Points and Tricks
Counting the points in your hand
| High Card Points (HCP), or Honour Points | Ace = 4, King = 3, Queen = 2, Jack = 1 |
| Long suit points | Count 1 additional point for every card over 4 in a suit |
| When supporting partner’s suit with an 8 card fit | Add points: • 1 for a doubleton • 3 for a singleton • 5 for a void |
| When partner supports your suit | Add points (but not in a suit bid by partner): • 1 for a doubleton • 2 for a singleton • 3 for a void |
Partnership Targets
| Points | Level | Tricks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20-22 | 1 | 7 | |
| 23-24 | 2 | 8 | |
| 25-26 | 3 | 9 | Game in NT |
| 26-28 | 4 | 10 | Game in Majors |
| 29-32 | 5 | 11 | Game in Minors |
| 33-35 | 6 | 12 | Small Slam |
| 36+ | 7 | 13 | Grand Slam |
Quick Tricks
- A = 1QT, AK = 2QT, AQ = 1½QT, KQ = 1QT, K = ½QT
- Queens, jacks & 10's count as 'plus values' with 2 plus values making up ½QT
- No suit can contain more than 2 QT.
Playing Tricks
- Tricks expected to be won by declarer, as opposed to defensive tricks (assuming reasonable distribution of the outstanding cards)
- Generally based on a long suit and outside Aces or Ace/Kings in combination
- e.g. AKQxxx plus an outside Ace would be considered as 7 playing tricks.