[hrothgar]

Anyone who has spent much time on the forums knows that there are LOTS of arguments about hand evaluation. Said arguments are nothing new. Folks have been getting into pissing matches about this stuff for decades. (Soon, we'll be able to say centuries)

The following algorithm tries to capture the "subjective" valuations that Edgar Kaplan used at the table. This is often referred to as either the K&R algorithm or "CCCC".

I'm going to start by posting a description of the algorithm. I will then show how invoke this function in Dealer. (Its really simple. The entire algorithm can be called using a single function)

Quote

Recapping the K&R algorithm from
the October '82 Bridge World pp. 21-23.

Protected high cards:
    A = 3, K = 2, Q = 1

Shortness:
    void = 3, singleton = 2, doubleton = 1
    Discount first doubleton
    4333 = -.5

Suit quality:
    4321 count divided by 10 * number of cards in suit
    Adjustments:
        Seven card suits:      1 for missing Q or J
        Eight card suits: up to 2 for missing Q or J
        Nine or longer:  up to 3 for missing Q or J
Six card suits or shorter:
            Ten with two honors: 1
    Ten with the Jack:  1
            Other tens:          .5 
  (modifier about six-card suits misplaced?)
    Nine with the ten:  .5 or
            Nine with two honors:.5 or
    Nine with the eight: .5

short honors:
    stiff king = .5
    doubleton queen if with A or K = .5
    stiff Q or Qx = 0
   
lower honors:
    Queen if without ace or king and suit is 3 or longer = -.25
    J with exactly two higher honors = .5
    J with exactly one higher honor  = .25
    doubleton queen = .25
    Ten under two higher or with 9 and one higher = .25

Bottom line:
    1H, 1S, 1NT opening optional at 12.0
  mandatory  12.5
    1C, 1D      opening optional at 13.0
                        mandatory  13.5
    2C with major      22.0
    2C with minor      24.0

I'm going to use these definitions to try to approximate mandatory 1S opening bids.

######### Shape restrictions

spades(north) >= 5 and
spades(north) >= hearts(north) and
spades(north) >= diamonds(north) and
spades(north) >= clubs(north) and

############Strength requirements

cccc(north) >= 1250 and
cccc(north) <= 2200