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Quiz: Barrier-Reversing

Quiz: Deal # Thursday
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Basic
strategy
0000). How to use 0001). Bidding Objectives = "8 and 25" 0002). 28 for minor 0003). 33 for NT slam 0004). Suit slam 0005). Importance of length 0006). Convention card 0007). ACOL and American Standard, differences 0008). A-Z Glossary 0690). A-Z Glossary
Hand
evaluation
0010). Balanced-Unbalanced 0011). How strong is your hand, HCP 0012). Distribution points 0013). Losing trick count 0014). Barrier-Reversing 0015). Selection of opening suit 0016). Showing shape 0017). 4441 distribution 0018). The skip over principle 0019). Rule of 20 Opening 1 of a suit 0019a). Rule of 25 Opening 2 of a suit 0019b). Rule of 500 Max penalty risk on preempt if doubled 0019c). Law of total tricks 0019d). Rule of Protective bidding
Opening
bids
0020). Plan of attack 0021). Bal, 12 to 19 HCPs, weak NT 0022). Bal, 20+ points 0023). Bal, 15 to 17 HCPs, strong NT 0025). Unbal, 12 to 19 HCPs, 1 suit 0026). Unbal, Strong 2s 0027). Unbal, Pre-emptive 0028). Unbal, Gambling 3NT 0029). Benji Strong 2s
Responder
1st bids
0030). After 1NT, General principles 0031). After 1NT, Weak 0032). After 1NT, Getting out of trouble 0033). After 1NT, 11+ balanced 0034). After 1NT, 11+ 4-card major 0035). After 1NT, 11+ unbalanced 0036). After 1NT, 19+ 0037). After 2NT 0038). After 1NT, and Enemy has interfered 0039). 1 NT responses 0040). After 1 Suit, With fit 0041). After 1 Suit, No fit, but alternative suit 0042). After 1 Suit, No fit, no new suit, probably balanced 0043). After 1 Suit, 6 points, nothing to bid 0044). After 1 Suit, Very strong 0045). After 1 Suit, Weak freak 0047). After 2 Suit, Strong 2s 0048). After 2 Suit, Weak 2s 0049). After 3 Suit, Responding to preempt
Openers
rebid
0050). Unbalanced, The general idea 0051). Unbalanced, You are weak 0052). Unbalanced, You are strong 0053). Unbalanced, Partner replied with 1NT 0054). Unbalanced, Delayed support 0055). Balanced
Responder
rebids
0060). Responder rebids, The general idea 0061). Choice of two suits 0062). Responders reverse 0063). After 1NT rebid
Basic
Convention
0080). Stayman 0081). Transfer 0082). Transfer after 2NT 0161). Minor suit transfer
Slam
bidding
0090). Slam, Spotting the chance 0091). Blackwood 0092). No-trump slam 0093). Gerber 0094). Extra slam techniques
Interfering
bids
0100). Overcalls, the basic idea 0101). Overcalls, in a suit, over a suit 0102). Overcalls, in a suit, over 1NT 0103). Overcalls, in NT, over a suit 0104). Overcalls, Jump overcall 0105). Overcalls, Double then bid a suit 0106). Overcalls, Bidding opponents suit 0107). Overcalls, Balancing (protective) 0108). Overcalls, Overcall a preempt 0109). Overcalls, Preemptive double jump 0110). Overcalls, To overcall, or to double 0111). Overcalls, Response to 1NT after suit overcall (Lebensohl) 0115). Defence after 1NT 0116). Competitive bidding 0117). Be cautious sometimes 0118). Sacrificing Be bold when non-vulnerable 0119). Sacrificing 0120). Doubles, Double a 1NT 0121). Doubles, Double for takeout 0122). Doubles, Doubling after opponent overcall 0126). Doubles, Protective double
Doubles

