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Quiz: Barrier-Reversing

Quiz: Deal # Thursday
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Basic
strategy
0000). How to use Quiz B 0001). Bidding Objectives = "8 and 25" Quiz B 0002). 28 for minor Quiz B 0003). 33 for NT slam Quiz B 0004). Suit slam Quiz B 0005). Importance of length 0006). Convention card Quiz B 0007). ACOL and American Standard, differences 0008). A-Z Glossary 0009). A-Z Glossary
Hand
evaluation
Quiz B 0010). Balanced-Unbalanced Quiz B 0011). How strong is your hand, HCP Quiz B 0012). Distribution points Quiz B 0013). Losing trick count Quiz B 0014). Barrier-Reversing Quiz B 0015). Selection of opening suit Quiz B 0016). Showing shape Quiz B 0017). 4441 distribution Quiz B 0018). The skip over principle Quiz B 0019). Rule of 20 Opening 1 of a suit Quiz B 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
Quiz B 0020). Plan of attack Quiz B 0021). Bal, 12 to 19 HCPs, weak NT Quiz B 0022). Bal, 20+ points 0023). Bal, 15 to 17 HCPs, strong NT Quiz B 0025). Unbal, 12 to 19 HCPs, 1 suit Quiz B 0026). Unbal, Strong 2s Quiz B 0027). Unbal, Pre-emptive Quiz B 0028). Unbal, Gambling 3NT
Responder
1st bids
Quiz B 0030). After 1NT, General principles Quiz B 0031). After 1NT, Weak Quiz B 0032). After 1NT, Getting out of trouble Quiz B 0033). After 1NT, 11+ balanced Quiz B 0034). After 1NT, 11+ 4-card major Quiz B 0035). After 1NT, 11+ unbalanced Quiz B 0036). After 1NT, 19+ Quiz B 0037). After 2NT Quiz B 0038). After 1NT, and Enemy has interfered 0039). Quiz B 0040). After 1 Suit, With fit Quiz B 0041). After 1 Suit, No fit, but alternative suit Quiz B 0042). After 1 Suit, No fit, no new suit, probably balanced Quiz B 0043). After 1 Suit, 6 points, nothing to bid Quiz B 0044). After 1 Suit, Very strong Quiz B 0045). After 1 Suit, Weak freak Quiz B 0047). After 2 Suit, Strong 2s Quiz B 0048). After 2 Suit, Weak 2s Quiz B 0049). After 3 Suit, Responding to preempt
Openers
rebid
Quiz B 0050). Unbalanced, The general idea Quiz B 0051). Unbalanced, You are weak Quiz B 0052). Unbalanced, You are strong Quiz B 0053). Unbalanced, Partner replied with 1NT Quiz B 0054). Unbalanced, Delayed support 0055). Balanced
Responder
rebids
0060). Responder rebids, The general idea 0061). Choice of two suits 0062). Responders reverse
Basic
Convention
Quiz B 0080). Stayman Quiz B 0081). Transfer 0082). Transfer after 2NT 0083). Texas transfer
Slam
bidding
Quiz B 0090). Slam, Spotting the chance 0091). Blackwood 0092). No-trump slam 0093). Gerber 0094). Extra slam techniques
Interfering
bids
0100). Overcalls, the basic idea Quiz B 0101). Overcalls, in a suit, over a suit Quiz B 0102). Overcalls, in a suit, over 1NT Quiz B 0103). Overcalls, in NT, over a suit Quiz B 0104). Overcalls, Jump overcall Quiz B 0105). Overcalls, Double then bid a suit Quiz B 0106). Overcalls, Bidding opponents suit Quiz B 0107). Overcalls, Balancing (protective) Quiz B 0108). Overcalls, Overcall a preempt Quiz B 0109). Overcalls, Preemptive double jump Quiz B 0110). Overcalls, To overcall, or to double Quiz B 0111). Overcalls, Response to 1NT after suit overcall (Lebensohl) 0112). 0113). After stayman 0114). After transfers 0115). Defence after 1NT 0116). Competitive bidding 0117). Be cautious sometimes Quiz B 0118). Sacrificing Be bold when non-vulnerable Quiz B 0119). Sacrificing Quiz B 0120). Doubles, Double a 1NT Quiz B 0121). Doubles, Double for takeout Quiz B 0122). Doubles, Doubling after opponent overcall Quiz B 0126). Doubles, Protective double
Doubles

