BRIDGE NOTES: Splinter bid paves the way to decisive slam

The game of bridge was based on natural bidding systems and a handful of conventions until 1940. In the subsequent years some systems and many conventions were evolved in America and some in European countries to achieve perfection in the game.
One useful convention of splinter unusual jump bid was introduced by David Cliff in the USA, in early sixties, which proved to be very effective to communicate the pattern of hand with four card good support in opener's suit and forcing to game with slam interest.
This convention received wide acceptability and a popular response from American bridge experts who strongly recommended application of splinter bid whenever distribution and strength of hand warrant.
The bridge craze was picking up far and wide in the distant countries for the acceptability of the modern version of contract bridge, which the American embraced it wholeheartedly and contributed a great deal to the development of the game.
Incidentally the American team was invited to participate in a local bridge tournament in Netherlands in the mid 1965.
The Dutch fielded a strong team to play against the American team having reputation of being good bridge players. The Dutch pair with sound knowledge of the game was sitting in the East-West position and the American Pair sat in North -South seat.
During the course of play a hand came up which the American team made a good use of the splinter bid to reach a slam, whereas other continental teams either stopped at game in hearts or played at five hearts after applying Blackwood convention.
Naturally the North after making Blackwood enquiry could not bid slam for the missing king of any of the red suits or of spade king being off side, which could defeat the contract of six hearts with doubleton or more spades in partner's hand. And one ace held by opponents.
But the American pair having ascertained singleton spade in partner's hand via splinter bid had no hesitation in reaching a slam with no loser in spade and no loser in heart and possibly no loser in diamond for partner's bid of diamonds at five level. The only one loser was club ace.
The US team fully armed with conventions and playing technique plus developed partnership understanding outbeat the European teams in the game and easily scored victory in the tournament.
(1) An unusual jump bid showing positive hand with fit in opener suit.
(2) Natural second suit.
West played the ace to catch the king of clubs in the South's hand. The West continued with the queen of clubs which the North ruffed in hand with a small heart and played two rounds of trump and claimed the contract of six hearts.
DEALERS NORTH
NORTH-SOUTH VULNERABLE:

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North          West          East               West
S AQ 32        S 876         S KJ 1095           S 4
H AQ 1083      H 42          H 76            H KJ 95
D A63          D 842         D 7          D KQJ 1095
C K            C AQ 985      C J 10764          C 32
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THE BIDDING:

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North          East          South              West
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1 H            Pass          3 S (1)            Pass
4 S (2)        Pass          5 D                Pass
6 H            Pass          Pass               Pass
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