High Card Points (HCP)

Did Don't Panic's “Your First Bid”? You already know A=4, K=3, Q=2, J=1. Use this lesson as a drill, then open or pass with confidence.

Idea 1: Honour cards have point values

Only four ranks count as high card points:

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

Everything else — including the ten — counts zero for now. (Tens are useful cards; they just aren't HCP.)

The whole deck contains 40 HCP (10 per suit), so an average hand is about 10.

Idea 2: About 12 points to open

With roughly 12 or more high card points, your hand is strong enough to open the bidding — to speak first for your side.

With fewer than 12, you will usually pass. Passing is a perfectly good bid. Experts pass on roughly half their hands.

If you've played 500, this is the same instinct as “is this worth eight hearts?” — bridge just gives the instinct a number.

Idea 3: Open your longest suit

Once you decide to open, the simplest beginner rule is:

Bid 1 of your longest suit. Five hearts? Open 1♥. Six clubs? Open 1♣. You're telling partner: “I have a proper hand, and this is my best suit.”

When your hand is roughly even shape (no very long suit), you'll later learn to open 1NT with a narrow points range. For this lesson, longest-suit openings are enough.

Distribution points and total points come in later lessons. Today: count the honours, decide open or pass.

Quick check

A=4, K=3, Q=2, J=1. Twelve to open. Longest suit. That fits on a coaster.

Next: how to place those bids (and play the cards) in our online game.