Jlall, on Sep 17 2009, 03:24 PM, said:
kenrexford, on Sep 17 2009, 06:54 AM, said:
Responder is able to visualize hands, too. If Opener has a stiff club, such that we lose that trick, he needs about KQx-AJxx-AKxxx-x to make the slam percentage. Or, Kxx-AQxx-AKJxx-x is good too. If Opener could have less than this for the splinter, Opener could reject my LTTC call. If Opener could accept the move with a tweener hand, we could stop at 5. So, why would I not move below game?
Guess I don't agree with you, partner has already shown 10+ with 5+ hearts, all of openers proposed hands can drive to the 5 level at least (or even just bid keycard).
If you are expecting partner to splinter and sign off with KQx AJxx AKxxx x then you are really overloading the last train. I would consider it normal to splinter with just about any hand with 4 trumps and a stiff club and reasonable prime values like Axx Axxx ATxxx x. So if that hand splinters and signs off as well as the first hand, everything is just too overloaded. Responder can't drive to the 5 level that aggressively (could have my hand), and also can't sign off very much (could have your first hand), so he is stuck bidding last train 90 % of the time which will make it ineffective.
Perhaps we have differing opinions based on widely different expectations of the splinter. If my partner bid last train I would CERTAINLY move with KQx AJxx AQJxx x (I mean honestly who wouldn't? It's a full 5 points better than my suggested minimum splinter).
Justin, I think you are still caught in an all-or-nothing analysis. Opener also has more options other than a signoff and 4NT RKCB after Last Train.
Your example of Axx-Axxx-ATxxx-x is not a minimum splinter opposite the proposed hand of Axx-K10xxx-xx-Qxx. Both partners have the spade Ace. This is not an irrelevant omission, as Kxx-Axxx-A10xxx-x is far less impressive, as you know.
But, consider your example of KQx-AJxx-AKxxx-x. Opposite the proposed hand, slam makes when hearts split 2-2 and diamonds no worse than 4-2. Or, slam makes when hearts split 3-1 with the stiff Queen falling and diamonds split 3-3. Or, slam makes when hearts split 4-0 with RHO having the fourth heart, diamonds split 3-3, and we have spots. So, that's not a bad hand for a slam. Why would Opener sign off with that?
Plus, Opener can make a move in response to Last Train, like a 4
♠ cue. Responder then rejects any such nonsense and bids 5
♥ to show a really bad LTTC bid. Or, whatever.
So, I don't think anyopne signs off with that hand.
Now to the second hand. You had KQx-AJxx-AQJxx-x. This is a much lesser hand. You need partner to have at least one black Ace, for starters. You also need the heart King or Queen, obviously. With only the club Ace, not spade Ace, you need something also working in spades.
Plus, you want another red card, as you do not have great transportation to take two finesses and do all the work. So, you need something like Axx-KQxx-xx-xxxx to make the slam a matter of a hook.
Granted, the fibe-level is not safe, meaning that you about have to tank this one after a Last Train call. But, if partner has a hand with the desired keys (spade Ace, heart K-Q, diamond K), he'd be an idiot to not accept, whether by simply asking for Aces or perhaps cues above game.
I mean, am I reading you right, about the "five points" nonsense? (LOL)
"Gibberish in, gibberish out. A trial judge, three sets of lawyers, and now three appellate judges cannot agree on what this law means. And we ask police officers, prosecutors, defense lawyers, and citizens to enforce or abide by it? The legislature continues to write unreadable statutes. Gibberish should not be enforced as law."
-P.J. Painter.