WE DO NOT BID GERBER OR BLACKWOOD TO GET INTO SLAM, WE BID THESE TWO CONVENTIONS TO STAY OUT OF SLAM. AND WE CAN NOT KNOW WE ARE GOING TO SLAM UNLESS WE KNOW WE HAVE SLAM POINTS. Slam points = 34 Goren Points including Distribution.
DO NOT ABUSE THESE TWO SLAM CONVENTIONS BY TRYING TO GET INTO SLAM USING THEM. I WILL NOW TEACH YOU TWO CONVENTIONS WHICH YOU WILL USE TO GET INTO SLAM – THIS IS THEIR ONLY PURPOSE.
BOTH THE SPLINTER CONVENTION AND ITS SISTER THE JACOBY TWO NOTRUMP CONVENTIONS ARE USED TO TRY TO GET INTO SLAM. They will successfully get you into a slam WITH LESS THAN SLAM POINTS!
NOW UNLIKE JACOBY, THE SPLINTER CAN BE USED BOTH IN RESPONSE TO A MAJOR SUIT OPEN AND IN RESPONSE TO A MINOR SUIT OPEN. JACOBY, HOWEVER, IS ONLY USED IN RESPONSE TO A MAJOR SUIT OPEN.
THE SPLINTER CAN ALWAYS BE RECOGNISED BY A DOUBLE JUMP...ANY DOUBLE JUMP IS A SPLINTER BID.
Example 1: 1 heart by partner...pass...4 clubs by you is a splinter
Example 2: 1 diamond by partner…pass...three spades by you is a splinter
(It is not a triple jump. Note: two spades a single jump, three spades a double jump.)
Example 3: 1 spade...pass...four hearts is splinter
Example 4: 1 heart...pass...THREE SPADES IS SPLINTER
Example 5: 1 SPADE.....FOUR DIAMONDS IS SPLINTER
A splinter bid says this: “PARTNER, WE MAY NOT HAVE SLAM POINTS..BUT WE DO HAVE GAME POINTS. WE HAVE AT LEAST NINE CARD FIT IN YOUR OPENED SUIT, AND I HAVE A SINGLETON OR VOID IN THE SUIT I JUST BID.
Example 1: 1 Spade by partner...pass...FOUR DIAMONDS BY YOU SAYS:
11-15 hcpx, AT LEAST FOUR SPADES AND A VOID OR SINGLETON IN DIAMONDS.
Example 2: 1 heart by partner...pass...THREE SPADES BY YOU SAYS:
11 TO 15 HCPS, AT LEAST FOUR HEARTS AND A VOID OR SINGLETON IN SPADES.
Example 3: 1 Diamond by you...PASS...THREE SPADES BY PARTNER SAYS:
11-15 hcps, AT LEAST SIX DIAMONDS AND A VOID OR SINGLETON IN SPADES.
Note:
1 heart...pass...three hearts shows: 0-7 points and four hearts
1 heart...pass...four clubs shows: 11-15 HCPs, four hearts and a singleton or void in clubs.
The splinter always is bid below the game level of the fit. The double jump will never take you above the game level in the fit. This is important because all the bid GUARANTEES IS GAME. IT DOES NOT PROMISE SLAM. IT ONLY SHOWS THE POTENTIAL FOR SLAM. FOR THE SUCCESSFUL SLAM TO BE REALIZED,
IT MUST NOW BE UP TO THE OPENER. THE OPENER MUST NOW EVALUATE HER HAND IN LIGHT OF THIS SHORTNESS IN A SUIT (THE VOID OR THE SINGLETON), AND THIS IS THE REAL KEY TO THE SUCCESSFUL SPLINTER.
Evaluation of Slam:
FOR THE MOST PART, IF YOUR PARTNER GIVES YOU A SPLINTER BID IN A SUIT, AND YOU HAVE ANY HONORS OTHER THAN THE ACE IN THAT SUIT,
THOSE HONORS ARE ALL DUPLICATED VALUES, AND THE HAND IS NOW NO LONGER A CONTENDER FOR SLAM, UNLESS YOU HAVE 34 POINTS+.
EXPERTS TELL ME THE SPLINTER IS NOT ALERTABLE, BUT I ALERT MINE SAYING: “good support, 11-15 HCPs, and void or singleton in suit bid"
Example #1: 1 Heart by partner....pass...FOUR CLUBS BY YOU (SPLINTER)...PASS...FOUR HEARTS BY PARTNER SAYS:
PARNTER THANKS FOR THE SPLINTER BUT I HAVE WASTED OR DUPLICATED VALUES IN YOUR SHORT SUIT..SO LET’S PLAY IN GAME.