0120). Doubles, Double a 1NT 0121). Doubles, Double for takeout 0122). Doubles, Doubling after opponent overcall 0123). Doubles, Negative double 0124). Doubles, Double a 1NT overcall 0125). Doubles, Double a suit over 1NT 0126). Doubles, Protective double 0127). Doubles, Responsive double 0128). Doubles, Double then bid a suit 0129). Doubles, Penalty 0130). Doubles, Support double 0131). Doubles, Lead directing double 0132). Doubles, Maximal double 0133). Doubles, Redoubling - coded meanings 0134). Doubles, Forcing Pass 0135). Doubles, Re-opening double 0139). Doubles, Index of doubles
Advanced
Convention
0150). Majors Jacoby 2NT 0151). Majors Splinters 0152). Majors Weak 2s 0153). Majors Weak 2 defence 0154). Trial bid 0160). NT and minors 4th suit forcing 0161). Minor suit transfer 0162). DONT Bidding When Opponents open 1NT 0163). Game tries 0166). Grand Slam Force 0167). Roman Keycard Blackwood 0168). Cue bidding for controls 0170). 2-suited Overcall Unusual 2NT 0171). 2-suited Overcall Michaels cue bid 0172). 2-suited Overcall Landy over 1NT 0173). Overcall Unassuming cue bid 0179). Very advanced

Quiz How much do you know about this page? Quiz

<= find/hide more deals exploiting this aspect

Quick summary

The key numbers of losers are:

7: opener
9: responder, 1 level
and then 1 fewer as barriers are broken

Barriers are

16+, opener
10+, responder
12+, responder

Take team total from 18:

that's how high to bid
(and make, safely)

Isolated Queen=Extra half loser (unless supported by partner or a Jack)

AQ=0.5, not 0
Qxx=2.5, not 2

Overcalling, loser count:

7 if vuln, 8 if not
same for a 6-card 'weak' jump overcall

Print cribsheet

Bridge Venue

+	West
	A J 10 8 3
	A 10 3
	K Q 5 4
	6

+	North
	K 2
	K Q 4
	J 9 7 3
	9 7 3 2

	East
	9 6 4
	J 8 6
	8 6
	A Q 10 8 4

+	South
	Q 7 5
	9 7 5 2
	A 10 2
	K J 5

Example Deal

You: East
Dealer: North
Vuln: N-S

# 126015

Opening 1 of a suit with limit responses in NT
..
Go to quiz (& full page) of deal # 126015
***

Click the + buttons to peep

Click on "q1" below to see question 1, and on "A1" to see the answer.

Question 1

Your partner West opens 1S, but you don't like them. (Spades, not your partner). Your Clubs are good. Do you pass, or bid your Clubs ?

Question 1

Your partner West opens 1S, but you don't like them. (Spades, not your partner). Your Clubs are good. Do you pass, or bid your Clubs ?

Answer

Neither. You (East) can't change suit at the 2 level with only 7 HCP. You could risk weak Spade support, 2S, but that promises 4 of them which you don't have.

That said, bidding Spades is still an option: support with only 3-cards is often acceptable, since on 95% of occasions an opening bid of a Spade can be assumed to be from a 5-card suit, the second bid will clarify if it isn't, and (crucially) in this case you have an outside shortage that you exploit by ruffing with your short suit of Spades.

Anyway, you certainly don't want to pass, because you have 7 HCP and partner might have enough for game. 1NT denies 4 Spades, which is accurate, and ideally should be balanced, which is also technically accurate. Perhaps that's your best bid, but it's not clear cut given the diamond shortage.

Question 2

Your partner West now tries diamonds, bidding 2 of them. They are even worse than Spades in your hand. Are you allowed to pass ?

Question 2

Your partner West now tries diamonds, bidding 2 of them. They are even worse than Spades in your hand. Are you allowed to pass ?

Answer

Not on your life. On two counts. First, your partner has asked you to make a choice, and second, in his second bid, he also told you 2 more things: that he has 5-4 in Spades and diamonds, and that he has 12-15 points, not 12-19. If you pass, you are choosing diamonds, which would be a really bad choice, because you probably only have 6 of them between you.

Question 3

So what should you do ?

Question 3

So what should you do ?

Answer

Bid 2 Spades. You have an 8-card Major fit, so Spades is the right suit. No point going any higher, because the best you could have is 23 points, including your distribution point for the doubleton (which you can now include, because you have an 8-card trump suit fit). Even though 3 Spades might make, you're well short of 25 needed for game. Looking at LTC, you have 9 losers, and you should assume your partner has 7 losers, because he is an opener who has not gone through his barrier. Total 16. Subtract from 18 = 2. Another reason for not bidding higher than 2.

. . . .

