♠, and that’s what you should bid. | |
Example 3
| Partner opens 1♥, and you hold: | ||
| ♠ 8 ♥ K Q 7 ♦ A J 9 5 4 ♣ 9 7 6 2 | Your first response will be 2♦. However, if you only value your hand as 10 points, you won’t likely bid game. But you should bid 4♥ on your next turn (your singleton spade is worth 3 extra points). | |
Example 4
| You open 1♦, partner responds 1♥, and you hold: | ||
| ♠ 8 ♥ K Q 7 5 ♦ A J 9 5 4 ♣ K J 6 | If you only value this hand at 14 points, you would raise partner to 2♥. However, because you have a fit and a singleton (worth 3 extra points), make a jump raise to 3♥ instead. | |
When The Opponents Bid
Considering length in an opponent’s suit is a little different. You don’t add or subtract points; you reevaluate your hand and let the length in an opponent’s suit influence your judgment on borderline hands. Here are some guidelines:
- When an opponent opens with one of a suit, the worst length you can have is three. This holding maximizes the possible number of losers you have in that suit. If you have one or two, you won’t lose more than that. If you have four or more, you can hope for your partner to be short to reduce your losers. Therefore, when your right hand opponent opens 1♠ and you have three small spades, downgrade your hand before deciding whether to bid or not. If you can stand three spade losers, then by all means bid anyway. Otherwise, pass and wait.
- When an opponent opens with one of a suit and his partner raises, the worst length you can have is two. The reasoning is similar to the previous point. If your right hand opponent opens 1♠, he probably has five. Assume you have two. When your left hand opponent raises to 2♠, he probably has three. That likely leaves three in your partner’s hand, so you have two losers.
- Length in an opponent’s suit can be good or bad. If you have length in a suit bid on your right, that’s generally good. When you play the hand, both your left hand opponent and your partner will be short. If your left hand opponent ruffs, your partner can probably overruff. However, if you have length in a suit bid on your left, that’s generally bad. Now, your right hand opponent can probably overruff your partner.