by: WillReich_77 (54/M/New Haven, CT)

is an approach to competitive bidding based on a principal first explored by a French bridge writer in the sixties. That principal states that the total number of tricks available on a hand, given perfect defense and declarer play, equals the sum of the best trump fits possessed by either side.

For example, if E-W have ten Spades and N-S have a four-four Heart fit, there should be eighteen total tricks available. If N-S can make 4H for ten tricks than E-W can make eight tricks in Spades and might have a profitable save, depending on the vulnerability. There are adjustments that need to be made for holding certain combinations in the opponent's suits, etc.

For instance, if you have KTX in a suit that your enemy are bidding strongly and you have a nice fit of your own, you might want to rein in a bit. That holding is almost certainly going to cause trouble for your opponent's if they play it and may be worth nothing to you or your partner if your side declares. There are many ramifications and some good ways of adjusting your bidding to the Law. You might try reading _To Bid or Not to Bid_ by Cohen and its follow up _Following the Law_

The concept has made competitive auctions a good deal easier for me and I advocate looking at every competitive hand from a Total Tricks perspective. On occasion, one may reject the solution suggested by Total Tricks but it is always worth considering.

An example: KX - XXX - ATX - QXXXXX

Partner opens 3S, RHO doubles for takeout. You COULD bid 4S. The opponents almost certainly can make 4H.

However, you have only nine Spades between you. The opponents figure to have only eight or nine Hearts. This makes seventeen or eighteen total tricks. If the opponents can take ten tricks, you are going down either two or three. The former will be good unless you are vul versus not but the latter will be bad except at favorable. If they cannot make ten tricks, you will still go down at 4S. If they can make eleven tricks, you will be down one more trick and the save is less attractive. Also, if they can make eleven tricks, they will make five if you push them there. A total tricks analysis is often even simpler and usually helpful. It is wonderfully liberating from point count and usually more accurate.