Some subjects to follow up on
Barrier-Reversing
Losing trick count
Selection of opening suit
Bidding Objectives = "8 and 25"
Unbal, 12 to 19 HCPs, 1 suit

#1	+	<-- click the + to show/hide one possible Bidding Sequence
West			North	East	South
-			p	p	p
1S			p	???
				1NT	p
2D			p	2S	p
p			p
-			System: Acol (Benji)
suggest a different Bidding Sequence

bid	explained at....
#2	+	<-- click the + for explanation of relevant Bidding Techniques
1S	Unbal, 12 to 19 HCPs, 1 suit
1NT	After 1 Suit, 6 points, nothing to bid
2D	Unbalanced, You are weak
2S	Unbalanced, Delayed support


			Hand evaluation

#3	+	<-- click the + for ideas on the Opening Lead
Opening Lead: North , 7 Reasons, when playing in Either suit or NT contract: 1. unbid suit 2. top of rubbish

« 0013 »

7-9-18 Losing Trick Count

How high to bid ?

This is a jolly useful and quick additional method for helping you to work out how high to bid in a suit before stopping the auction, assuming you have an 8-card fit.

The method more commonly used is to start from your High Card Points (HCP), and then refine it by working out all the "shape points" (for voids, singletons, doubletons, long suits, singleton Kings, unsupported Queens...). But the Losing Trick Count (LTC) is quicker, as well as being different, and helps you make that final vital decision quickly and calmly, and with a slightly different perspective.

As with all methods of analysis, it is not perfect, and is no substitute for thoughtful bidding! There will be deals that it cannot accurately predict. But it does have some extra benefits, and when taken in conjunction with counting High Card Points and careful thought, will help you to take sensible risks, and avoid silly ones Richard.

Quick and easy

First count the losing tricks in your own hand, then make an assumption of how many losers your partner has, based on his bid. Adding these two numbers together and subtracting the total from 18 gives you an indication of how high you can bid.

My partner's losers?

The number of losers you should assume for your partner can be derived from how your partner has bid. The higher he bid, the lower the number of losers he has. The starting position is 7 and 9. Seven for a partner that opened at the one level, and 9 for a partner who responded by bidding a new suit at the one level.

Let's say you have 8 losers.

If you're the responder, then you should assume your partner (who opened the bidding) has 7, so you have 15 between you altogether. Subtract that from 18, leaving 3... which is an indication of how high you can safely bid, providing you have an 8-card fit.

If you're the opener, it's the same, but you assume your partner has 9 losers if he responded at the 1 level - (so obviously in a new suit). If your partner had to respond in a new suit at the two level, then assume one less loser, namely 8. But if your responding partner supported your suit, then you have a fit, and you can assume your partner has already done the LTC - and figured out how high to bid from what he can see in his hand. So you would only raise further if you have fewer losers than the 7 losers that he will have counted on you having.

The easiest way to improve your bidding

The Losing Trick Count (LTC) solves a bidding problem that often arises. You and your partner already have a fit: you've worked out which suit you should be in, say . Partner has just bid 2 let's say. Unfortunately, based on your HCP point count, and your distribution, and based on your partner's bids, carefully noting any reverses and so on, you can see that you only have the strength to go to 3, not the 4needed for game. You and partner might have 23 total points for example.

But you've noticed that the shape of your hand is quite special, surely you've got enough to risk 4, and go for the 420 points ? On the other hand you're vulnerable, so if the opposition double you, and you only make 2, you'll go down 500 points.

And amazingly, LTC really works in many situations. That's because it takes account of all three factors: strength, length and shortage. Try to make a habit of evaluating your LTC when you first look at your hand for balance, HCP and length points. But definitely evaluate your LTC when you observe that the two of you have an 8-card fit.

How to count your losers

It's quick and easy. As you examine the cards dealt to you in each suit, there's 3 things to keep in mind:

It's a maximum of 3 losers per suit
Less one for each Ace, King, or Queen in the suit
'Droppable Honours' count as losers (i.e. singleton King, or doubleton Queen)

However, this simple method of subtracting one loser for each A, K or Q in a suit tends to overvalue unsupported queens and undervalue supported jacks.

Modifications for suits containing the Queen, & 3 or more cards

With Qxx, add ½ a loser, unless the Q is in one of the following situations:

the Q is supported by the A, K, or J - don't add ½ a loser
Q109 - don't add ½
the Q is in the trump suit proposed by partner - don't add ½

Other modifications

A known 9-card trump fit is stronger - so subtract a loser
For suits with the AJ10: - again better than it looks: so only 1 loser, not 2
Any ½s in the total Losing Trick Count are rounded "up" - eg. 6½ becomes a more cautious 7.
Beware Ace-less or King-less hands. (Add ½ loser for a hand with NO Aces but add 1 loser for the rare hands with no Aces nor Kings).

