Your LHO
opens 1S, partner passes and RHO jumps to 4C, which is a splinter raise showing
good spade support (4+ cards) and shortness in clubs (singleton or void). Would
you double 4C holding
♠732
♥Q6 ♦Q54 ♣KJ1087 ?
Would it make a difference if your suit were longer or stronger (♣KQJ965) or if
it had a sure trick (♣AQ1096) ?
The standard meaning for a double of a splinter bid is that it’s lead-directing, showing honor strength and (usually) length in that suit. At this high level, it’s very unlikely the opponents could profit by passing 4C doubled, so it’s not critical that your holding be super-strong. The more important factor in your decision is whether the suit you’re doubling will actually be the best opening lead for your side.
The answer rates to be “no” when it’s dummy’s short suit. Leading that suit sets up ruffs in dummy, which is what declarer probably planned to do anyway. It can also set up declarer’s honors for pitches from dummy.
If you double a splinter bid with a suit headed by KJ, partner’s lead can be a free finesse into declarer’s possible AQ. A suit headed by KQ is a safer double, but unless dummy runs out of trumps, it’s still not a trick for your side. A suit headed by AK is the only holding where you have a sure trick and partner’s lead won’t create tricks for declarer’s honors.
A lead-directing double can also help the opponents in the auction. Opener may be on the fence about trying for slam when he has some extra values but lower honors in responder’s short suit – AQx or Kxx, for example. If you tell him the high cards are onside and his king or queen will be an extra trick, you might talk him into bidding a making slam.
Those are just some of the reasons that experienced pairs prefer other meanings for doubles of splinters. Most of these agreements still define a double as lead-directing, but for a different suit than the splinter bid. Here are some variations you may want to adopt:
Vulnerability-based meanings: At favorable vulnerability (white vs. red), your double of a splinter shows length and suggests a possible sacrifice in dummy’s short suit. It’s the type of hand that would have made a preemptive opening or overcall if you had had the chance. It doesn’t necessarily promise top honors. After 1S by LHO – Pass by partner – 4C (splinter) by RHO, your non-vulnerable double might be a hand such as ♠3 ♥62 ♦K53 ♣QJ107652 .
At equal or unfavorable vulnerability, your double is lead-directing. It can be the standard meaning or, better, you can define it as asking for an unbid suit (one of the agreements below).
Over a splinter in partner’s suit: A similar approach can be used if the splinter is in a suit partner has bid (1S by LHO - 2C by partner - 4C by RHO). Not vulnerable, your double shows support and suggests a sacrifice. Vulnerable, it promises constructive values for a possible 5C contract.
If partner had made a takeout double instead of an overcall, your double of their splinter shows length and suggests competing in that suit.
One-under double requests a lead of the unbid suit that’s one rank lower than the splinter suit. If your LHO opens 1S and RHO bids 4D, your double shows honors in clubs (one rank lower than diamonds). If the splinter bid is 4C, double shows hearts (hearts is one rank lower than clubs because you're skipping the trump suit).
Rosenkranz splinter double asks for the lead of the lower-ranking unbid suit. After 1S by LHO, 4C by RHO, your double says you have honor strength in diamonds.
Takeout? Some pairs use the double to show interest in competing for the contract. One version is that if the opponents’ trump suit is hearts, your double of any splinter raise (3S, 4C or 4D) shows a spade suit. If their trump suit is spades, double is a three-suit takeout.
Which is best?
The simplest agreement is to choose either the One-under or Rosenkranz meaning and apply it to all doubles of splinter bids. Among experts, probably the most popular approach is to vary the meaning depending on vulnerability: At favorable, double suggests a sacrifice; at equal or unfavorable, it’s a lead-director (either One-under or Rosenkranz).
These are just some of the options you might consider for doubles of shortness bids. You can alter the meanings or invent your own scheme, but whatever you choose, it rates to be an improvement on the standard meaning.
© 2025 Karen Walker