Hand Evaluation 2: Re-Evaluate as the Auction Develops

Once the bidding starts, things can change a lot. Our hand can often get a lot better or a lot worse, depending on what we know about our partner's hand. 

These are the two most important concepts to keep in mind once the bidding gets going.

1. Points in our partner's long suits is good. 
2. If your partner has shortage (say a singleton), its ideal for you to have no points in that suit. The less points the better. Conversely, if you have a lot of points opposite shortage, PUT ON THE BRAKES in the bidding. 

Lets look at some examples

1. Playing 2 over 1, where the 2♣ bid is already game forcing.

Your hand looks fantastic when you first pick it up. Two pure suits, nice 6-4 distribution.. Once you find out your partner's length (and typically strength) is in spades and diamonds, your hand looks considerably less exciting as you have shortage opposite those suits. That would indicate that your hands are NOT working well together. Be cautious in this auction, don't get excited, slam has become a lot less likely. 3NT is likely the best spot.

2. Consider this auction

4♣ is a "splinter", showing singleton or void in clubs, and 4 card heart support. How do you feel about your hand? 

Your hand is terrific. You have no wasted club values opposite your partner's shortage. All your points are working really well. Your diamond holding, K10, is incredibly strong. Partner's expected shape is something like 3451 or 2461. Your diamond values will booster his long suit enormously and provide your side with a lot of tricks. Additionally, you have a 9 card trump fit which adds significant strength to the position. You can comfortably bid 4NT to ask for Keycards. 

3. How do you feel about your hand here?

Your partner bid his third suit naturally, giving you a good idea of his shape, expect 5341  See the article on bidding out your shape . Since you are heavily stacked with points in your partner's shortage, your hand is begging to be played in No trump. The hands are not combining well for a suit contract, and it would be a bad idea to climb to the heights of 5 ♦. Simply bid 3NT. 

4. A short auction, 

Its probably a very good idea to pass this auction. Despite having points, they aren't working well to compliment your partner's diamond suit. However, lets change the hand to this

Despite having less high card points, I would not fault a player for bidding 3NT. They can see a very simple way of making the contract when partner has AQxxxxx diamonds, via 7 diamond tricks, and two outside aces. What is the takeaway? Kx brings your partners suit alive, it counts for everything, its worth much more than the 3 points you count for it at the start of the auction.

5. A final example

Your 2NT bid showed a game forcing hand with four spades. Partner's 3 ♥  bid shows a shortage in hearts, how do you feel? Despite having Aces and Kings, you should know that your hand has just been devalued enormously. Your have 7 wasted points opposite partner's shortage. It doesn't matter that they are Aces and Kings, its still a terrible heart holding. I would try to end the auction with a bid of 4 ♠ , which would be the most discouraging bid I could make. Partner has given us information about their hand, its up to us to let partner know that our hands are not working well at all together now.

In summary, Points opposite our partner's shortage are very bad. If we do have points opposite shortage, we should keep the auction low, generally not push to slam if there is a choice, and generally lean towards playing 3NT. Conversely, if we have points opposite our partner's long suits, we are complimenting their hand and should bid more optimistically. 

Where to next

• -> Next: Hand Evaluation 3: Do More with a Good Suit
• -> Related: Responding to a Takeout Double: Keep It Practical
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