Friday, July 15, 2005 7:44 PM

Hand Evaluation – Suits ( Splinter Theory )

PITBULLS:

Bridge is a game of suits , not a game of singletons. Splinters are a very useful tactical tool but not at the expense of showing a good long suit with pre-emptive values. There is always other ways of asking for stiffs in competitive auctions when partner Q bids their suit. The cheapest NT should always be stiff asking in those auctions. Kokish game tries in competitive auctions can identify splinters by the 3 level. Serious 3NT can identify stiffs being bid as a control . Italian Q bids allow 2^nd round controls ( Kings or stiffs) to be made. We do not need a direct jump in competitive auctions to show a stiff. In competitive auctions, information should be given to the table on a “need to know basis”. Why help the opponents with their lead or defense if we just have competing or game on our mind ? With all the other game tries we have , we do not need splinters as a game try. Splinters should be reserved for slam going hands.

There are only 3 situations where splinters make sense to me. An opening bid in a major with a direct jump to the 3 or 4 level . An overcall at the one level in a major ( can be opening bid values ) by your side so a direct jump to the 3 level is also a splinter. An opening bid of a major followed by a takeout double showing the other suits. A jump to the 3 level as a singleton makes sense as the odds that the bid can be natural has gone down due to the take out double.

The last competitive scenario involving a major is where I disagree with traditional standard Edmonton thinking. The opening bid of a major with an overcall by their side. This action by the opponents give an automatic bid by the opening side of Q bidding their suit to show a limit raise or better. This opens the door to allow a jump at the 3 level to be natural and pre-emptive. Since the opponents are in the auction , you can get jammed out of showing your long suit. A 2/1 in competition has to show some discipline so a 2/1 or a bid freely at the 3 level just with a long suit is undisciplined to the point of stupidity. The immediate NT bid after a Q bid asks partner to bid a control ( stiff or otherwise) . A Q bid allows a stiff to be shown as a Q bid so we will not be shut out showing our stiff eventually.

After a minor opening or overcall , jumps should never be splinters. Again there are other ways of showing stiff. A jump at the two level after a minor is a weak jump shift and a jump to the 3 level is a pre-emptive 3 opener. Easy on the memory , you cannot splinter directly when partner bids a minor as an opening bid or overcall.

Passed hand bidding should do away with splinters. Since weak two type of hands should not exist as a passed hand , weak jump shifts should not exist. This leaves the door open to have a bid that only applies as a passed hand , the strong jump shift. Not any strong jump shift, but a jump shift that combines showing at least a 4 card fit with partners minor or major opener. This is an excellent bid as the cheapest NT bid by opener asks for a stiff so you have found the splinter by the 3 level anyway. No need to splinter as a passed hand ! More useful bids can be used instead.