Thursday, October 26, 2006 5:27 PM

Hand Evaluation - 2/1 Splinters

PITBULLS:

Edmonton Standard is splinter happy. We got brainwashed that every unusual jump by opener in a 2/1 forcing to game auction is a splinter. In my opinion , this is not the best way to bid these 2/1 hands when opener holds spades & hearts specifically. A singleton with a big trump fit can be shown in so many other ways that it is a waste to reserve the bid for a splinter. In 2/1 auctions with spades & hearts only , I believe that a direct jump rebid to hearts at the 3 or 4 level should be a natural picture bid rather than a splinter. This picture bid should show a 6-5 or 5-5 with slam interests. Bridge is a game of suits not singletons. No more “implied splinters” in 2/1 auctions when opener holds both majors. Showing the fit directly & showing the stiff later makes sense in my opinion.

If you have a 4 card fit with partners 2/1 suit, you have many ways to show your stiff. You raise partners suit & “pattern out”. You can Q bid your singleton control later in the auction. What a splinter does is transfer captaincy to partner who makes a duplication of value judgment. What if you do not want to transfer the decision to partner as you have a self sufficient suit , extra HCP’s , a strong two suiter or whatever as well as a fit for partner. Keep control of the auction by not splintering or get rid of the splinter altogether in 2/1 auctions when opener hold both majors.

Here is a hand from the Bermuda Bowl. ♠KQJ10xx ♥AKxxx ♦ ♣Ax opposite ♠Ax ♥QJ10 ♦AKxxx ♣xxx . The auction went

1♠-P-2♦-P

3♥-P-3♠-P

4♣-P-4NT-P so 7♥ was the final result.

Picture bids broadcast your slam intentions early & shows your hand. This has a huge “captaincy” implication since you have described your hand to the best of your ability , either partner can take control. You also have the negative inference that you did not jump in hearts when you have a 5-4 average hand.

Belated jumps in a 2/1 auction should not be splinters either but instead Exclusion Blackwood.

If at the 4 level . 1♠-P-2♣-P

3♣-P-4♦ We have found a fit and then a jump should show shortness but in this case a void & Exclusion Blackwood.

What about jumping in a suit by opener past 3NT ? This can only happen after a spade opener & a 2♥ 2/1. Should this be a splinter ? No , not in my opinion. ♠AKxxxx ♥x ♦x ♣AKJ10x is a 4♣ rebid after a 2/1 heart response. ♠AKxxx ♥Kxxx ♦Axx ♣x can be bid by raising hearts & patterning out with diamonds or Q bidding clubs. We have “serious 3NT” theory & Italian Q bids now that we did not have when jumps in 2/1 were decreed to be splinters.

Anyway , there is a philosophical trade off with these auctions. Jump bids into a new suit in forcing to game 2/1 auctions should be discussed. In Standard Edmonton , these bids are splinters. I say , not so fast , maybe there is a better use. Comments ?