High Card Points (HCP) in Bridge

How to Count High Card Points

In Bridge, High Card Points (HCP) are used to evaluate the strength of a player's hand during the bidding phase. The standard HCP system assigns points as follows:

High Card Point (HCP) Values:

• Ace (A) = 4 points
• King (K) = 3 points
• Queen (Q) = 2 points
• Jack (J) = 1 point
• 10 and lower = 0 points

Example Calculation

If you have the following hand:

• ♠ A K 7 5 → (4 + 3) = 7 HCP
• ♥ Q J 9 3 → (2 + 1) = 3 HCP
• ♦ K 10 6 → (3) = 3 HCP
• ♣ A 8 2 → (4) = 4 HCP

Total HCP = 7 + 3 + 3 + 4 = 17 HCP

Typical Hand Strength Ranges

• 0-5 HCP – Very weak hand, usually a pass.
• 6-9 HCP – Weak hand, may respond in bidding.
• 10-12 HCP – Invitational strength.
• 13-15 HCP – Minimum opening hand.
• 16-18 HCP – Strong hand, often a rebid strength.
• 19+ HCP – Very strong hand, game or slam potential.

Additional Tip

High Card Points are just one factor in hand evaluation. Distributional points (extra points for long suits and short suits) also influence bidding decisions.