[ali quarg]

Playing 2/1 either GI/GF

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and another challenge in the spoiler

Spoiler

A surfeit of voids & how do NS compete?

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[P_Marlowe]

ali quarg, on 2022-July-06, 12:31, said:

Playing 2/1 either GI/GF

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Splinter.

You have a min GF hand, if you make the splinter, partner signs of,
you are happy. If you have if av. a void splinter, would be great,
but otherwise I would show the shortage and respect partners sign of.

[jillybean]

I can't remember the last time I used a splinter but agree this hand looks good. It's a weak GF raise, I hope you make this partner.
It is a shame that it will leave partner no room to explore but 2♦ is too much.

[sfi]

jillybean, on 2022-July-06, 14:42, said:

It is a shame that it will leave partner no room to explore but 2♦ is too much.

You've identified the problem and this is exactly why people find ways to show this splinter below 4H. A simple way is to use 3NT to show the "inconvenient splinter", allowing a cuebid or two and a last-train option.

[jillybean]

Yes, I like that. What else would you use 1M:3nt for!

[sfi]

jillybean, on 2022-July-06, 16:10, said:

Yes, I like that. What else would you use 1M:3nt for!

We were using it as choice of games with three-card support, but we never were confident enough about when to pass or how to effectively look for slam. So we're happy we made the change.

[Douglas43]

jillybean, on 2022-July-06, 16:10, said:

Yes, I like that. What else would you use 1M:3nt for!

16-18 balanced, meaning that two level response then 3NT is limited to 13-15.

[johnu]

jillybean, on 2022-July-06, 16:10, said:

Yes, I like that. What else would you use 1M:3nt for!

I use

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as splinters showing singletons, with the next step asking for the singleton.

Direct jumps to the 4 level (and 3NT over 1♥) shows voids. This allows the use of exclusion Blackwood when responder has shown a void.

[mw64ahw]

johnu, on 2022-July-06, 23:24, said:

I use

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as splinters showing singletons, with the next step asking for the singleton.

Direct jumps to the 4 level (and 3NT over 1♥) shows voids. This allows the use of exclusion Blackwood when responder has shown a void.

I'm considering something like Modified Bergen Raises (Bravos) Bridge Convention (bridgebum.com) which incorporates void showing sequences as an alternative.

At the moment I'm modifying:
1♠-3♣ to show a mixed raise with a game going 4+♠
1♠-3♦ to show a mixed raise with a strong game invitational 4+♠
1♠-3♥ to show a mixed raise with a weak game invitational 4+♠


to incorporate into
1♠-3♣ a slam invite with 4+♠ with a void so that
--1♠-3♣-3♦ asks which type of hand?
----1♠-3♣-3♦-3NT shows a ♣ void
----1♠-3♣-3♦-3♥ shows a ♦ void
----1♠-3♣-3♦-3♠ asks opener to bid game opposite a non-minimum opening

1♠-3♦ a slam invite with 4+♠ with a void so that
--1♠-3♣-3♥ asks which type of hand?
----1♠-3♣-3♥-3NT shows a ♥ void

This leaves
1♠-...-4♣/♥ to show weak honours (where 3NT has been used to show the void) in control bidding sequences

[Cyberyeti]

jillybean, on 2022-July-06, 16:10, said:

Yes, I like that. What else would you use 1M:3nt for!

3334/3343 13-15 choice of games

[DavidKok]

mw64ahw, on 2022-July-06, 23:58, said:

I'm considering something like Modified Bergen Raises (Bravos) Bridge Convention

I'd love to play against this.

[LBengtsson]

First, I do not like splinters with voids - just my opinion - I prefer them with a stiff card, and stiffs turn up more times than voids, and second, this is an ideal hand to use a Bergen raise of 3♣ (7-10 with 4 card support) and then show the control after. That way it shows the control as a void or an ace. And that your hand is worth slightly more and you are interested in slam if opener has extra values/controls.

[Cyberyeti]

LBengtsson, on 2022-July-07, 05:12, said:

First, I do not like splinters with voids - just my opinion - I prefer them with a stiff card, and stiffs turn up more times than voids, and second, this is an ideal hand to use a Bergen raise of 3♣ (7-10 with 4 card support) and then show the control after. That way it shows the control as a void or an ace. And that your hand is worth slightly more and you are interested in slam if opener has extra values/controls.

We play void splinter, with singletons through a limit+ 2N, but this hand isn't quite good enough for the splinter (although fine for 2N).

Good hand for mini splinter 3♥ followed by 4♥ to confirm the void and extras if you play it like that, we don't.

[mycroft]

I play limit splinters with one partner, this is a perfect hand for it. Even if this is the hand that always wants to be in 4♠ (which I am not sure of), I don't want to game force splinter on a ragged 9-and-a-void. Too much chance of being in 6♠ making 5 or 5♠ making 4 when partner plays me to have what I would normally. Especially with a heart void, I expect partner to either not pass (invites are "blame transfers", right?) or get pushed there quite often (and partner will have a better idea what to do over 5♥ than if I show more cards, too).

Spoiler

Edit, just noticed the spoiler in the OP. Sure looks like partner is going to be deciding what to do over 5♥, doesn't it?

Not playing limit splinters, yeah, figure out how to show it - maybe this is the 1NT Forcing, then 4♠ hand?

Traditionally, 1M-3NT is either 3M433 or 2M balanced, minimum game force, choice of games. Another of my partners has me playing it as "a 4M raise, but with an outside A or K". I kind of like this one - that's what I normally tried to show with 1NT Forcing, then 4♠.