[blml] Decimal HCP ranges.

[Tim West-Meads]

Nigel wrote:

> Presumably the worst hands with a given HCP are at the
> bottom of each *one point range* and the best at the top for example
> 12.0 might be QJ2 QJ2 QJ2 QJ32 whereas 12.9 might be ATxxx ATx ATx xx

Not in my way of thinking.  A 12.0 is an average looking 12 count of 
4432 (median) shape with nothing special in intermediates or honour 
combinations.  A953,K7,QT6,K842 would fit the bill.

I'd have evaluated the two hands you give as about 9.5/14 respectively.
The K&R evaluator tells me I have overvalued the quacky one considerably 
but neither it nor I are perfect.  NB, my wife (and oft-times partner) 
would probably evaluate them as 11/13 - just to add to the complexity of 
disclosure.

> As the last example shows, when a percentage is under 5%, Tim's
> notation allows the occasional partial range to slip in under the back
> door.

Not really - the "About" prefix to the range gives notice to opps that 
my hand evaluation gives non-integral results.

Tim