All this is a basic guide to counting losers. In the full system, distinctions can be made between balanced and unbalanced hands - but these are for accomplished and experienced players. For a full analysis of the use of LTC in many situations, see "The Modern Losing Trick Count" by Ron Klinger.

The table below, 13c, gives a summary of how to count the LTC from your hand.

13c. Losing Trick Count - How to calculate for your hand
The quick sum you have to do:
it's a maximum of 3 Losers per suit, less one for each A, K or Q in the suit.
	Loser count per suit
	0	1	2	3
Suit length	No. of Losers in a suit with these cards:
3	AKQ	AKx	Axx *
		A Qx	Kxx	xxx
		KQx	Qxx (= 2½L) *	Qxx (= 2½L) *
2	AK	Ax	Qx *
		Kx	xx
	A Q (=½L) *	A Q (=½L) *
1	A	any (ex-A)
0

x is any card from 2, 3, 4... up to 9, 10, J
Refinements
	A known 9-card fit is stronger than an 8-card, so subtract one loser.
	* only 1 loser (instead of 2) if xx = J & 10.
The Queen's strength (compared with A/K's) depends more on support, hence:
	* 2½ Losers, or only 2 Losers if partner bids suit, or if an x= J.
	* insufficient support for Q to survive 2 attacks, from A then K.
	* improve by ½ Loser (from ½ to 0), if partner bids suit.

see Table 13a for the Losing Trick Count of key bids
Add to your customised cribsheet

How to estimate your partner's LTC

Just in case you can't work it all out, all by yourself, here's a little table of Losing Trick Counts for various types of bid...

13a. Losing Trick Count (LTC)
LTC	Bid type	e.g. bid	Typical points
opening bids
3	game-forcing	2, or 2 (Benji)	23+
4	strong 2-level, not quite game-forcing	2 (Benji)	20-22
5	strong 1-level	1	18-19
6	good 1-level	1	15-17
7	minimum 1-level	1	12-14
responding bids
5	jump-shift	(1) 2	16+
7	game values	(1) 4	12+
8	2-level new suit, lower ranking suit	(1) 2	10+
8	3-level suit support	(1) 3	10-11 limited
9	1-level new suit	(1) 1	6+
9	single raise suit support	(1) 2	6-9 limited
opener's re-bids
5	jump-shift, after 1-level new suit	(1, 1) 3	19+
6	jump-shift, after 2-level new suit	(1, 2) 3	16+
6	barrier-breaking rebid (reverse)	(1, 2) 2	16+
7	non-jump shift (non-reverse)	(1, 1/2) 2	12+
overcalls
	See Table 100
overcalls
Add to your customised cribsheet

Don't worry if you don't remember this table. If you know partner's bid (which hopefully you do!) or his probable point count, you can estimate/calculate partner's Losing Trick Count, by starting from 7 for a minimum opening hand, and deducting approx. one loser for each extra 3 points you think he's got.

When you have a suit fit, LTC automatically allows for both length and shortage (for voids, singletons, doubletons, long suits, singleton Kings, unsupported Queens...) as well as strength, and is therefore more useful than HCP. But...

...it's not a substitute for thoughtful bidding, and
don't be tempted to always bid a Slam if each of you have 6-loser hand. The enemy might have 2 Aces.

Examples

Take a typical opening-strength hand of 13HCP, e.g.

	Hand 1
	A K x x
	A x x x x
	Q x
	x x

Hand 1 has 7 losers (1+2+2+2=7). To calculate how high to bid, as soon as you realise that you and partner have an 8-card fit, you and your partner will start adding the number of losers in your hand to the assumed number in partner's hand. The total number of losers arrived at by this sum is subtracted from 18. The answer is the LTC perspective of the highest makeable bid level available to your partnership, and in many cases this might be the next bid you make.

Let's say you're dealer with hand 1 shown above. It's got 7 losers, so you make an opening bid of 1. Let's also say that your partner has 4 Hearts in his hand.