Example # 2: 1 spade by you...pass...4 hearts by partner..(splinter)...pass...5 clubs by you...pass...5 diamonds by partner...pass...SIX SPADES BY YOU. The spade open showed 11 to a zillion points and five spades. The four heart splinter showed: at least four spades, singleton or void in hearts and 11 to 15 HCPs. The five club rebid showed the CHEAPEST FIRST ROUND CONTROL HELD BY YOU SAYING: PARTNER I LOVE YOUR SHORT HEARTS, HAVE NO WASTED VALUES AND I have either the ace or a void in clubs. The five diamond rebid by partner says, " Partner I too have a first round control (ace or void) and it is in diamonds." The last bid of six spades is to play.
Example # 3: 1 heart by you...pass...THREE SPADES BY PARTNER (SPLINTER) ...PASS…FOUR NOTRUMP SAYS: partner whether you have a singleton or void in Spades is not really important....what IS IMPORTANT NOW IS THAT BETWEEN US WE HAVE AT LEAST 34 POINTS!!!
Rule # 1: When you make a high level q bid to show first round control, you MUST ALWAYS MAKE YOUR CHEAPEST ONE BECAUSE IF YOU SKIP A SUIT, YOU ARE TELLING PARTNER THAT YOU do not have that first ROUND CONTROL!
Rule #2: If either you or partner has shown a first round control...YOU CAN NOW Q BID THAT SUIT ANOTHER TIME TO SHOW SECOND ROUND CONTROL. Second round control is the king or a singleton.
Rule # 3: YOU MUST NEVER TRY TO SHOW SECOND ROUND CONTROL IF FIRST ROUND CONTROL HAS NOT BEEN BID.
You will have about the same hand as for the splinter: 11 to 15 HCPs and you will have 4 + card support for partners opened major, but this time...YOU WILL NOT HAVE A SINGLETON OR A VOID. YOU WILL HAVE NO SUIT WITH LESS THAN TWO CARDS AND you are now asking partner, "PARTNER I DO NOT HAVE ANY SHORTNESS...DO YOU?"
Example: 1 Heart by you....PASS...two Notrump by partner ( Jacoby)...pass..
Rebids:
PLEASE NOTE WITH THE LAST TWO, the lower bid shows the bigger points, which is in keeping with our bidding philosophy. It allows you the bidding space to STILL SUCCESSFULLY GET TO SLAM BASED ON POINT COUNT.
Partner will now evaluate her hand in the face of your short suit and decide if she has duplicated or wasted values or not. If she does not, SHE WILL TELL YOU BY Q BIDDING.
IMPORTANT NOTES: YOU CAN NOT BID JACOBY OVER A MINOR SUIT OPEN. Jacoby is made after PARTNER OPENS A MAJOR. IF THERE IS INTERFERENCE, YOU CAN NOT USE JACOBY TWO NOTRUMP. IF THERE IS INTERFERENCE AND YOU CAN STILL DOUBLE JUMP BELOW GAME LEVEL...THE SPLINTER CAN STILL BE USED.
EXAMPLES:
Example # 1: 1 heart by partner...1 spade by opponent...two notrump by you IS NOT JACOBY. INSTEAD IT SHOWS VERY GOOD STOPPERS IN SPADES AND A DESIRE TO PLAY THREE NOTRUMP IF PARTNER IS CLOSE TO 15 POINTS.
EXAMPLE #2: 1 Heart by partner...1 spade by opponent...FOUR CLUBS BY PARTNER IS A SPLINTER BID IN CLUBS SHOWING EXACTLY THE SAME THING AS BEFORE EXCEPT I WOULD NOW EXPECT THE SPLINTER BIDDER TO HAVE FIRST AND PROBABLY SECOND ROUND CONTROL OF OPPONENTS BID SPADES - LIKE A STIFF ACE OF SPADES (aka singleton ace).
REMEMBER WHY THE SPLINTER BID IS MADE. IT IS MADE TO GET TO SLAM WITH LESS THAN SLAM POINTS. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE CONTROL OF OPPONENTS BID SUIT, you AIN'T GOT NO BUSINESS IN SLAM.