Quiz B 0120). Doubles, Double a 1NT Quiz B 0121). Doubles, Double for takeout Quiz B 0122). Doubles, Doubling after opponent overcall Quiz B 0123). Doubles, Negative double Quiz B 0124). Doubles, Double a 1NT overcall Quiz B 0125). Doubles, Double a suit over 1NT Quiz B 0126). Doubles, Protective double 0127). Doubles, Responsive double 0128). Doubles, Double then bid a suit Quiz B 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 Quiz B 0139). Doubles, Index of doubles
Advanced
Convention
Quiz B 0150). Majors Jacoby 2NT Quiz B 0151). Majors Splinters Quiz B 0152). Majors Weak 2s Quiz B 0153). Majors Weak 2 defence Quiz B 0154). Trial bid Quiz B 0160). NT and minors 4th suit forcing 0161). Minor suit transfer 0162). Bidding When Opponents open 1NT Quiz B 0163). Game tries 0166). Grand Slam Force Quiz B 0167). Roman Keycard Blackwood Quiz B 0168). Cue bidding for controls 0169). 0170). 2-suited Overcall Unusual 2NT 0171). 2-suited Overcall Michaels cue bid Quiz B 0172). 2-suited Overcall Landy over 1NT Quiz B 0173). Overcall Unassuming cue bid 0179). Very advanced

« Quiz no. B 0013 »

Test your knowledge

Hand evaluation - Losing trick count

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Question 1 (of 18 on this page)
What is the Losing Trick Count used for ?

1. Counting how many tricks you might lose
2. Deciding how high to bid
3. Remembering how many tricks you can afford to lose in a contract
4. Reminding yourself how bad you are at playing

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Answer 1 (of 18 on this page)
What is the Losing Trick Count used for ?

( 2 ). Deciding how high to bid

And nothing else, in spite of its name.

Provided your team has an 8-card trump fit, Losing Trick Count (LTC) is an arithmetical device to help you make a guess at how many tricks your team might make as declarer, based on a count of your actual hand plus a guess of partner's LTC based on his bid.

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Question 2 (of 18 on this page)
What is a loser ?

1. Your partner
2. You
3. A card lower than Q
4. A bad contract
5. Something else
6. A card in the range 2-10

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Answer 2 (of 18 on this page)
What is a loser ?

( 5 ). Something else

Answer 3 was close, lower than a queen. But not close enough.

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Question 3 (of 18 on this page)
The maximum number of "losing tricks" (or "losers") you can have in one suit is 3.

TRUE or FALSE ?
1. TRUE
2. FALSE

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Answer 3 (of 18 on this page)
The maximum number of "losing tricks" (or "losers") you can have in one suit is 3.

TRUE or FALSE ?
( 1 ). TRUE

Remember also that after 3 rounds of cards have been played, there's a good chance that all your remaining cards are winners. And the longer your suit is, the more true this is likely to be - 'cos the enemy suits will be getting even shorter.

The Losing trick Count makes the assumption that this is always true.

(In a deal with a perfectly balanced distribution of cards, where each hand has a 4-3-3-3 shape, it will always be true).

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Question 4 (of 18 on this page)
Is there any difference in how you use the Losing Trick Count when playing in No Trumps ?

1. basically the same
2. identical
3. quite different
4. totally different

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Answer 4 (of 18 on this page)
Is there any difference in how you use the Losing Trick Count when playing in No Trumps ?

( 4 ). totally different

You can't use Losing Trick Count when bidding for a No Trump contract, because your shortages can count against you, not in your favour.

