[benlessard]

Assuming 2m is GF what is the best use for 3H ?

big 2 suiter with decent suits or splinter 4 trumps ?

Sorry if this has been discussed before.

[gwnn]

splinter cause responder needs to evaluate his hand for slam purposes before we pass 3NT.

[Trinidad]

Splinter.

If you are waiting for a big 5-5 hand (in the context that you already opened the bidding) opposite a GF 2/1, you can wait for a long time. For a splinter you just need 4 card support and a control rich minimum hand for your opening bid. The frequency for that is much higher.

It also follows the general rule that misfit hands should go slow. If you do have a big 55, you would be very interested to know what responder's rebid would be after: 1♠-2m; 2♥. After all, responder could have been planning to bid 2/3/4♠ or he may bid 3/4♥ now. This is information that you want to have and that you won't get if you start jumping to 3♥.

Furthermore, responder may not be interested in your holdings in the majors. When you rebid 3♥, you basically tell him: "Pick one of my suits!". Responder may have a one suiter in a minor where you have doubleton support (and thus a singleton in the other minor). You can easily be cold for 6♦ and go down in 4♠ when you are forced to ruff a club at trick 2 and then lose trump control.

Thus, jump with hands where you know what the denomination is going to be. Don't jump with misfits.

Rik

[mike777]

splinter

[Cascade]

Splinter

[OleBerg]

Trinidad, on May 28 2009, 09:18 AM, said:

Thus, jump with hands where you know what the denomination is going to be. Don't jump with misfits.

I know I am really nitpicking (sorry), but you should also be allowed to jump if it describes your hand precisely, and helps define the rest of the system (and doesn't get you to high). For instance normal preempts or WJS.

Oh, and splinter for sure.

[whereagles]

I don't like splinter, but I agree it seems to be standard.

[Trinidad]

OleBerg, on May 28 2009, 03:29 AM, said:

Trinidad, on May 28 2009, 09:18 AM, said:

Thus, jump with hands where you know what the denomination is going to be. Don't jump with misfits.

I know I am really nitpicking (sorry), but you should also be allowed to jump if it describes your hand precisely, and helps define the rest of the system (and doesn't get you to high). For instance normal preempts or WJS.

Oh, and splinter for sure.

Apology accepted.

And, of course, I agree with you. However, I wouldn't describe preempts and WJS as misfit hands. In those cases, you more or less have a fit, whatever partner holds. Actually, I would describe preempts and WJS as hands where you are pretty sure what the denomination is going to be.

I think Leaping Michaels is a better example of a descriptive jump on a potential misfit. And to that I would say that every rule has its exceptions.

Rik

[gnasher]

If it's a splinter, does it show any specific strength?

[kenrexford]

Picture splinter, for me.

Good cards in the minor (two of the top three honors), no 1st/2nd control in fourth suit, stiff (highest possible stiff the Q), three of the top four cards in the opened major.

I think the tighter definition for the strength of Opener's major is most important when Responder's minor is clubs, and hence unreliable as a real suit.

[OleBerg]

kenrexford, on May 28 2009, 12:42 PM, said:

I think the tighter definition for the strength of Opener's major is most important when Responder's minor is clubs, and hence unreliable as a real suit.

Yes, it could be 3-5-3-2 if the suit qualities dictate it.

[kenrexford]

OleBerg, on May 28 2009, 05:50 AM, said:

kenrexford, on May 28 2009, 12:42 PM, said:

I think the tighter definition for the strength of Opener's major is most important when Responder's minor is clubs, and hence unreliable as a real suit.

Yes, it could be 3-5-3-2 if the suit qualities dictate it.

I'm game for an occasional psychic splinter.

[OleBerg]

kenrexford, on May 28 2009, 01:03 PM, said:

OleBerg, on May 28 2009, 05:50 AM, said:

kenrexford, on May 28 2009, 12:42 PM, said:

I think the tighter definition for the strength of Opener's major is most important when Responder's minor is clubs, and hence unreliable as a real suit.

Yes, it could be 3-5-3-2 if the suit qualities dictate it.

I'm game for an occasional psychic splinter.

Sure thing.

Then a raise to 3♣ could be a direct two-way Bluhmer, thus:

1♠ - 2♣
3♣

shows four small clubs. If clubs are genuine, we have support, and if it is a singleton we have no wastage.

[jdonn]

Splinter, and doesn't show extras although if my minimum was also bad for slam, such as very bad controls, I wouldn't.

[Cascade]

jdonn, on May 29 2009, 03:13 AM, said:

Splinter, and doesn't show extras although if my minimum was also bad for slam, such as very bad controls, I wouldn't.

If 2♣ doesn't force to game then it needs to show extras.

Also if 2♣ doesn't force to game and a raise to 3♣ is limited then there are problem hands with extra values but without a shortage - 5=2=2=4 - where you might have to make up a splinter if you do not have some other explicit agreement and are unwilling to venture beyond 3NT.

We don't do that we use a jump to 3NT to show exactly that sort of hand. Although that sometimes wrong sides the no trumps.

[kenrexford]

Cascade, on May 28 2009, 04:37 PM, said:

jdonn, on May 29 2009, 03:13 AM, said:

Splinter, and doesn't show extras although if my minimum was also bad for slam, such as very bad controls, I wouldn't.

If 2♣ doesn't force to game then it needs to show extras.

Also if 2♣ doesn't force to game and a raise to 3♣ is limited then there are problem hands with extra values but without a shortage - 5=2=2=4 - where you might have to make up a splinter if you do not have some other explicit agreement and are unwilling to venture beyond 3NT.

We don't do that we use a jump to 3NT to show exactly that sort of hand. Although that sometimes wrong sides the no trumps.

Whereas this is all true, the OP said 2♣ was GF.

A splinter would also need to show a lot of extras if 2♣ showed 6-9 HCP.

[jdonn]

Cascade, on May 28 2009, 04:37 PM, said:

jdonn, on May 29 2009, 03:13 AM, said:

Splinter, and doesn't show extras although if my minimum was also bad for slam, such as very bad controls, I wouldn't.

If 2♣ doesn't force to game then it needs to show extras.

Also if 2♣ doesn't force to game and a raise to 3♣ is limited then there are problem hands with extra values but without a shortage - 5=2=2=4 - where you might have to make up a splinter if you do not have some other explicit agreement and are unwilling to venture beyond 3NT.

We don't do that we use a jump to 3NT to show exactly that sort of hand. Although that sometimes wrong sides the no trumps.

It was stated this question is in 2/1.

[JLOL]

splintaaa

[655321]

I have played this as a strong 5/5 before. It worked very well when it came up.
But it hardly ever did come up.

So.. splinter.