Sputnik Splinter

13^th February – Board 1: Love All. Dealer North.

Having two conventions in one hand is something of a rara avis I suppose although in the hand shown below neither comes out of the top drawer of difficulty.

	North: S K 10 7 3 H A 8 6 3 2 D none C J 10 7 2
West: S 9 H Q J 10 9 4 D K Q 4 C Q 8 5 3		East: S Q 6 4 2 H K 7 D 10 8 7 6 3 C 6 4
	South: S A J 8 5 H 5 D A J 9 5 2 C A K 9

West	North	East	South
	No	No	1D
1H	Dbl	No	4H
No	4S	End

When partner’s opening bid in a minor is overcalled by 1H the responder can show a four-card spade suit by doubling and show a longer spade suit by bidding  - er – 1S! So here North is showing precisely four spades. South should not consider bidding below game and indeed a slam might be possible if North has the right cards, so the right approach must be to splinter with 4H. With a minimum hand and with no diamond fit North will go quietly, although I see from the printout that 6S can be made double dummy. On a non-trump lead declarer can crossruff his way to twelve tricks, being sure to cash his top two club tricks first.