Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
Welcome to "Bridge Basics," the podcast that makes learning bridge easy and fun. Each episode breaks down strategies, game dynamics, and teaching tips for beginners. Whether you're new to card games or looking to improve your skills, you'll find valuable insights to enhance your bridge experience.
In bridge, the distributional count assigns extra value to your hand based on the shape of your suit distribution. This count works alongside the high card points system, which gives points for aces, kings, queens, and jacks.
For long suits, you add one point for each card beyond the fourth card in any suit. So, a five-card suit gives you one distribution point, a six-card suit gives you two points, and a seven-card suit gives you three points. For instance, if you hold five spades and five hearts, you’d count three points—two for the fifth and sixth spade cards, and one for the fifth heart card.
On the other hand, short suits can also earn you points. This method, popularized by Charles Goren, awards points for having fewer cards in a suit. A doubleton, which is two cards, gives you one point. A singleton, just one card, earns you two points. If you have a void, meaning no cards in a suit, that’s worth three points.
When evaluating your hand, choose either the long suit or short suit method, but don’t mix them. Typically, you start with the long suit method when you first assess your hand, before knowing your partner’s cards.
These distribution points are crucial for determining your overall strength. You add them to your high card points to see if you have enough to open the bidding. Generally, you need at least thirteen total points to make an opening bid. This combined approach helps you make better bidding decisions based on both the strength and shape of your hand.
Thank you for listening. Visit PodSights.ai to create a podcast on any topic.