Splintering

Even though the opportunity to use this bid is seldom, it is a valuable tool. A splinter can allow partnerships to bid a game or slam that would otherwise be missed. To use this raise, you must hold good support in partner’s suit (4 cards in the majors and 5 in the minors), game going values, and a singleton or a void.

The bid goes as follows: partner opens a bid you can support, and you having the above parameters, your bid is a jump raise in your short suit going one level higher than a normal jump raise would be. Now your partner can accurately reassess his hand and decide how high he can safely fix the contract. It will surely be a game bid.

Further, a splinter can also occur after partner bids a second suit but it must still be a double jump bid in an un-bid suit for partnership.  Examples: partner opens 1S, jump to 4C, 4D, 4H; a 1H open, jump to 4C, 4D or 3S. A splinter in a minor suit denies a 4 card major and goes as follows: 1C open, jump to 3D, 3H, 3S; 1D open, jump to 4C, 3H, 3S. This cue bid, as any, must be practiced or disaster may occur.

Winning at our Oct. 28 Evergreen game were: 1st Fern Albracht and Carol Bachl, 2nd Judy Hurder and Pat Macon, 3rd Beth Shafer and Toni Iossi, 4th Andra Cozart and Jan Glover.

Our featured board is #10 from that game    All vulnerable and East dealer

NORTH:

S  K J 8 4 2

H  9 3

D  K T 8 6

C  9 4

WEST:               EAST:

S  Q 7 6              S  A T 9

H  A T 2             H  K 7 6 4

D  A J 3              D  9 4

C  J T 7 5            C  A K Q 3

SOUTH:

S  5 3

H  Q J 8 5

D  Q 7 5 2

C  8 6 2

Best N/S Beth Shafer and Toni Iossi defeating 3NE 1 trick while best E/W Tom Johnson and Nancy Brant bidding 3NE making 4.

Our Nov. 1 Women’s Club game winners: 1st Anna and David Goff, 2nd Nancy Brandt and Tom Johnson, 3rd Wayne Pegram and Everett Halsall, 4th Becky Creekmore and Pat Macon.