Seeing Through Cards #7

*3♦ is a splinter, showing good heart support, singleton ♦
and slam interest vs suitable hand
Note: This is an intermediate level problem.

You lead the ♠A and your partner plays the ♠9.

1. Can partner have a singleton spade?
2. What does the ♠9 signal?
3. What will you hope to find partner with, in order to set the game?
4. How will you continue?

Solution:

1. Can partner have a singleton spade?
   No, this would mean South holds 5 spades and in that case he would have bid 1♠ instead of 1♥.
2. What does the ♠9 signal?
   Your Ace lead asks partner to signal attitude (encourage/discourage). Partner signaled high, showing interest in your suit. Therefore he either has a doubleton or he might hold the ♠Q.
3. What will you hope to find partner with, in order to set the game?
   Doubleton spade, ♦A and ♥Qx. (If partner has doubleton spade, it's unlikely he holds ♥Qxx or Jxx because with 4-4 in the majors South would double, showing both majors, and not bid 1♥.) A reasonable assumption given his bidding and signaling (and also taking into account that South refused his partner's slam invite, suggesting a weaker hand and values in diamonds).
4. How will you continue?
   With the ♦9!
   If partner has indeed what you hope he has, you might help him to promote a trump trick by continuing ♠K and a 3rd spade. The defense will win 2 spade tricks, the ♦A and a heart trick. Right?
   Wrong! Declarer can still make his contract if, on the 3rd spade, he will throw his diamond loser from dummy (loser on loser) instead of ruffing. Partner will be able to ruff but that will be the last trick for the defense. So, don't continue spades at trick 2. Play the ♦9 (negative + showing spade preference). Your partner will win the ♦A, continue with his 2nd spade to your ♠K and you will continue now with a 3rd spade, promoting partner's ♥Q.

Things to remember:

• Timing is everything, not only for the play of hand, but also in defense. If you play 3 rounds of spade at once, declarer will throw his diamond loser. If you start with ♠AK and then play diamond, your partner will win his ♦A but you have no entry to your hand to promote your partner's ♥Q. Whatever he continues, declarer will win, pull out the ♥AK, and claim when your partner's ♥Q falls.
• Notice that a splinter is 1 bid higher than the strongest natural bid. In our example, 2♦ by North (without East's overcall) is a reverse bid (and a cue bid with East's overcall) and it’s the strongest natural bid (showing an unbalanced hand, normally at least 5-4, and 17+ points), so 3♦ must be splinter. If North's opening would have been 1♦ and South would have responded 1♥, then 4♣ would be a splinter (heart support, singleton club and slam interest), as 3♣ is the strongest natural bid.
• When to accept a splinter invitation? Your hand is:
  

  (1)	(2)

  
  Your partner opens 1♣, you bid 1♠ and he bids 3♦ (splinter). How do you evaluate your hand in (1) and (2)?
  • In (1) you hold extra trump length, an Ace in an unbid side suit (♥A) and an honor in partner's long suit (♣Q). You have no wasted values in diamonds, which makes your partner's ♦ shortness precious. Accept his invitation and ask aces (or cue-bid).
  • In (2) you have wasted values in diamonds, 3 heart losers, short trumps, and no help in partner's long suit. Bid 3♥.
  
  Partner's hand is:
  
  
  
  Notice that if you are (1), 12 tricks are laydown (5 spades, heart, 5 clubs and a diamond ruff – even on a heart lead).
  If you are are (2), you might go down even in 3♥ on a sharp defense.