Friday, August 16, 2002 12:49 AM

 

Auto-Splinters

 

PITBULLS:

 

            Splinters  usually imply a fit with partner initially or after you have found a fit . There are some situations where  you can make an impossible jump bid that can only be interpreted as splintering for your own suit . These auctions always center around a NT bid  of some sort ( 1NT opener or a 1NT/2NT  rebid etc )  . If partner rebids a suit or does not bid NT , the belated splinter is obviously in support of her suit .

 

Ex       1NT            2♦

            2♥              4♣/4♦/3♠       are auto-splinters fixing hearts as the trump suit  . 2♠ usually is just a slam try in hearts

 

            1♦              1♠

             2NT           4♣/4♦                auto-splinter in spades  There are better ways of supporting diamonds or showing clubs . Auto splintering in hearts

                                                            needs to be discussed with partner

                                                           

             1♣               1♥

             1NT             3♠/4♦         Playing 2 way NMF these are splinters in support of partners suit. If you relay first and then jump it is an Auto-Splinter !

 

              1♠              2♥

              2NT           4♦/4♣             auto splinter setting hearts as the suit not spades

 

               2♣             2♠

               2NT           4♣/4♦                auto splintering in hearts has to be delicately discussed with partner

       

               1♥              1NT

                4♣                                       auto-splinter setting hearts as the trump suit

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  1♣                       1♠

  1NT                     2♣

   2♦                       4♦

 

   Kx                        AQJxxxx

   AKxx                    xx  

   Jxx                        x  

   Kxxx                    AQx

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   1♠                       2♥

   2NT                     4♣

 

 

   Axxxx                 Kx

   Ax                        KQ10xxxx

    KQx                    Axx                           26 HCP   +1430

    Jxx                      x

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

    1♥                        1♠

    2NT                      4♦

 

   Ax                         KQJxxx

   AKxxx                   xx

   KQJ                       x                     Yech 4♠ high enough

   Qxx                        KJx

 

   Ax

   AKxxx                                           6♠ is a claim

   Jxx

   AQx

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

    1♥                         1NT

    4♣                           4♦

    4♠                            5♠

    6♣                            6♦

    7♥

 

AQx                            Kxx

AKQxxx                     10xx

QJxx                          AKxx                          Auto-splinter gets you to a cold grand                                 

Void                           xxx

 

            Auto-splinters are an excellent slam try tool . It sets the suit and finds duplication of value immediately . A good partnership should be on the lookout to bid a singleton  rather than leaping in your long suit . This will describe those hard to bid single suited major hands that are too strong for a jump rebid.