First Lessons

General Advice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Splinter bids

A Splinter is a singleton loser or a void and can be enormously valuable if you have a good fit in another suit.  Once a trump suit has been agreed (or agreed by inference) a double jump in a new suit shows a singleton loser or a void in that suit. 

The partner of the splinter bidder can judge whether his hand is improved by the knowledge of shortage in the suit or whether there is ‘duplication’ of values – hence wastage. 

North South
  AQxxx                                 Kxxx
Ax     Kxxx
  Jxx      x
  KQx    Axxx
Bidding  
1S  4D (splinter agreeing spades)
  4H(cue bid) 5C (cue bid)
  6S  

6S is a reasonable shot with no wasted values in diamonds and no obvious losers outside despite having only 26 points. Just ruff two hearts in dummy.

 However, if North’s clubs and diamonds are reversed, 6S would have no chance as there are then wasted values in diamonds – this is the strength of the splinter bid.  North would then merely sign off in 4S.

What if the splinter is a void?

 A rebid of the splinter suit shows a void.

North South
  AKx                               Qxxx
  AKQxxx     Jxxx
  A       Kxxxx
  xxx    --
Bidding  
2H  4C * (splinter agreeing hearts)
 4D(cue bid) 5C (confirming  void)
 7H**  

*  If partner had a decent club suit he would just bid 3C – no point in taking up so much space when we are already in a forcing situation.

**  7H should be OK as South must have some values in diamonds and/or spades or he would have made a negative response to 2H (either 2S or 2NT depending on your system)

 The opening bidder can also splinter with a good hand after a response by partner.

Eg:

North South
  KQxx                               Axxxx
AKxxx     xx
  x      xxx
  KQJ   Axx
Bidding  
1H  1S
 4D** 5C*
 5H* 6S

 **  splinter agreeing spades    *  cue bids