Source: Canberra 2017 Bulletin 1 
Playing bridge with Tom Jacob at Adelaide Nationals Final, sitting North I pick up this hand:
AJ432 Q764 — KJ75
South opens 1, what do you respond?
Your first inclination is to bid 4. This would be a splinter showing 4 card trump support, 11/13HCP plus a singleton. A splinter could also show a void but a void strengthens your hand considerably and may therefore be seen as too strong for this bid. It is not recommended to splinter with hands stronger than 11-13 point range, as the bid takes up a lot of bidding space and it is already often difficult for opener to decide whether to look for slam or sign-off in game.
Therfore, you respond 2NT – this is a Jacoby raise convention showing four card support and an opening hand plus. Opener’s follow-ups after 2NT are as devised by Andy Hung and Nathan Van Jole (semi-retired from bridge and lives in Townsville). The first steps show point range: 3 11-13, 3 14-16, 3 17-19.
The next bid up asks for shortage: there are 4 steps in response- no shortage, low shortage, medium shortage and high shortage. The bidding goes:
| 1 |
2NT |
| 3 (1) |
3 (2) |
| 4 (3) |
4 (4) |
| 5 |
1) Partner shows 11/13 HCP
2) Asks partner for shortages
3) Shows a shortage
4) Cue bid
Partner’s 5 bid shows serious slam interest and, as partner has not cued, by inference this must show good trumps. I bid 6. South’s full hand:
6 AKT832 QJ98 Q4