Losing trick count

Losing Trick Count
 The basic losing trick count (LTC) can be used after a trump fit has been established. It is not designed for notrump hands and is quite unsuitable for misfit hands. It does not replace point count. Rather, it is used as an adjunct to the point count system when a trump fit comes to light. After the trump fit is known, the LTC will give a more accurate guide to the potential of the partnership hands.

THE LTC FORMULA:

1. COUNT your losers
2. ADD partner’s losers
3. DEDUCT this total from 24

The answer is the number of tricks the partnership can expect to win.

For example, a normal opening hand contains 7 losers. If your partner also has 7 losers, these together total 14. This number is subtracted from 24 which leaves 10—the number of tricks the partnership can expect to win.

HOW DO WE COUNT LOSERS?

1. Count no more than 3 losers per suit.
2. Count the A, K and Q as winners, cards below the queen as losers.
3. Count the supported queen as a winner, but count a 3 card or longer suit with the queen and no other honor as 2 ½ losers.

Examples:
AKQxx no losers
AKxxx 1 loser
Axxxx 2 losers
Jxx 3 losers
Jxxx 3 losers
Jxxxx 3 losers
xx 2 losers
Kx 1 loser
Kxx 2 losers
Kxxxx 2 losers

Do you get the idea?


1. A normal minimum opening hand contains 7 losers. If partner opens and you have a 7 loser hand with a fit, you most likely belong in game. An invitational hand contains 8 losers. If your partner opens and you have an 8 loser hand with a fit, invite! Don't worry too much about high card points.

Here is an example of an 8 loser hand which I saw underbid recently:

KQx
A10
Jxx
10xxx

In the actual case, there was an opening bid of 1H and an overcall of 1S. Next hand passsed and this hand had to take a call. A simple raise prevented the partnership from getting to game, whereas a cuebid, showing an invitational hand, provided the impetus needed to bid game. This was a team game where games must be bid.

2. If your partner opens the bidding and you have a 5 loser hand, you should immediately think about slam, particularly if you have a fit. The calculation is simple: 7 + 5 = 12. 24 - 12 = 12: the number of tricks you expect to take.

If your partner opens 1S and you hold either of the following 5 loser hands, you should explore for slam.

Axx
KQxx
x
AKxx

QJxx
Ax
KQJxx
Kx