In a Trump contract, your void will kill all the enemy's Aces Kings and Queens. But in a No Trump contract (having no trumps!), a void will instead be a power vacuum when fighting the enemy's high cards.

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Question 5 (of 18 on this page)
When should you use the Losing Trick Count ?

1. Only if your charming partner has agreed in the pub beforehand to use this system whenever you play as partners
2. I expect my partner to do whatever I do (she's got intuition)
3. Always
4. Always, unless the contract is in No Trumps
5. Whenever we have an 8-card fit
6. Whenever we play in a suit contract

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Answer 5 (of 18 on this page)
When should you use the Losing Trick Count ?

( 5 ). Whenever we have an 8-card fit

Do not use LTC unless you have an 8-card fit. (If you haven't found an 8-card fit, then normally you'll either be heading for a No Trump contract, or simply stopping the bidding in a low "part-score" contract).

If your 8-card fit is in a minor, and you close the bidding in a minor contact, that's fine - LTC is likely to be very useful. But beware: with a minor suit fit you might still be trying for a 3 No Trump contract (to get the extra bonus points), and in that case the Losing Trick Count will NOT help you - don't use it with NTs.

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Question 6 (of 18 on this page)
One (only) of the top 3 cards (A,K,Q) is missing.

Do you have any "Losers" ?
1. Yes, I have one "Loser".
2. No losers, provided it's the Queen that's missing.
3. No losers, provided it's the Queen that's missing, and provided no other cards are present.

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Answer 6 (of 18 on this page)
One (only) of the top 3 cards (A,K,Q) is missing.

Do you have any "Losers" ?
( 3 ). No losers, provided it's the Queen that's missing, and provided no other cards are present.

Why not "Yes, one loser"? Well the answer is "Yes" when either the Ace or the King is missing and replaced with a low card. The exception is - if it's the Queen that's missing, AND provided you have no further cards (other than the Ace and the King). In that case you don't have any losers.

(Because after the Ace and King have been played, you can use trumps to kill off the Queen if your partner doesn't have it, so no losers).

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Question 7 (of 18 on this page)
Looking at the 4 hands in the deal, what is West's Losing Trick Count ?

1. 5
2. 6
3. 7
4. 8
5. 9

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Answer 7 (of 18 on this page)
Looking at the 4 hands in the deal, what is West's Losing Trick Count ?

( 3 ). 7

West has 7 losers. None in Spades, one in Hearts, and three each in the other two suits.

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Question 8 (of 18 on this page)
Looking at the 4 hands in the deal, what is North's Losing Trick Count ?

1. 5
2. 6
3. 7
4. 8
5. 9

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Answer 8 (of 18 on this page)
Looking at the 4 hands in the deal, what is North's Losing Trick Count ?

( 1 ). 5

North has 5 losers. The same High Card Points as West, but a much better hand with 2 fewer losers. Two each in spades and Hearts, and one in Clubs.

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Question 9 (of 18 on this page)
Looking at the 4 hands in the deal, what is East's Losing Trick Count ?

1. 5
2. 6
3. 7
4. 8
5. 9

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Answer 9 (of 18 on this page)
Looking at the 4 hands in the deal, what is East's Losing Trick Count ?

( 1 ). 5

Another great hand with only 5 losers. 3 in Spades, 1 in Hearts and one in Clubs.

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Question 10 (of 18 on this page)
What should be the combined Losing Trick Count of a partnership hoping to bid to 4 in a suit ?

1. 3 or less
2. 3 or more
3. 4 or less
4. 4 or more
5. 14 or more
6. 14 or less

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Answer 10 (of 18 on this page)
What should be the combined Losing Trick Count of a partnership hoping to bid to 4 in a suit ?

( 6 ). 14 or less

Add your losers together and subtract from 18. That gives the level the LTC method suggests you might bid up to - and still make the contract.

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Question 11 (of 18 on this page)
Looking at the 4 hands in the deal, what is South's Losing Trick Count ?

1. 5
2. 6
3. 7
4. 8
5. 9

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Answer 11 (of 18 on this page)
Looking at the 4 hands in the deal, what is South's Losing Trick Count ?

