Interesting Empathetic Splinter Missed?

[kenrexford]

An interesting missed opportunity was repeated at two tables in the USBC.

 

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Feldman-Bramley (Meltzer) and Soloway-Hamman (Nickell) each had identical auctions:

 

1NT-P-2♣-P-2♥-P-3♣-P-3♠-P-4♠-PPP.

 

The 3♠ call at each table showed, I'm sure, extra stuff, but the true power of these hands is somewhat hidden. Further, the massive hole in hearts (no wasted values) is likely to not be anticipated by partner and may well be a critical feature, let alone the A-K-Q in clubs.

 

I have long advocated that the 1NT opener may, on rare occasion, see the opportunity for what I call an "empathetic splinter," which is a splinter-like jump into a suit to show unexpected paucity of values in that location (hence, a good holding for the empathized splinter from partner), and maximal values in the remaining key places. This will typically be five covers, meaning five of (a.) the three top cards in each of two shown or plausible suits held by partner and (b.) the Ace of the fourth suit.

 

A typical example might be a jump to 4♣ after 1NT-P-2♣-P-2♥-P-2♠-P-4♣, on something like AKxx-xxxx-Ax-AQx. Here, you empathetically anticipate (1) shortness in hearts and (2) club length (e.g., QJxx-void-Qxxx-Kxxxx).

 

When the second suit is known, it is all that much easier, as you need not show which unknown minor you could support. That is already established.

 

In their auctions, the "empathetic splinter" would be a 4♥ call after the 3♣ call, agreeing spades and showing this hand (or any other with five of the seven covers described earlier).

 

The same concept occasionally can occur after a transfer and after interference.

[mr1303]

Or alternatively you can play Keri, where responder can make a submarine splinter of 3D, showing shortage in hearts and a raise to 3NT. Opener can now cue 3H showing no wasted values, and the slam becomes trivial to bid now.