Friday, June 09, 2006 12:12 AM

Splinters - Minors

PITBULLS:

I have always disliked splintering after a minor opener. I felt that they were too unwieldy and give too much information to the enemy where the goal with minors is to reach 3NT anyway. I played a jump to 3 level in a major as a natural pre-empt. Maurice has come up with a good compromise with splinters. He suggests playing splinters after a minor opener as a pre-emptive tool. These bids show 5+ trump but values under a limit raise. This makes a lot more sense. With such a narrow range you can be disruptive to the opponents and as 3NT is not in your sights , the bid can lead to nice sacrifices.

Left alone , 1♣-P-3♦/♥/♠ are all limited mini-splinters under the limit raise or better range. In competition . after a one or two level overcall , I still like jumps to be natural ( WJS ) after a minor opener but jump Q bids can be the “mini splinter”. You hold xxx x QJxxx A10xx and partner opens 1♦. They overcall 1♥ so Maurice suggests a 3♥ bid with this hand. I like it ! If you were stronger you would bid 2♥ to keep the bidding lower and eventually get to 3NT or Q bid your stiff heart later for slam purposes. This hand is too strong for a direct 3♦ bid , 2♦ is silly and a Q bid overstates the hand.

Over a T/O double , I like these jumps to be the “mini-splinter” hands also. The reason being that the doubler is advertising unbid suits so the chance of you having a weak jump shift is diminished or you would not like to play ot there anyway.. As a passed hand , we play fit showing jumps at the two level in a major so we may as well play these mini-splinters there also. Hard to think that you just forgot to pre-empt with your 7 card suit.

Speaking of minors , how do you use minor suit KCB when you have an implied minor fit found under the 4 level in a non forcing to game auction ? BJ Trelford recommends using Kickback rather than 4 of the agreed minor. The reason is that you may want to play 4 of a minor in a limit raise or better auction. In a game forcing auction , it is a different story. Returning to 4 of the minor is KCB because you are forced to game anyway. When you play your Q bids & inverted minors as “limit raise” or better and a Q bidding auction ensues, 4 of a minor is not KCB . It is just defined as I have nothing more to say. Q bids are not necessarily forcing to game and can be NT gropes. Therefore sometimes you need to bail out at 4 of a minor. Kickback will be used as KCB in non forcing to game auctions or when you just found your minor fit at the 4 level. Makes sense to me.