Short Suit Distribution Points (SSDP)
What are my distribution points after finding a fit?
Finding a Fit
In Lesson 4 we counted your HCP . This lesson is about when you and partner have both been bidding and you find that between you you hold at least 8 card in a suit, this is called a 'fit'. If you have a 'fit' in a suit this is a very strong situation as your side have the majority of the points. So now that you have one very long suit, it is to your advantage if you have a small number of cards in other suits.Dis-regard Long Suit Distributional Points
Firstly, you must now ignore the long suit distributional points that you previously calculated (pre-fit finding) and start again (remember you can only use one method of distributional points evaluation at a time).After establishing that you and partner have at least 8 (or more) cards in the same suit , suit shortages in other suits can add extra power to your hand. These shortages enable you to ruff the side suits gaining extra tricks:
- voids (0 cards in a suit) are worth 5 extra points
- singletons (1 card in a suit) are worth 3 extra points
- doubletons (2 cards in a suit) are worth 1 extra points
How to count your Short Suit distribution points.
The following system is commonly used for Short Suit Points:Short suit distribution points: 5 points for a void in a suit; 3 points for a singleton in a suit and 1 point for a doubleton with no honor cards, these are added to your HCP after your partnership has reached a fit. This is the way you re-evaluate the strength of your hand after you partner has supported (bid) your trump suit .
Definition of Terms
· a 'void' is where your hand contains no cards in a suit; |
NB: Long and short suit points cannot be combined together at the same time, use only one or the other when evaluating your hand.
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Play a Game of Bridge with Guided Bidding
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- ♠ A K 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3
- ♥10 8
- ♦ 4
- ♣
Exercise: Calculate the distributional points on this hand:
Answer = 9 DPs. 5 points for a club void +3 points for diamond singleton +1 point for heart doubleton. If your partner had not mentioned spades you haven't found a fit, you would only have 6 DP's distribution points
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