( 3 ). 7

A hand with only 10HCP, but actually it's a strong 7-loser hand. One in Clubs, and 2 in each of the other three suits.

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Question 12 (of 18 on this page)
How many losers can you assume your partner has, after he opened with 1 Spade ?

1. 5
2. 6
3. 6 or fewer
4. 7
5. 7 or fewer
6. 8
7. 8 or fewer
8. 9
9. 9 or fewer

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Answer 12 (of 18 on this page)
How many losers can you assume your partner has, after he opened with 1 Spade ?

( 5 ). 7 or fewer

This is a fundamental plank of the LTC. When your partner opens 1 of a suit, (typically having 12-19 HCP), you should assume that he has a Losing Trick Count of 7 (while keeping in mind that it could be better - maybe 6 or even 5 - let's listen carefully to his next bid to find out…).

Of course if you don't find an 8-card trump fit, you don't really care what his LTC might be...

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Question 13 (of 18 on this page)
How many losers can you assume your partner has if he replied to your 1 level opening with 2 of a different but lower ranking suit ?

1. 5
2. 6
3. 6 or fewer
4. 7
5. 7 or fewer
6. 8
7. 8 or fewer
8. 9
9. 9 or fewer

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Answer 13 (of 18 on this page)
How many losers can you assume your partner has if he replied to your 1 level opening with 2 of a different but lower ranking suit ?

( 7 ). 8 or fewer

This is another fundamental plank of the LTC. When your partner responds in a different suit, you will need to calculate LTCs if you have a fit in this new suit.

In this instance your partner responded in a lower ranking suit, necessarily at the two level (having typically 10 points in his hand). The extra strength required to do this (compared to changing suit at only the one level) means that you can assume he must have an LTC of 8 or better (maybe even 7 or 6). Since the change of suit was a forcing bid, the two of you will each have more bidding opportunities to explore...

You would assume one more loser, i.e. 9, if he'd responded in a new suit at the lower "one level".

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Question 14 (of 18 on this page)
You are dealer, North, vulnerable.You have this 13-HCP 7-loser hand

A Q 8 2
J 7 6 5 3
K 5 2
K

So you open 1 Heart. Your partner responds with 3 Hearts, so we have an 8-card fit in a Major. (The right and left hand opponents say nothing). What should you bid next?
1. pass
2. 4 Hearts

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Answer 14 (of 18 on this page)
You are dealer, North, vulnerable.You have this 13-HCP 7-loser hand

A Q 8 2
J 7 6 5 3
K 5 2
K

So you open 1 Heart. Your partner responds with 3 Hearts, so we have an 8-card fit in a Major. (The right and left hand opponents say nothing). What should you bid next?
( 1 ). pass

When there's a suit-fit agreement, your partner's bid will have been a "limit bid", pushing it to the limit of safety for their hand, in view of the minimum you guaranteed with your bid.

In this case, you don't have anything extra compared to the minimum guaranteed by your opening bid, so yes, you should pass.

But is that wise? Cleverer bidders might have noticed those 5 Hearts in your hand, 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

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Question 15 (of 18 on this page)
You are South with the hand shown, with 9HCP. North is dealer and opens 1 Heart. The right hand opponent says nothing. You're vulnerable.You have this 9-HCP 7-loser hand

7
A Q 8 4 2
Q J 8 6
9 8 5

What should you reply, and why?
1. 3H: Because my partner promised 4 Heart cards, and so we have 9 Hearts between us, enough for 9 tricks, hence my 3H bid.
2. 2H: My partner promised 12HCP, I've got 9HCP, 21 points in all. Which is not strong enough for the 25 you need to bid safely for game. But I've got Heart support so I'll bid Hearts at the 3.
3. 3H: Because not only do we have 21 HCP, but I have a singleton which is worth 3 points (when we have an 8-card fit, which we do). So that makes 24 points in all. So I'll bid 3H, inviting my partner to raise to game if he's not at the bottom end of his 12-19HCP range.
4. 2S: A splinter jump bid to show support for Hearts and to show which suit my singleton is in.
5. 2D: To show my 4 diamonds, knowing that since it's a forcing bid I'll then be able to tell partner about our Heart fit when the bidding comes back to me.
6. Something else:

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Answer 15 (of 18 on this page)
You are South with the hand shown, with 9HCP. North is dealer and opens 1 Heart. The right hand opponent says nothing. You're vulnerable.You have this 9-HCP 7-loser hand

7
A Q 8 4 2
Q J 8 6
9 8 5

What should you reply, and why?
( 6 ). Something else:

"Yes, something else.

