PLAY BRIDGE

Splinter raises
The splinter bid is a usefuladdition to any pairs’ bidding
arsenal. It is a specialized typeof raise that sometimes allows apartnership to bid a game or slamthat might otherwise be missed.
A splinter raise is an unusual
jump that shows four-card or
longer support for the last bid suit,game-going values and shortness(a singleton or void) in the suitin which the jump occurred. For
example:OpenerResponder1
4
Responder shows at least
four hearts, opening values(approximately; more on this later)
and club shortness.
How can you tell which jumps are
splinters? They’re usually defined as
any new-suit response higher than ajump raise. That means that after a
1 opening, 3, 4 and 4 areall splinter raises, each showing a
different singleton or void. After a
1 opening, 4, 4 and 4 areall splinter bids.
Why are these bids useful? Let’slook at an example:
OpenerResponderAK 6 5 4
 Q 10 9 8 7
KQ6
A5 4 2
862
5
A6
KQJ
After opener begins with 1,responder bids 4. From opener’s
point of view, this is good news.
She knows that her partner has at
most one diamond, making it safe
to explore for slam. Why? Opener
doesn’t have to worry about thethree low diamonds in her hand.
Whether opener uses Blackwood
April 2005

or cuebids, 6 is easy to reach andalmost certain to succeed. Noticethat the partnership has a combined
total of only 28 points, far less than
the textbook 33 points suggested forbidding a small slam.
If responder had splintered in adifferent suit (hearts, for example)
opener should take a morepessimistic view of things and settle
for game only.
How strong does responder
need to be to make a splinter bid?
Partnerships may, of course, definethem as they please, but manyplayers have found that restricting
responder to 13 to 15 points (whichincludes distribution) makes it easierfor opener to know what to do. Witha weaker hand, other types of raises
are available to responder. The sameis true for stronger hands.
Opener may make a splinter bid
as well. Here’s an example:
OpenerResponderA J 6 5
KQ7439876
KQJ4932 A Q 10 2
J4
After 1 by opener, responder
bids 1. Opener then jumps to 4,a splinter bid. What does it mean
when opener uses this type of jump?
It shows a fit for responder’s suit (atleast four cards), an excellent hand(remember, responder could have aminimum hand, as in the example)
and shortness in the bid suit.
Responder will retreat to 4 after
the 4 splinter, but will be pleased
when he sees the dummy. With only
22 combined HCP, the spade gameis a virtual lock, and 11 tricks arepossible if the club finesse works.
Note that if splinters weren’t being
used on this deal, opener might haverebid 3. Responder, with such a
weak hand, would certainly havepassed, and the good game would
have been missed.
Can you use splinters after a 1or a 1 opening? Yes, as long as
you discuss this with partner. Aftera 1 opening, 3, 3 and 3
would all be splinter bids. If opener
starts with 1, 3, 3 and 4
would be splinters.
There are other applications
for splinters in different auctions.
Consider this:OpenerResponder
1
1
2
3
Since the partnership has alreadyagreed on hearts, should 3 bea natural bid? Many partnerships
believe that it should not. Instead,they treat it as a splinter raise,showing game-forcing values andspade shortness.
Remember, you must discuss thistreatment with partner. It’s importantto specify the strength of splinterraises as well as whether they
can be used in other constructive
auctions such as the last example. 

Did you know?
ACBL Hall of Famer Dorothy
Truscott (formerly Hayden) is
credited with popularizing splinterraises in the early Sixties.
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