[adhoc3]

Playing in lobby yesterday with a pickup partner, expert level. His card is fine except for 'gldwy'.... what is it? He told me no jacoby 2NT but use 3C. 3D for weaker hand, ok that's reverse bergen alike. Then came this board:

Partner opened 1H, I had: A Jxxxx AJ KJxxx. 'gldwy'?, no it's not of the kind, splinter would be more appropriate.

1♥----3♠
4♣----4♦---(dbl)
6♠!?--???

I waited a minute for the 'undo'.....but nothing happened. I had no choice but bid the grand:7♥.

---

After the dummy was showed, my partner said:
"sry, I dont understant."
"np, just make it."
(He did.)
“goldway!"
"sryp, I thought splinter is universal." (It's not included in his card really.)

It's a pleasure playing with you p:)

BTW, it's the only grand slam on the score board. Anyone to build reasonable bidding to 7H?

[Robert]

Hi everyone

A number of people play 1H-3S as a splinter bid. I am one of them.

It is not universal, however, is it also not that uncommon with an expert partner.

I would not have used it with a pick up partner.

His 6S bid must be an 'expert' bid. He doesn't 'know' that 5NT is a GS try here?

1H-3S*-4C-4D-4NT*-5S*-5NT-6C-7H

3S*=splinter
4m=cuebids
4NT*=RKC
5S*=2 Aces plus the trump Queen(five card support=Q)
5NT=Shows all the Aces and is a GS try
6C=specific King(would have bid 7H with KQxxx 'a' source of tricks)
7H

Regards,
Robert

[Fluffy]

splinter is universal, but the biddings 1♥-3♠, 1♥-4♠ and 1♠-4♥ are played differently on many partnerships, with pickup partners it is better to avoid them since they can create confusion.

[helene_t]

Many people play 3♠ as a natural invite over here. In the official system of the Dutch BF (Biedermeijer) it's a splinter. I would assume it was a splinter by a pick-up partner if he's advanced+. But I agree with others that it should be avoided with a pick-up pd.

[Gerben42]

Quote

Many people play 3♠ as a natural invite over here

They do? The only thing I usually agree on is that 1♠ - 4♥ is a splinter and that 1♥ - 4♠ is exclusion BW.

[Chamaco]

One further point of agreement is whether one should splinter with a stiff honor.

If we do splinter with such a hand type, pard is likely to deevaluate the hand if he has fitting honors there, and misjudge the combined potential...

[bearmum]

Fluffy, on Dec 20 2005, 11:02 PM, said:

splinter is universal, but the biddings 1♥-3♠, 1♥-4♠ and 1♠-4♥ are played differently on many partnerships, with pickup partners it is better to avoid them since they can create confusion.

Sorry Fluffy I disagree that "splinter is universal" -- surely you have to AGREE that you play splinters --- AND at what level -- AS your examples show ??

[POJC]

1♥-2NT
3♠-3NT (shows singleton, 6-7 loosers), Where?
4♣-4NT (club single) and 1430
5♦-5♥ (0/3 aces but could be 0)
5NT-6♥ (3 aces no outside kings but xtra trumps= Q trump)
since i can't locate the double Diamond i can't bid a grand

[luke warm]

adhoc3, on Dec 19 2005, 08:44 PM, said:

Dealer: west Vul: both Scoring: Unknown

♠ T987 ♥ AKT987 ♦ xx ♣ A ♠ A ♥ Jxxxx ♦ AJ ♣ KJxxx

BTW, it's the only grand slam on the score board. Anyone to build reasonable bidding to 7H?

what does "reasonable" mean?

1♥
1NT (13+ gf)
2♦ (♥ & ♠)
2♥ (relay)
2♠ (4 ♠, 5+ ♥)
2NT (relay)
3♠ (4621)
4♣ (control ask)
4NT (5)
5♣ (spiral)
5♥ (no ♠ control)
5♠ (ss)
5NT (no ♦)

and now responder knows opener has the ♥A,K 6th, the stiff ♣A and he can toss a diamond on the ♣K, so 7♥

[han]

With a pick-up partner I would assume splinters.

[cherdano]

adhoc3, on Dec 20 2005, 03:44 AM, said:

Playing in lobby yesterday with a pickup partner, expert level.

Expert or "expert"?

[Kalvan14]

Splintering in a singleton ace is at least unusual
The other reason to avoid a splinter on the given hand is the clubs suit (which should not be suppressed): any reason not to bid 2♣?
Splinters are quite popular, but I would not say that they are a law of nature. And I've seen too many different styles to be very comfortable with a pick-up partner.