The Evaluation Game
By Mark Horton In 46th World Bridge Teams Championships On 21st August 2023
During the bidding phase determining the worth of your hand is of paramount importance. On certain occasions its value might go up or down, especially in contested auctions.
This is your hand as West, with neither side vulnerable:
2 
A 8 5 4 
K J 9 8 
A 9 5 2
How do you rate your hand at this point?
Despite the poor 1-4-4-4 distribution the Kaplan-Rubens Hand Evaluator considers these cards to be worth 14.25. Even so, facing a passed hand how likely is it that you will have a play for game, even though partner has volunteered a bid at the four-level? Your opponent’s activity may be a significant factor. If partner has nothing wasted in spades, then you are close to playing with a 30 point pack in a situation where all partner’s points will be working. In addition, if you consider it likely that partner will have at least five clubs, your support increases the value of their hand by around that of an extra king. Is your inclination like mine, to raise to 5?
Here is the full deal:
In total, 18 pairs got to 5 across the four events (as the cards lie you can make 6), the best result going to Ozlem Kandolu and Tuna Elmas who collected -800 defending 5[ doubled in Türkiye’s match against Sweden in the Venice Cup.
