Splinter Bids

Quick Summary

A splinter bid is an unusual jump showing 4+ card support for partner’s suit and a singleton or void in the bid suit. It’s game-forcing with slam interest.

The Basics

After partner opens 1♥ or 1♠:

Jump Shows

4♣ 4+ trumps, club shortness, 13-16 points

4♦ 4+ trumps, diamond shortness, 13-16 points

4♥ (over 1♠) 4+ trumps, heart shortness, 13-16 points

The unusual jump (one level higher than needed) = splinter.

What Makes It a Splinter

After 1♠: – 2♣ = Natural (clubs) – 3♣ = Natural, forcing – 4♣ = SPLINTER (club shortness, spade support)

The double-jump is the key. It can’t be natural, there’s no reason to jump that high with clubs.

Example Hands

Splinter in Diamonds

♠KQ74 ♥A862 ♦3 ♣K853

After 1♠: Bid 4♦ — Singleton diamond, 4 spades, game-forcing.

Splinter in Clubs

♠A862 ♥KQ74 ♦K853 ♣3

After 1♥: Bid 4♣ — Singleton club, 4 hearts, game-forcing.

Splinter with Void

♠AJ74 ♥KQ62 ♦— ♣K8532

After 1♥: Bid 4♦ — Void in diamonds! Even better for slam.

Opener’s Response

After hearing a splinter, opener evaluates:

Good holdings: Aces, kings, and shortness working together Bad holdings: Wasted honors in partner’s short suit

Wasted Values

♠AK853 ♥Q74 ♦KQJ ♣A3

After 1♠ – 4♦: Bid 4♠ — KQJ of diamonds is wasted! Sign off.

Working Values

♠AK853 ♥AK4 ♦732 ♣A3

After 1♠ – 4♦: Cue-bid or RKCB — No wasted values. Slam looks good!

Strength Requirements

Points Action

10-12 Limit raise (not splinter)

13-16 Splinter

17+ Too strong, start with 2/1 GF

Splinters show good hands, but not monster hands.

Splinters by Opener

Opener can also splinter in response to partner’s major:

1♣ 1♥ 4♦ = Splinter! Diamond shortness, 4+ hearts, extras

This shows: – 4+ card heart support – Diamond singleton/void – About 18-21 points

Example Opener Splinter

♠K5 ♥AKJ7 ♦3 ♣AQ9542

After 1♣ – 1♥: Bid 4♦ — Huge heart support, diamond singleton.

Mini-Splinters

Some partnerships play mini-splinters at the 3-level with fewer points:

1♠ - 3♥ = Mini-splinter (heart shortness, 10-12 points)

This requires partnership agreement!

Void vs Singleton

Splinters don’t distinguish void from singleton. Both are “shortness.”

Why it doesn’t matter: Partner evaluates their honors regardless. KQJ opposite a void is just as wasted as KQJ opposite a singleton.

When NOT to Splinter

Don’t splinter with: – Wrong strength (too weak or too strong) – No 4+ card support – 4333 shape (no real shortness) – Honors in short suit, Kx isn’t really shortness

Don’t Splinter

♠K974 ♥A62 ♦K3 ♣K853

After 1♠: Bid 2NT (Jacoby) — K3 isn’t real shortness. Use Jacoby.

Key Takeaways

Double-jump = splinter, Shortness in the bid suit
Shows 4+ trumps, Game-forcing support
13-16 points, Not too weak, not too strong
Opener evaluates, Wasted values? Sign off. Working values? Explore.
Singleton or void, Either qualifies

See also: Jacoby 2NT (balanced strong raise), Bergen Raises (showing 4-card support)

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I splinter with a void?

Yes! A void is even better than a singleton for slam purposes. Splinter with either. Some partnerships use specific bids to distinguish voids from singletons, but that’s an advanced treatment.

What if I have a singleton honor (Kx or Qx)?

Avoid splintering with a singleton king or queen. Those are “working” high cards that partner might undervalue. Use Jacoby 2NT instead and describe your hand differently.

How does opener evaluate after a splinter?

Opener checks for wasted values in the splinter suit. Holding Kxx or QJx opposite partner’s shortness? Those points don’t pull their weight. Minimum hand + wasted values = sign off in game.

Can responder splinter with more than 16 points?

With 17+, you’re too strong. Start with Jacoby 2NT instead, then show your slam interest. Splintering with a huge hand makes it hard to stop below slam when opener has a minimum.

What’s the difference between a splinter and a mini-splinter?

A mini-splinter shows shortness with less strength (about 6-9 points), typically used in competitive auctions. Not all partnerships play mini-splinters. Standard splinters show game-forcing values.

Practice Splinter Bids with Brian

The tricky part of splinters isn’t making them. It’s opener’s evaluation afterward: knowing when your honors in the short suit are wasted and when they’re working elsewhere. That takes reps.

Try Brian, your AI bridge coach, and practice hands where splinters come up. Brian explains whether your hand calls for a splinter or Jacoby 2NT, and how opener should evaluate after hearing about your shortness.

Start practicing with Brian →

Related reading:

Jacoby 2NT, The alternative game-forcing raise for balanced hands
Bergen Raises, Showing 4-card support at different strength levels
Bridge Conventions for Beginners, The essential conventions every player should know