Lesson 6 - Counting hand points - 30 mins
You will need to refer to your Helpcard for this lesson. PurposeIf you have a strong hand you are more likely to bid than if you have a poor hand. To know how strong your hand is, you need to know how to count your points. Your hand count is needed when you bid.
Strength + Length
The hand count is the result of adding strength points to length points.
Strength points - The ace will always win unless trumped and therefore deserves to be the highest ranked of all cards. Then comes the king, queen and jack. An ace gets a value of 4 points. A king gets 3 points, a queen gets 2 points and the jack gets 1 point.
Length points - The shape of the hand is also very important. That is why the bridge starter system adds points for the length of suits in your hand.
If you have 5 of a suit you get 1 point. If you have 6 of a suit you get 2 points etc.
If you have none of a suit, or a void, then you get 4 points. Having a void is very useful in the play of the hand and is worth the same as having an ace.
If you have 1 of a suit, or a singleton, you get 2 points as this is also a useful suit in the play of the hand.
You don't get any length points when you hold only 2, 3 or 4 of a suit.
The table below will help you calculate your hand count and is also available on the Helpcard which can be reached from links on nearly every page and shame on you if you haven't printed it off yet!
Strength
Every ace = 4 points
Every king = 3 points
Every queen = 2 points
Every jack = 1 point
Length
Every 0 card suit = 4 points
Every 1 card suit = 2 points
Every 5 card suit = 1 point
Every 6 card suit = 2 points
The following are pretty rare:
7 card suit = 3 points
8 card suit = 4 points
The following are very rare:
9 card suit = 5 points
10 card suit = 6 points
You'll be lucky to ever see the below:
11 card suit = 7 points
12 card suit = 8 points
13 card suit = I've never had one
Sounds difficult?!! Sorry. I'm trying my best to make it simple.
The best way to learn is to practice. Have a go at the quiz and you will see that counting hand points is simpler than I have made it sound.
Counting hand points - quiz
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