The Losing Trick Count
Bidding Guide

Losing tricks are counted for the first 3 cards in each suit.
Therefore you can have at the most 4 x 3 = 12 losers in your hand and 2 x 12 = 24 losers in the combined hands (the 13th card is excluded from the count).

The actual number of losers in both hands is substracted from 24 (the maximun number of losers possible). This shows the number of tricks you may make :

24 losers - 16 losers =   8 winners   >   Part score likely
24 losers - 14 losers = 10 winners   >   Game is likely
24 losers - 12 losers = 12 winners   >   Small Slam is likely
Counting losers in your hand :
Some examples :

♠ A Q 7 4
♥ 9 5
♦ Q J 8 3
♣ K 8 2

7 losers

♠ K 7 4
♥ Q J 6
♦ J 10 3
♣ K 9 6 2

9 losers

♠ K Q 4
♥ A Q 5
♦ J 10 8 3
♣ K Q 2

6 losers

♠ 7 4
♥ K 9 7 5 2
♦ A 8 3
♣ Q J 6

8 losers

♠ 9 4
♥ K Q 9 7 6 5
♦ A 10 8 3 2
♣ -

5 losers

The Losing Trick Count assesses your hand both in terms of High Card strength and hand shape.

More High Card Points   >   less losers
More unbalanced shape   >   less losers
Bids can therefore usually be made based on your hand's loser count alone !
But in general it is best to look at both points count and losers in your hand.

LTC counts for the common Opening bids and Responses are listed below.
Use them to determine you own bids and to assess the losers in your Partner's hand.

Points Loser Bid
6-10 8-10 Weak response
11-12 8 Can bid new suit at the 2 level
13-15 7 Minimum 1 opening
16-18 6 Strong 1 opening
19-21 5 Maximum 1 opening
22+ 4-3 Game forcing 2♣ opening

Common borderline cases :

  1. With 13+ points regardless of losers : always make an Opening bid
    With 12 points and 7 losers : make an Opening bid
    With 12 points and 8+ losers : do not open the bidding

  2. With 11+ points regardless of losers : you may respond with a new suit at the 2-level
    With 10 points and 8 losers : you may respond with a new suit at the 2-level
    With 10 points and 9+ losers : do not respond with a new suit at the 2-level