High card point

High-card point count is a method of hand evaluation in the game of contract bridge.

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• Ace = 4
• King = 3
• Queen = 2
• Jack = 1

There are a total of 40 points, 10 per suit. An average hand has 10 points. For balanced hands, this is pretty accurate. For unbalanced hands, distribution and honors in your long suits need to be considered—see point count. This method can also undervalue aces, kings, tens, and nines, and can overvalue queens and jacks.

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A total of 26 points means that game in no-trump or a major suit is available. A total of 29 points is usually enough for game in a minor. A total of 33 is usually enough for a small slam, as the opponents cannot have 2 aces. A total of 37 is usually enough for a grand slam, as the opponents cannot have an ace. These totals can be lowered based on adjustments for distribution. Many expert players play that 25, or even 24, high card points is enough for a good game. A slam is frequently available on only 29 or even 26 high card points, but advanced bidding methods are required to bid such slams with confidence.

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