Partner, if he has a weak 10-loser hand, but with a fit with your heart suit, says "no bid". (10+7=17, which deducted from 18 suggests 1 only trick is makeable).
If he has a 9-loser hand, and a fit with your heart suit, he bids 2. (9+7=16, which deducted from 18 suggests 2 tricks are makeable).
With 8 losers in hand and a fit, partner bids 3 (8+7=15 which deducted from 18 = 3 tricks). This invites you to raise to 4 if your hand was stronger than the minimum 7 losers you'd promised with your opening bid. In this case it's not - Hand 1 only has the 7 losers you've already revealed, so you'd leave it at 3 But is that wise? Cleverer bidders might have noticed those 5 Hearts in Hand 1, and realising that a 9-card fit is typically better than an 8-card fit by one trick/one loser, and raised the bid to 4
Partner, with 7 losers, and a fit with your heart suit, could jump to game: because 7 + 7 = 14, then subtract from 18 makes 4. So a bid of 4.
With a super strong hand, having only 5 losers and a fit, "a slam is on the cards" thinks partner. So he might bid straight to 6 if he's a risk-taking type. Or your team could take a slower, more examining approach, asking each other about enemy key-cards for example...

In each case, you the opener will re-evaluate your position, based on partner's bid. You might have fewer than 7 losers...

Overcalls and the LTC

You can use the LTC with overalls too. Let's suppose your partner overcalled the dealer to your left. If you're vulnerable, you should assume that your overcalling partner has 7 losers (and a 5-card suit, of course, Alex!). But if you're not vulnerable, overcaller might have a weaker hand with 8 losers.

In the event of a non-competitive auction, the LTC will enable you and your overcalling partner to assess how high to bid - and still win the contract. (On the other hand, you might deliberately be making sacrificial bids in a competitive auction, possibly aiming to shut out the opposition's bidding space by "bidding to the limit of the fit").

Table 100 on page 100 which gives Losing Trick Counts for overcalling bids.

Jump overcalls and the LTC

With a jump overcall, overcaller will always have a 6-card suit.

For people who are using the "intermediate" method for jump overcalls, it's quite a strong bid, promising a Losing Trick Count of 6 (hence "two 6's").

But an increasing number of people don't. Like me, they prefer "weak" jump overcalls, because a weaker hand 6-card suit crops up in overcall situations much more frequently. And like a weak two, it's wonderfully pre-emptive - and of course it tends to interfere more significantly with the opponents' conversations... all good stuff. For a weak jump overcall, assume an LTC of 8 (or 7 if vulnerable). These are the same assumptions as for a 5-card conventional overcall.

With shorter suit length than 6, you shouldn't be jump-overcalling. And if you're strong with a 5 or 6-card suit, you should go via the double for takeout route.

LTC and slam bids (in suits)

The Losing Trick Count can be useful for bidding suit slams.

Losing Trick Count in Action

Deal 1

-	West
	K 9 8 7 2
	3
	A 9 4 3 2
	5 4

+	North

+	East
	A Q J 10 4
	A J 8 6
	8 7
	6 3

+	South

	W	N	E	S
	-	Pass	1	Pass
	?
	After East's opening bid of 1, what should reply as West?
+	<---- Click the "+" for the Answer
	With 7 High Card Points, you've learned to bid 2, or 3 if you include your 4 distribution points. But the LTC reveals more power: With a LTC of 7, you can bid straight to 4. You can ruff the losing Hearts three times, and make 5 tricks in West's hand, leaving only 2 losers in clubs and one in diamonds. The quick jump in the bidding to game with only 19 HCP also prevented the opposition from finding their fit in clubs.

Deal 2

-	West
	8 6 2
	Q J 7 4
	A 4
	A J 5 2

+	North

+	East
	4
	A K 8 7
	10 3 2
	K Q 9 6 3

+	South

	W	N	E	S
	-	Pass	1	Pass
	?
	After East's opening bid of 1, what should reply as West?
+	<---- Click the "+" for the Answer
	You have a LTC of 8. With a Major fit you should support, but if you have a minor fit, as here, it's best to try a Major suit in case there's a fit there too. So bid 1. When the reply comes back 3, implying 6 losers from the Opener, you can re-bid straight to 4.

Now try the quiz

Can you put all this into action ? Try the quiz for this subject by clicking on the link at the top left of the page, just below the main menu.
(You can try quizzes for any other subjects too while you're there. Look out for the thin red line).

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Quiz: Barrier-Reversing

Quiz: Deal # Thursday