Splinterraises

　　Thesplinterbidisausefuladditiontoanypairs’biddingarsenal.Itisaspecializedtypeofraisethatsometimesallowsapartnershiptobidagameorslamthatmightotherwisebemissed.

　　Asplinterraiseisanunusualjumpthatshowsfour-cardorlongersupportforthelastbidsuit,game-goingvaluesandshortness(asingletonorvoid)inthesuitinwhichthejumpoccurred.Forexample:

　　OpenerResponder

　　1H4C

　　Respondershowsatleastfourhearts,openingvalues(approximately;moreonthislater)andclubshortness.

　　Howcanyoutellwhichjumpsaresplinters?They’reusuallydefinedasanynew-suitresponsebeyondadoublejump.Thatmeansthataftera1Hopening,3S,4Cand4Dareallsplinterraises,eachshowingadifferentsingletonorvoid.Aftera1Sopening,4C,4Dand4Hareallsplinterbids.

　　Whyarethesebidsuseful?Let’slookatanexample:

　　OpenerResponder

　　SAK654SQ10987

　　HKQ6HA542

　　D862D5

　　CA6CKQJ

　　Afteropenerbeginswith1S,responderbids4D.Fromopener’spointofview,thisisgoodnews.Sheknowsthatherpartnerhasatmostonediamond,makingitsafetoexploreforslam.Why?Openerdoesn’thavetoworryaboutthethreelowdiamondsinherhand.

　　WhetheropenerusesBlackwoodorcuebids,6Siseasytoreachandalmostcertaintosucceed.Noticethatthepartnershiphasacombinedtotalofonly28points,farlessthanthetextbook33pointssuggestedforbiddingasmallslam.

　　Ifresponderhadsplinteredinadifferentsuit(hearts,forexample)openershouldtakeamorepessimisticviewofthingsandsettleforgameonly.

　　Howstrongdoesresponderneedtobetomakeasplinterbid?Partnershipsmay,ofcourse,definethemastheyplease,butmanyplayershavefoundthatrestrictingresponderto13to15points(whichincludesdistribution)makesiteasierforopenertoknowwhattodo.Withaweakerhand,othertypesofraisesareavailabletoresponder.Thesameistrueforstrongerhands.

　　Openermaymakeasplinterbidaswell.Here’sanexample:

　　OpenerResponder

　　SAJ65SKQ743

　　H9H876

　　DKQJ4D932

　　CAQ102CJ4

　　After1Dbyopener,responderbids1S.Openerthenjumpsto4H,asplinterbid.Whatdoesitmeanwhenopenerusesthistypeofjump?Itshowsafitforresponder’ssuit(atleastfourcards),anexcellenthand(remember,respondercouldhaveaminimumhand,asintheexample)andshortnessinthebidsuit.

　　Responderwillretreatto4Safterthe4Hsplinter,butwillbepleasedwhenheseesthedummy.Withonly22combinedHCP,thespadegameisavirtuallock,and11tricksarepossibleiftheclubfinesseworks.

　　Notethatifsplintersweren’tbeingusedonthisdeal,openermighthaverebid3S.Responder,withsuchaweakhand,wouldcertainlyhavepassed,andthegoodgamewouldhavebeenmissed.

　　Canyouusesplintersaftera1Cora1Dopening?Yes,aslongasyoudiscussthiswithpartner.Aftera1Copening,3D,3Hand3Swouldallbesplinterbids.Ifopenerstartswith1D,3H,3Dand4Cwouldbesplinters.

　　Thereareotherapplicationsforsplintersindifferentauctions.Considerthis:

　　OpenerResponder

　　1C1H

　　2H3S

　　Sincethepartnershiphasalreadyagreedonhearts,should3Sbeanaturalbid?Manypartnershipsbelievethatitshouldnot.Instead,theyt