Splinter Bids

Two hands with the same 26 points can produce eleven tricks or thirteen. The difference is fit. Either one hand's honors face the other hand's length, or they are wasted opposite a singleton.

Point counting cannot see this. Splinter bids can.

A splinter is a jump that agrees partner's suit and shows a singleton or void in the suit you jump in. Partner then looks at their own cards in that suit and judges at once whether the hands fit for slam.

A splinter is a double jump in a new suit, one level higher than a jump shift. Since a jump shift already exists, the extra level has no natural use, and the bid can carry a precise message. Over a major opening, a splinter by responder promises:

• four or more cards in opener's major,
• game-forcing values, typically about 12 to 15 points counting the shortness,
• a singleton or void in the suit bid.

Over 1♥, the jump to 2♠ is a jump shift, so 3♠ is the splinter. Over 1♠, the jump shift in hearts is 3♥, so the heart splinter is 4♥. That bid is the one some partnerships give up, keeping 1♠ - 4♥ as a natural hand that wants to play in hearts. Agree which you play.

After a splinter, opener holds the deciding fact, which is how many of their points sit in the short suit.

1. 1.Small cards opposite the shortness are ideal. They will be ruffed, and every honor opener holds is working in the other three suits.
2. 2.The ace opposite the shortness is fine. It still takes a trick and stops the opponents cashing the suit.
3. 3.King, queen and jack opposite the shortness are mostly wasted. A hand like ♦KQJ opposite a singleton diamond produces about one trick from six points.

A useful habit is to recount your hand without the honors in partner's short suit, other than the ace. If what remains is still a sound opening, slam is likely. If it is not, sign off in four of the major, even with a strong hand on paper.

South holds the same hand in both deals and splinters with 4♦ over 1♠: 12 HCP, four spades, a singleton diamond and a good club suit.

• Do splinter with four-card support, game values and a singleton or void, when slam is possible opposite the right opening.
• Do not splinter with three trumps. The bid promises four. Holding three, bid a new suit and support later.
• Be careful with a singleton ace or king. Many players avoid splintering with a singleton honor, because partner will treat any honors opposite it as wasted and the ace or king as absent.
• Do not splinter with a much stronger hand. A splinter is a limited bid. A hand of 16 or more points should start with Jacoby 2NT and show the shortness later.
• Choose the right raise for weaker hands. With four trumps and less than game values, use a limit raise or Bergen raises instead.

Opener can splinter too

The same idea works for opener. After 1♥ - 1♠, a jump to 4♣ (a double jump, since 3♣ would be a jump shift) agrees spades with four-card support, shows a singleton or void in clubs, and a hand strong enough to insist on game. Most partnerships treat any double jump in a new suit below game as a splinter.

Some partnerships narrow the splinter range, for example 10 to 13 points, and send stronger hands through Jacoby 2NT. Others add mini-splinters, single jumps that show shortness with invitational values, at the cost of the jump shift. Splinters also exist over minor openings, though they are rarer, because the target is usually 3NT. After a splinter, slam auctions usually continue with cue bids and Roman Key Card Blackwood; plain Blackwood works too when no void is involved.

What is a splinter bid in bridge?

A splinter is a double jump in a new suit that shows a singleton or void in that suit, four or more cards in partner's suit and enough for game. It helps partner judge slam by how well the hands fit.

How many points do you need to splinter?

Responder's splinter typically shows about 12 to 15 points counting the shortness, enough for game but not so much that a stronger raise is better. Partnerships set their own range.

What does 1 heart - 3 spades mean?

With splinters, 1♥ - 3♠ shows four or more hearts, game-forcing values and a singleton or void in spades. The jump to 2♠ would be a jump shift, so 3♠ is the double jump.

How should opener respond to a splinter?

Opener discounts any king, queen or jack in the short suit and judges the rest. If values are wasted or the opening is a minimum, opener signs off in four of the major. Otherwise opener cue-bids or asks for key cards.

Can you splinter with a void?

Yes. A splinter shows a singleton or void. If partner later asks for key cards, a void needs care, since an ace opposite it is wasted.