[RunemPard]

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I was debating 2♥, jacoby, or the splinter with the east hand. Rebids after jacoby for us were...

3♣: MIN
3♦: unspecified single
3♥: extras
3♠: unspecified void
3N: AKQ in trumps or extra length with AK
4♣: 5/5
4♦: 5/5
4♥: 5/5

After thinking the hand over, I probably had too much values for a splinter, but the T9xx in spades turned me off.

Edit: Forgot to mention basic system...Standard American variant...5533

[Cyberyeti]

It's a decent but not great slam (presuming you think S is capable of ducking ♥Ax), I wouldn't worry too much about missing it.

We probably bid

1♠-2N(raise to 3 or better unlimited, 4 spades)
4♠(enough for game but not greatly slam interested, usually 6 spades, AKxxxx, xx, xx, Axx would not be unusual)-4N
5♣(0/3)-5♦(Q♠?)
6♠

And be prepared to look stupid if partner has QJxxxxx, J, Qx, KQx

[TWO4BRIDGE]

With no 2 quick losers in a side-suit you mainly need to know about the trumps.

If you aren't afraid of the 5-level just go 4NT ( RKC ) .

When partner shows 3 key cards... you can ask for the ♠ Q too .
... otherwise sign-off in 5S .

[Hanoi5]

East's hand is too strong for a splinter, IMO. I agree it's not a great slam though.

[mike777]

No blame

I would have started 1nt and never thought about slam.

[SteveMoe]

Don, you don't say what your splinter agreements are. If East's hand is toward the maximum of your range, West might be less enthusiastic about moving forward. Whatever the range what does strike me is the clear inference for West: East should have all values in the red suits. Now if it's possible that AQ + AQ or AK + KQ or AKQ + K make slam, then West asking for keycards is probably right...

[ArtK78]

mike777, on 2013-February-10, 22:24, said:

No blame

I would have started 1nt and never thought about slam.

With all due respect, Mike, you must be kidding.

As for the hand in question, how about responding 2♥?

[aguahombre]

We have been in worse slams; and we might get there by accident after a 2H response. No reason not to respond 2H, then support spades and cooperate from there.

[Siegmund]

Looks like a take-it-or-leave-it slam to me.

And, mike, if you do open this hand 1NT, that may actually make the slam more likely to get bid... for instance:
1NT-2C
2S-3H (3H = strong spade raise, singleton somewhere)
4C-4D (4C = cuebid, happy about exploring for slam no matter where the singleton is)
4S-4N
and finding only one key missing.

Given the 1S opening, I flip a coin between 2H and 4C. It is a maximum for 4C, and it's unlucky West has nothing to cuebid over 4C, but I wouldn't go as far as blaming anybody.

[rhm]

Hanoi5, on 2013-February-10, 22:20, said:

East's hand is too strong for a splinter, IMO. I agree it's not a great slam though.

Really, missing 4 key-cards(!) and the queen of trumps?
Your splinters must be limit raises for me.
Anyway, what is wrong with having some compensation when your trumps are so weak?

2♥ is an alternative to the splinter with the East hand, but Jacoby is not. The splinter is more descriptive.
I consider West's sign-off conservative but acceptable.

Rainer Herrmann

[Zelandakh]

The East hand is too good for a splinter for me too. These hands are the reason I devote some sequences to stronger (~16-19 5-3-1 points) splinters. If you make your splinter ranges too wide then you lose the benefits from them. Without playing such a gadget I would respond 2♥ with the East hand. Treating the West hand as a strong NT is fine if you play a system that regards all 5332s as balanced. I would guess that most would prefer to open 1♠ given the choice though.

[mcphee]

I do not pass up showing a 5 card trick taking suit with game going values. This is a no brainer 2H response, just that simple.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

I think the splinter is ok, 2H is an alternative, depending on what "Standard Americam" Variant includes,
and what not, for me at least, the erm does not include a game forcing 2H response.

A common strength range for a splinter is 13-15, 4 card support. I would assume, that the 13-15 strength
range requirement does includes some points for the 4th trump.

Now you have 13/14HCP, 4 trumps and a single, which means, you are stronger than the 13-15 hands usually shown
by a splinter, ... but between 4C and 4S is a lots of room, which allowes for more wide ranging splinter bids.

Scanning your Jacoby ´responses, I saw, that 3NT promises AK(Q) ..., which would have helped, since for slam to
be good, you need strong trumps with opener, so 2H would have allowed you get this information at a low level.
Key card would have made sure, that you are not missing the Ace in clubs and in hearts.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[RunemPard]

SteveMoe, on 2013-February-10, 23:05, said:

Don, you don't say what your splinter agreements are. If East's hand is toward the maximum of your range, West might be less enthusiastic about moving forward. Whatever the range what does strike me is the clear inference for West: East should have all values in the red suits. Now if it's possible that AQ + AQ or AK + KQ or AKQ + K make slam, then West asking for keycards is probably right...

1st time partnership..agreed to about 11-15 depending on the hand we have.

[SteveMoe]

RunemPard, on 2013-February-11, 06:50, said:

1st time partnership..agreed to about 11-15 depending on the hand we have.

So it's on West to evaluate whether the likelihood partner has enough for slam is better than the likelihood you go down in a 5 level contract off 2 Key Cards. The breadth of the splinter range might be problematic. Most seem to play something like 10-12 and 13-15 using 3N as the weaker splinter (hidden) and double jumps as the stronger hand type....

...and it's on East to decide whether 1-loser ♥s might better inform partner about slam potential...

[mikeh]

Late to the thread and it will be no surprise to many that I really don't like the splinter.

It is too strong, with far too much in the red suits to bid 4♣. While I agree that this is not a slam to get upset over....it is not a good contract since in addition to having to get the hearts right, the opps might flat out beat you off the top on a heart lead....picture West with AKQxx Jxx xxx Ax, and now the slam is very good yet why should West make a move over a splinter? And what move?

To me, a splinter should deny a good source of tricks....it shows shortness, and hence ruffing tricks in that suit, and scattered values amongst the other 3 suits. 4441 is prototypical but there is nothing wrong with a 5 card side suit per se. Kxxx Axx KJxxx x is a good splinter to me.

But if you have a side suit source of tricks that needs very little from partner, then show that source first rather than splinter.

You will sometimes get a chance to do both: imagine partner responds 2♠ to your 2♥: now 4♣ allows you to have shown primary trump support, 5 chunky hearts (else why show them?) and short clubs all with gf values.

On those occasions when you can't splinter at your second turn, you will still have shown a feature of your hand that will be helpful to partner.

When splintering, think of the problems that you may create for partner. Looking at these red suits, one has to know that partner may be endplayed into 4♠ when slam is virtually laydown