Re: What's wrong with the Roth point count?

On Thu, 01 May 2008 07:35:30 -0400, Stig Holmquist
<stigfjorden@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:

>Forty years ago two oustanding bridge players, Alvin Roth and Jeff
>Rubens, wrote the book 'Modern Bridge Bidding Complete".
>It featured the Roth Point count Method.
>
>This method is similar to the British combination distributuin count. 
>It is based on the standard Work  point count for HCP plus Goren's
>short suit count of 1,2 and 3 for ddoubletons, singletons and voids
>resp. but also adds points for suits longer than five cards.
>Specifically it counts 1 pt for each card over five for any major suit
>but counts such length points only for "good" minor suits having at
>least two  of the top three honor cards. 
>
>Has any r.g.b. member ever used this method and if so, what are its
>shortcomngs? It specifically does not count quick tricks.Why is this
>method never mentioned any more?
>
>Stig Holmquist  

One reason for calling attention to the Roth count is its use of
shortness points. In "Bridge for Dummies" Eddie Kantar says:

'Some bridge players fall in love with singletons and voids. They love
them so much that they count extra points for them right off the bat.
Do everything you can to avoid becomming one of these players. They
are a tragedy waiting to happen because they fail to appreciate that a
short suit is good only when you have sup****t for partner's suit"

Who here is willing to argue with Kantar?

Roth also states in a footnote that 10 HCP assures 2 quick tricks,
which is far from correct, as has been demonstrated at r.g.b.

Stig