The Losing Trick Count will guide you to bid 4 Hearts, and have a punt at a Game bid - with all those lovely bonus points. Even though you only have a discouraging 9 HCP, your Losing Trick Count is a wonderful 7 (1, 1,2, 3). That's due to the great shape of your hand.

And you can safely assume your partner's LTC is also 7, because he opened.

So that's 7+7=14.

18-14=4, so LTC says it's worth going for 4 Hearts, rather than raising it to only 3H. The problem with a 3H invitation bid is that it runs the risk of being left at 3H if your partner's hand is at the lower end of the 12-19HCP minimum - which today it is.

(By the way, answer option 4 is not a splinter, it's a jump-shift. A splinter bid would be 3 Spades. And you'd have to have a much stronger hand to go down the option 5 route).

BY THE WAY...
(WEST has
9 5 3
J 9
A 10 7 4
Q J 4 3
.. and EAST has
K J 10 6 4
10 6
Q 3
A 10 6 2)"

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Question 16 (of 18 on this page)
Looking at the 4 hands in the deal, East and West each have 10HCP, and a total of 20HCP. Based only on LTC considerations, what's the highest contract they should consider bidding?

1. 1 Heart or Spade
2. 2 Hearts or Spades
3. 3 Hearts or Spades
4. 4 Hearts or Spades
5. 5 Hearts or Spades
6. 6 Hearts or Spades

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Answer 16 (of 18 on this page)
Looking at the 4 hands in the deal, East and West each have 10HCP, and a total of 20HCP. Based only on LTC considerations, what's the highest contract they should consider bidding?

( 6 ). 6 Hearts or Spades

7+5=12

And: 18-12=6.

(And even though E-W only have 20HCP in total, 6 Spades can actually make, unless the opening lead is a Club from North).

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Question 17 (of 18 on this page)
How many losers can you assume your partner has if he replied to your 1 level opening with 1 of a different but higher ranking suit ?

1. 5
2. 6
3. 7
4. 8
5. 9
6. 9 or fewer

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Answer 17 (of 18 on this page)
How many losers can you assume your partner has if he replied to your 1 level opening with 1 of a different but higher ranking suit ?

( 6 ). 9 or fewer

When your partner responds in a different suit from your first bid, you will need to calculate LTCs only if you have a fit in this new suit.

In this instance your partner responded in a higher ranking suit, but was able to do this at the one level. The strength required to do this is minimal, (having 6+ points in his hand), requiring an LTC of only 9.

Since the change of suit was a forcing bid, your partner will have another opportunity to bid - so you may discover later that he has fewer than 9 losers..... For now we know that he has an LTC of 9 at the most.

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Question 18 (of 18 on this page)
There is no question 18, thank goodness!

What shall we do?
1. Have a glass of wine
2. Play some more bridge
3. Both

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Answer 18 (of 18 on this page)
There is no question 18, thank goodness!

What shall we do?
( 3 ). Both

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	West
	A K Q J 10
	2
	10 7 6
	10 7 6 2

	North
	7 6
	6 3
	A K Q J 9 8 5 4
	3

	East
	9 8 5 4
	A Q 10 9 8 5 4

	K J

	South
	3 2
	K J 7
	3 2
	A Q 9 8 5 4

Other Deals that illustrate this technique

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Quiz: Barrier-Reversing

Quiz: Deal # Thursday

Test your knowledge

Hand evaluation - Losing trick count

Bridge Venue