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(530) Fits and More: Over-Splinters

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This Week in Bridge

(530) Over-Splinters by Responder

© AiB                                      Robert S. Todd
Level:   10 of 10                     robert@advinbridge.com

 

 

General

When partner opens the bidding with 1-Major and Responder makes a splinter bid, this shows our fit, values, and shortness all in one call.  This gives an excellent description of our hand and allows partner to re-evaluate their hand based on their working values.  Opener is usually in a good position to make a decision about what to do.  But there are times when we wish we could splinter and describe our hand to partner but we do not have the “right hand.”  In a sophisticated partnership we may choose to have multiple types of splinters, allowing us to communicate even more information to partner.  Here we look at the use of Over-Splinters and see how we can use them to give partner even more information about our hand, allowing them to better judge if slam is likely to be a good contract.

 

 

Over-Splinters

If we play over-splinters, we have two flavors of splinters – the traditional ones and thie artificial over-splinter.  This artificial bid is the one just above the 3-Major raise.

  • 1♥           3♠*

  • 1♠           3NT*

 

By using these bids as conventional bids and then using normal splinter bids as well, we can have two different ways to make splinters:

  • Direct Splinter (traditional action)

  • Over-Splinter (new action)

 

By having two flavors of splinter bids, we can more precisely define the meaning of the auction.  There are two common ways that people use these splinters:

  • Strong vs. Weak Splinters

  • Void vs. Singleton Splinters

 

 

Over-Splinters – Different Strengths

When we choose to play our two types of splinter bids as Heavy Splinters vs. Light Splinters, we use the following general approach:

  • Over-Splinter     Light Splinter, Good 10 to 13 HCP.

  • Direct Splinter    Heavy Splinter, 14-16 HCP

  • Jacoby 2NT          With shortness and 17+ HCP just take control of the action and bid 2NT.

 

Let’s look at each of the possible auctions in detail.

 

Example 1

1♠           __?

  • 3NT*     Over-Splinter (Light), 11-13 HCP, unknown shortness, 4+card ♠

  • 4♣*        Direct Splinter (Heavy), 14-16 HCP, 0-1♣, 4+card ♠

  • 4♦*        Direct Splinter (Heavy), 14-16 HCP, 0-1♦, 4+card ♠

  • 4♥*        Direct Splinter (Heavy), 14-16 HCP, 0-1♥, 4+card ♠

 

After an over-splinter of 3NT, 4♣ asks where our shortness is located.  There are two approaches to this: naturally bidding the splinter or using steps – cheapest is ♣, next ♦, and next ♥.

1♠           3NT*
4♣*        __?

 

Playing Natural Splinters

  • 4♦*        11-13 HCP, 0-1♦

  • 4♥*        11-13 HCP, 0-1♥

  • 4♠*        11-13 HCP, 0-1♣

 

Playing Steps

  • 4♦*        11-13 HCP, 0-1♣

  • 4♥*        11-13 HCP, 0-1♦

  • 4♠*        11-13 HCP, 0-1♥

 

Note:  Steps is the most common approach for expert players.

 

Example 2

1♥           __?

  • 3♠*        Over-Splinter (Light), 11-13 HCP, unknown shortness, 4+card ♥

  • 3NT*     Direct Splinter (Heavy), 14-16 HCP, 0-1♠, 4+card ♥

  • 4♣*        Direct Splinter (Heavy), 14-16 HCP, 0-1♣, 4+card ♥

  • 4♦*        Direct Splinter (Heavy), 14-16 HCP, 0-1♦, 4+card ♥

 

After an over-splinter of 3NT, 4♣ asks where our shortness is located.  There are two approaches to this: naturally bidding the splinter or using steps – cheapest is ♣, next ♦, and next ♠.

1♥           3♠*       
3NT*     __?

 

Playing Natural Splinters

  • 4♣*        11-13 HCP, 0-1♣

  • 4♦*        11-13 HCP, 0-1♦

  • 4♥*        11-13 HCP, 0-1♠

 

Playing Steps

  • 4♣*        11-13 HCP, 0-1♣

  • 4♦*        11-13 HCP, 0-1♦

  • 4♥*        11-13 HCP, 0-1♠

 

Notice these two methods are the same in a ♥ auction.

 

Note: The other option is to play that the direct splinter is a void, while the over-splinter is a singleton.  Playing this method we differentiate our type of shortness instead of our type of strength.

 

 

Conclusion

Over-splinters are a nice gadget to add to your partnership to give you more detail in your communication.  Any time you add a convention, especially one that changes the meaning of 3NT, you should be careful to discuss with partner when this convention is on in competition and when we turn it off.  Many players just abandon this all together in competitive auctions, while others choose to leave the conventional system on when the opponents make a takeout double.  Whatever you decide to play, just consider adding more granularity to your bidding in your most established partnerships.  It can help your partnership be better bidders!