[blml] Splinter of the Mind's Eye

[Adam Beneschan]

Laszlo wrote:
 
> richard.hills at immi.gov.au wrote:
> 
> >Matchpoint pairs
> >Dlr: East
> >Vul: North-South
> >
> >The bidding has gone:
> >
> >SOUTH     WEST      NORTH     EAST
> >---       ---       ---       1D
> >Pass      2C        Dble      3S(1)
> >Dble      3NT       Pass      ?
> >
> >(1) Alerted and explained as a splinter
> >bid, club support and a singleton spade
> >
> >You, East, hold:
> >
> >Q
> >AJ
> >AKT76
> >KQ863
> >
> >What call do you make?
> >What other calls do you consider making?
> >  
> >
> Depends on our system only. I would ask my partners keycard with clubs 
> as trump and after partner's answer I'll bid 7clubs if he has 2, 6C if 
> he has 1 and 5C  if he has 0.

I don't think I want to be in a grand opposite two aces unless partner
also has the HK or SK: otherwise, what am I going to do with that
heart loser?  So I'd ask for kings next.  Either asking for the number
of kings or for specific kings would help.

Next question: If asking for aces is the right approach now, why
wasn't it the right approach in the last round?  What's the point of
splintering and giving free information to the defense?  Even blasting
6C last time would have been better, except that you might miss the
grand; even if somehow you're off two aces, you might not get a spade
lead and then maybe you can pitch it on partner's KQ of hearts.

Of course, none of this answers Richard's question.

                                -- Adam