[Fluffy]

One small extra point, I passed 4♠ after splinter because it was a pickup partnership and I didn't know about ♦K and I had no tool avaible that would help me.

With my regular partner after 3♦ I play 6 card blackwood and would use it even when the 5 level is not fully safe.

[kenrexford]

The choice as to how to proceed should, IMO, be a process of a quick evaluation of the likely sequences.

What I mean is this. For me, I would first assess what would happen with a straight 2/1 sequence. I'd expect a fair likelihood that starting 2♦ will very often yield the 2♥ rebid and a 2♠ trump set. If I do that, partner might cue 2NT, which for me would deny two top spades. If so, I will cue 3♣. A 3♦ from partner would be nice, but I would not know if he held the King or Queen, which is bad. I would then have no good cue available. The permutations look bad, as well.

(In practice, I usually recognize certain "bad holdings" for cuebidding from experience.)

So, I then consider the obvious option #2 -- the splinter. The defaults reached with partner are that splinters usually show primes externally, primes or secondaries internally. I meet that definition beautifully. The range is about right, as well. The obvious downside is that, if the splinter is 4♥, partner has no Last Train option. However, knowing that he knows that I know this also, he will know that I will typically be "pure" when the splinter is one-under. I have that.

The major downside to the splinter, however, is that it understates the need for diamond cards specifically. However, he cannot have that much in clubs to worry about anyway.

So, I opt splinter.

Others, with other tools, might opt differently.

[cherdano]

kenrexford, on Jan 5 2009, 05:53 PM, said:

The choice as to how to proceed should, IMO, be a process of a quick evaluation of the likely sequences.

Well, the choice of bid might also have to do with what these bids show.
This hand is waaaaaaaay to strong to splinter by any agreements even close to standard. If its not too good by your agreements then you can't splinter very often. (And no please don't start telling me your range is 12-14, even then it is too strong.)

[Winstonm]

cherdano, on Jan 5 2009, 08:14 PM, said:

kenrexford, on Jan 5 2009, 05:53 PM, said:

The choice as to how to proceed should, IMO, be a process of a quick evaluation of the likely sequences.

Well, the choice of bid might also have to do with what these bids show.
This hand is waaaaaaaay to strong to splinter by any agreements even close to standard. If its not too good by your agreements then you can't splinter very often. (And no please don't start telling me your range is 12-14, even then it is too strong.)

You will please explain to me how a game-forcing hand can be too strong to make a game-forcing bid?

I can sort of grasp a hand too weak to force to game shouldn't make a game-force bid.

Is there a Goldilocks splinter, neither too strong nor too weak but just right?

[TimG]

Winstonm, on Jan 5 2009, 09:18 PM, said:

You will please explain to me how a game-forcing hand can be too strong to make a game-forcing bid?

I can sort of grasp a hand too weak to force to game shouldn't make a game-force bid.

Is there a Goldilocks splinter, neither too strong nor too weak but just right?

I'll take a stab. Many play that splinters are used to uncover slams based upon a perfect fit. If your splinters are too wide range, neither opener nor responder will know when it is right to make a slam move.

There is a range of splinter that is too good to need a perfect fit for slam, too weak to unilaterally move past 4M.

[cherdano]

Winstonm, on Jan 5 2009, 08:18 PM, said:

cherdano, on Jan 5 2009, 08:14 PM, said:

kenrexford, on Jan 5 2009, 05:53 PM, said:

The choice as to how to proceed should, IMO, be a process of a quick evaluation of the likely sequences.

Well, the choice of bid might also have to do with what these bids show.
This hand is waaaaaaaay to strong to splinter by any agreements even close to standard. If its not too good by your agreements then you can't splinter very often. (And no please don't start telling me your range is 12-14, even then it is too strong.)

You will please explain to me how a game-forcing hand can be too strong to make a game-forcing bid?

This is really a very basic topic that should be part of any introduction to splinters for intermediates. A splinter should be a well-defined bid that transfers captaincy to partner. Most experts seem to play a range of about 10-12 hcp (plus shortness of course) or 10-13.

Actually Fred has made several posts explaining this concept, you can find them here: http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?act...ghlite=splinter
(In case this link stops working, just search for posts by fred containing the word splinter, and don't forget to click "show results as posts".)

[Codo]

Cascade, on Jan 6 2009, 07:39 AM, said:

Codo, on Jan 6 2009, 11:12 AM, said:

Gonzalo, I agree with you that 2 Diamond followed by 4 Heart shows this hand better then putting it into the 2 NT camp.

Why raise hearts?

Or are we discussing a different auction now?

2 ♦ 2 ♠ 4 ♥ sorry for the abr. thought this was clear, but U R right, it was not.

[RichMor]

Winstonm, on Jan 5 2009, 09:18 PM, said:

cherdano, on Jan 5 2009, 08:14 PM, said:

kenrexford, on Jan 5 2009, 05:53 PM, said:

The choice as to how to proceed should, IMO, be a process of a quick evaluation of the likely sequences.

Well, the choice of bid might also have to do with what these bids show.
This hand is waaaaaaaay to strong to splinter by any agreements even close to standard. If its not too good by your agreements then you can't splinter very often. (And no please don't start telling me your range is 12-14, even then it is too strong.)

You will please explain to me how a game-forcing hand can be too strong to make a game-forcing bid?

I can sort of grasp a hand too weak to force to game shouldn't make a game-force bid.

Is there a Goldilocks splinter, neither too strong nor too weak but just right?

With a 'Baby Bear' splinter - 12 to 14 support points - respond 4♥.

With a 'Poppa Bear' splinter - 18 + support points - respond 4♥ and bid again over opener's sign off.

With a 'Momma Bear' splinter - 15 to 17 support points - do something else.
IMO, the example hand is a Momma Bear.

What else ?

1. Include Momma Bear splinters in an immediate 2NT forcing raise.
2. Make a 2/1 response in your best suit, rebid your other non-trump suit, support opener's first suit.

Live happily ever after.

[kenrexford]

I suppose that splintering is equally only an option if it meets system parameters.

For me, the availability of two-tier splintering, and the requirement that splinters be pure, makes this perfect for a splinter. But, that's per my agreements.