[gwnn]

vulnerable at imps.

-
AQJxxx
KJTxx
Qx

partner opens 1♠. We bid 2♥ and he splinters 4♦. Partner is an excellent player who has represented the United States in international competition. You can absolutely be sure that he has 4 card support.

[bluecalm]

I think I have huge hand opposite ♦ splinter. I have no idea how to explore though.
I would probably just bid 6♥ (if splinter is limited). I can't wait for someone to suggest intelligent follow up here.

[ArtK78]

4♥. On the reasonable assumption that partner has values in spades, I have no reasonable action other than a signoff. If partner has controls, he will probably move on.

Given that we were already forced to game, partner's 4♦ call does not show anything more than 4 card heart support and shortness in diamonds. It is entirely possible that we are off 3 minor suit tricks. My hand looks nice, but in reality all that it has more than a normal 2♥ response to 1♠ is a sixth heart. The diamonds rate to be worthless (unless partner has a singleton Ace of diamonds) and there are two club losers. The spade void is great if partner's spade suit is very poor, which would put his values where I need them, but I have no way of knowing that.

[Trinidad]

5♥. In between

To me it means that I am interested in slam, but cannot bid a control:

No ♠A or K (I would have bid 4♠)
No control in ♣ (I would have bid 5♣)
No ♦A (I would have bid 5♦)

This means that I have to have good trumps and I am really asking for a club control.

Rik

[Hanoi5]

4♥, he should move with a good club holding. I think it also sort of shows values in diamonds.

[jjbrr]

low road.

[pooltuna]

jjbrr, on May 26 2010, 09:21 AM, said:

low road.

Yep. Given the auction anyone that expects partner to come up with extras I would think is dreaming. Isn't one of the meta-agreements for a splinter a narrow range of expected values for the bidding? Not saying there is no slam just that it is unreasonable to expect partner to hold

---

[gnasher]

Some surprising responses so far. Give partner a normal hand like AQxxx Kxxx x Axx and slam is pretty good. I can't see him moving again with that.

If I thought partner might have only three hearts, I'd sign off, but most people would promise four here. I'd bid 4♠ and see if he cue-bids clubs, or he might take control himself.

[hanp]

I agree that the choice is between 4H and 5H.

If partner has nothing in spades then slam is likely cold, but five small spades is not very likely. If we give partner a typical AQxxx Kxxx x Kxx then we'd much rather play in 4H than 5H.

If partner has AQJxx Kxxx x Axx then he will certainly accept any slam try. Does that hand make it a good slam? I think it's close.

I think I'll go with 4H as well. If you play that 4D shows extra values then obviously you move.

[hanp]

gnasher, on May 26 2010, 10:00 AM, said:

Give partner a normal hand like AQxxx Kxxx x Axx and slam is pretty good.

Thinking about it again I agree that this makes a good slam, I forgot that we hold 6 hearts.

[aguahombre]

Last Train has already left the station (unless we can use a BIT). 4♥ in tempo. Have already got in enough trouble on the other thread suggesting that the splinter bidder should have a narrow weak range, and will not take another call, so I won't say that

[Fluffy]

I'd try 4♠ the auction ain't gonna be very precise either way but IMO I ahve enough for another move.

[junyi_zhu]

gwnn, on May 26 2010, 11:46 AM, said:

vulnerable at imps.

-
AQJxxx
KJTxx
Qx

partner opens 1♠. We bid 2♥ and he splinters 4♦. Partner is an excellent player who has represented the United States in international competition. You can absolutely be sure that he has 4 card support.

This is a clear 5H bid, showing no cuebids available, but still slam interest. So partner can safely expect spade shortness, nice hearts and no C control. 4H is way too chicken IMO, slam has some very reasonable play facing Axxxx KTxx x Axx

[fromageGB]

I don't like 4♠. When partner has shown a 5 card suit I like my cue bids to be an honour in his suit.

Maybe the answer depends on the nature of the 2♥ bid. If GF, we are not that good, as the splinter devalues our hand, but if the 2♥ is not GF then I go 5♥.

[aguahombre]

fromageGB, on May 26 2010, 12:52 PM, said:

I don't like 4♠. When partner has shown a 5 card suit I like my cue bids to be an honour in his suit.

especially when he has to play it there.

[mikeh]

I bid 5♥: general slam try, implying no ablility to cue.

I won't...absolutely won't...make my first cue bid in partner's suit without either the A or the K.

When cuebidding in partner's primary suit, I think that the reason(s) for cuebidding are not, as they are for most cuebids, merely to announce a control. They also should, imo, assist partner in counting winners.

It is easy to construct hands on which the 5-level is too high, but as Gnasher observed, easy to construct hands on which he will and should pass a signoff.

I would expect partner to move over 5♥ with the black Aces, the heart King and anything extra. I will still miss some slams, but fewer than those who bid 4♥ (who will likely miss all of them unless we have a play for grand).

[gnasher]

I also usually avoid cue-bidding a shortage in partner's suit, but every case should be considered on its merits. What are we worried about here?

If he drives slam, he'll probably do it via Keycard, so we won't be missing two aces. The twelve tricks I make may not be the twelve that he was expecting, but there will still be twelve of them.

There's a risk that he'll bid Keycard with something like KQxxx Kxxx x AKx, and then sign off when I show only one keycard. That would be unfortunate, but then he wasn't going to bid 6♥ over 5♥ either.

If he bids 5♣ over my 4♠, presumaby he's worried about something else. Maybe his clubs are Kxx? Anyway. I'll just sign off in 5♥ and he'll pass, I imagine.

[Phil]

I really like 5H too. The 6th heart is a huge card and the extreme shape makes slam very playable across even some so-so minimums.

It will be hard for partner to move on over 4H missing the A/Q/J of hearts.

I'm a little surprised at some of the splinter constructions. Partner could have considerably more where slam is icy but not move over 4H.

[whereagles]

I'd try 4♠. Not ideal, but I don't see any other way to say I got club problems.

appreciate mikeh's point, but my agreements as to what 5♥ means are that it requests trump suit help

[jdonn]

5♥ is fine, I think a fake cuebid of 5♣ would be a good idea here too. Signing off would never occur to me on this hand, I'm very surprised that so many people are doing it. The 6th heart and ten of diamonds can both be huge here.