Splinter bids
Jan. 8th, 2007 02:54 pmA brief explanation of splinter bids. First, the problem to which they are the answer.
If we agree a good trump fit in the first or second bid, and someone knows we have more than enough strength for game, can they indicate the potential for slam?
Eg. If I have five losers and you have seven, and I open 1S, and you have a fit, I would hope you jump to game. We have a fit, we have 14 losers, no more communication can help. Then, because I'm stronger, I could call Blackwood or whatever.
However, if you open 1S, then I know we have a fit, and maybe more. But if I bid 4S you will pass, and if I bid 2S or 3S, you will pass (as they mean I have nine or eight losers, and would ask you to bid game if you were better than 7). How can I say "Game in spades. But investigate slam."
If you (as I until recently) had not experienced this problem a lot, and cannot reliably bid to a makable game, this is a solution to a problem you don't have. Ignore it. Be satisfied to find the game, and let the slam be down to luck. Don't try to cram too much into your head at once, or you'll forget the stuff useful for 80% of the time in favour of that useful much less often.
Of course, it's still useful to be aware of it.
For the details of when to do so and what it means, see a wiki page, I don't reliably know it. But the basic idea is, A double-jump to the four level in a new suit says "Game in what you said, but also I have a singleton or void in this suit."
Partner can then see if his hand looks better or worse knowing you have first or second round control in that suit. If he has A-x-x-x (or x-x-x-x) then it's rosy -- those x's can probably be ruffed immediately. And if the ace isn't there, that's only one loser which was already counted. If he has K-Q-x or worse, it's not so useful -- the honours aren't very useful, and represent the loser count is probably optimistic.
Partner can then either cue-bid (eg. splinter 4c, response 4d saying "And I have Ace/void in dimonds", is looking good), bid blackwood, or sign-off in game of the original suit. Of course, then the splinter-bidder can *then* take control of the auction and bid blackwood if he so chooses, though of course he could have done so immediately instead of splintering if he'd wanted to, and is ignoring his partner's qualms.
Note, please look up when this is appropriate. I would say something like "a new suit either jumped to the four level, or double-jumped," is probably a splinter since it can't mean anything else. However, I wouldn't know if there were interference, or an argument about suit first. Check the convention sheet.
If we agree a good trump fit in the first or second bid, and someone knows we have more than enough strength for game, can they indicate the potential for slam?
Eg. If I have five losers and you have seven, and I open 1S, and you have a fit, I would hope you jump to game. We have a fit, we have 14 losers, no more communication can help. Then, because I'm stronger, I could call Blackwood or whatever.
However, if you open 1S, then I know we have a fit, and maybe more. But if I bid 4S you will pass, and if I bid 2S or 3S, you will pass (as they mean I have nine or eight losers, and would ask you to bid game if you were better than 7). How can I say "Game in spades. But investigate slam."
If you (as I until recently) had not experienced this problem a lot, and cannot reliably bid to a makable game, this is a solution to a problem you don't have. Ignore it. Be satisfied to find the game, and let the slam be down to luck. Don't try to cram too much into your head at once, or you'll forget the stuff useful for 80% of the time in favour of that useful much less often.
Of course, it's still useful to be aware of it.
For the details of when to do so and what it means, see a wiki page, I don't reliably know it. But the basic idea is, A double-jump to the four level in a new suit says "Game in what you said, but also I have a singleton or void in this suit."
Partner can then see if his hand looks better or worse knowing you have first or second round control in that suit. If he has A-x-x-x (or x-x-x-x) then it's rosy -- those x's can probably be ruffed immediately. And if the ace isn't there, that's only one loser which was already counted. If he has K-Q-x or worse, it's not so useful -- the honours aren't very useful, and represent the loser count is probably optimistic.
Partner can then either cue-bid (eg. splinter 4c, response 4d saying "And I have Ace/void in dimonds", is looking good), bid blackwood, or sign-off in game of the original suit. Of course, then the splinter-bidder can *then* take control of the auction and bid blackwood if he so chooses, though of course he could have done so immediately instead of splintering if he'd wanted to, and is ignoring his partner's qualms.
Note, please look up when this is appropriate. I would say something like "a new suit either jumped to the four level, or double-jumped," is probably a splinter since it can't mean anything else. However, I wouldn't know if there were interference, or an argument about suit first. Check the convention sheet.