[scarletv]

MP
2/1

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Not sure which bid to prefer.

EDIT: corrected typo 2♦ --> 4♦

[hrothgar]

Very interesting question.

To me, at least, the sixth heart makes a big difference. Had this been a 4=5=1=3, I would probably prefer a 4♦ splinter.
As is, I'm strongly inclined to bid 2♥.

Swap the heart suit and the Diamond suit and I would consider this clear cut (Over a 2♦ bid, I'd anticipate a nice cheap 2♥ rebid by opener). As is, I am worried that partner will rebid 3!D which is the last thing I want to hear (both because makes my hand worse and consumes a lot of space).

I'll still go with 2♥, but don't strenuously object to the splinter.
(I think that this is a hand hwere you prefer to show rather than ask, so I don't like 2NT)

[mgoetze]

Yeah, if we bid 2NT and find out that partner has a heart shortness, that doesn't really help us much. We should be setting course for 6♠ if partner has the ♥Q, and the best way to get that message across is starting with 2♥.

An interesting related question: what does/should 1♠-2♥-2♠-4♦ show?

[cherdano]

mgoetze, on 2015-February-03, 06:43, said:

An interesting related question: what does/should 1♠-2♥-2♠-4♦ show?

I think the typical shape for this bid is 3=6=1=3 or 3=5=1=4.

[whereagles]

4NT.

The 5-level should be safe, so let's not complicate what is simple. I'll bid 5/6/7 accordingly.

[billw55]

Nice problem. This is such a powerhouse in support of spades. I am wanting slam already, and there are two key issues in getting that to work: partner's diamonds (honors bad, spots only good) and hearts (honors good, spots only bad). The splinter will clue him in to the diamond issue, and 2♥ to the heart issue.

So the question is, which feature will I be better able to communicate later? I think the diamond control is the answer. Especially after a splinter, how will I show strong hearts at the 5 level or above? So I will choose 2♥ right now. This also saves space, always valuable in a slam auction.

[ahydra]

Ever since my partner talked me out of 1S-3H as a fit jump, I'm reduced to bidding 2H on this. After 2S or 2NT we can follow up with 4D

ahydra

[mcphee]

I can not find any excuse not to show hearts, splinter is only for those who are convention confused. In pairs bidding 2H will gain you the most room allowing you to safely investigate a spade slam.

[NickRW]

2♥

[whereagles]

mcphee, on 2015-February-03, 07:27, said:

In pairs bidding 2H will gain you the most room allowing you to safely investigate a spade slam.

I thought exactly the same, but after like 5 secs I wondered "Do I really need to investigate? Slam is a near-certainty if the keycards are there."

[Endymion77]

You're way too strong for a splinter.

Start with 2♥, partner might surprise you by raising. If not, set spades as trump with 3♠ and see if partner can bid a Serious 3NT or give you a courtesy cue bid. Knowing about your major-oriented hand will surely help him re-evaluate his holding.

[scarletv]

Unfortunately the hands do not fit very well.

My choice would have been 2♥ too but is there an upper limit for a splinter bid?

At the table they started with 2NT and ended in 5♠ for -1. Sorry I don't have the E/W hands.

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[Fluffy]

Splinters are defined on HCP, whereas south's hand should be meassured in tricks/losers since it is very unbalanced (10+ cards between longest suits) and has a fit. Splinter is not indicated for this type of hands.

[lexlogan]

billw55, on 2015-February-03, 07:06, said:

Nice problem. This is such a powerhouse in support of spades. I am wanting slam already, and there are two key issues in getting that to work: partner's diamonds (honors bad, spots only good) and hearts (honors good, spots only bad). The splinter will clue him in to the diamond issue, and 2♥ to the heart issue.

So the question is, which feature will I be better able to communicate later? I think the diamond control is the answer. Especially after a splinter, how will I show strong hearts at the 5 level or above? So I will choose 2♥ right now. This also saves space, always valuable in a slam auction.

The problem with 2H is there is no defined way to reveal 4-card spade support later, so I voted for 4♦. But on reflection the Q♥ would be a huge card, and diamond values might be useful to dispose of a club, so perhaps 2♥ is better.

[gszes]

2h

This hand looks very slam worthy but we should at least try to make an effort to
see how opener feels about slam. 2H will get the ball rolling nicely and allow p to better
appreciate things like the heart A/Q when we later support spades and if p is raising hearts
just how happy will we be?

Try to avoid using bids like splinter when the answer will not really help you. IF opener
holds say KQxxx Qx AKx xxx are they going to make a positive or negative replay to 4d? Most
will reply negative and this is a superb hand opposite ours for slam but opener hates the
heart Q and the extra wasted values of the dia K (where opposite our hand they are both
wonderful cards).


A sequence of 1s 2h 2s (I know many hate this but the singleton heart makes me hate 2n even more)
3s 4s (not only minimum but maybe subminimum after the bidding). Pass trusting partner

[Zelandakh]

gszes, on 2015-February-04, 17:43, said:

A sequence of 1s 2h 2s 3s 4s

What is it you have against a rebid of 4♦? Showing 3 key features of the hand (general strength + heart suit + diamond shortage) does not seem like such a bad description.

[NickRW]

It isn't a bad description. But arguably showing a (potential) source of tricks is as good if not better when you have one.

[Cyberyeti]

We would bid: (weak NT acol as basic system where 1N is opened when 5332)

1♠-3♥-3N-4♠

Where 3♥ is single suited and very big or ♠at least Qxxx, ♥HHHxx (where HHH is at least 1 of top 2, 3 of top 5 or AK) and an opening hand and 3N shows at most a singleton J in the heart suit.

Not playing any type of fit jump, I would bid 2♥.

[WesleyC]

I'm interested (and a little surprised) that so many people are bidding 2H on this hand. Although I admit that 2H will often work out fine, it makes showing 4 card Spade support later in the auction almost impossible, which might cause partner to misjudge the slam potential of a hand that has weak trumps.

For example playing 2/1, the auction will often develop:

1S - 2H
2S - 4D

Which I prefer to play suggests a hand with 3514 or 3613 shape but never 4612.

For me this hand is also too strong for an immediate 4D splinter (which would show a minimum GF), so I would start with an artificial 2NT G/F raise, planning to subsequently show diamonds shortage.

[Fluffy]

So you think that showing a balanced hand with 4 spades is a better description than something akin 3514?