[straube]

Looking for ideas after splinters, particularly self-splinters since we're going through NT notes.

1N-2D, 2H-4C is a club self-splinter for hearts. Seems like 4D should be last train, 4H should be not interested and 4S should be RKC. I just heard about Inclusion RKC and wondering then if 4N (as the next step up) should be that. Inclusion asks partner to count a void as a key card, meaning that opener here wouldn't have the club ace. So 4S as RKC would tend to show possession of the club ace and responder would know that his void is not golden.

So opener's rebids are

4D-last train
4H-not interested
4S-RKC with club ace
4N-RKC without
5C-?
5D-?

Another question I have is why folks play Last Train and not First Train but after such an auction as 1S-2C, 2S-3S, 3N is nonserious. Would it be more consistent for step one to always show some interest? Or maybe it doesn't matter.

[HardVector]

Last train is a good idea. The reason to play it is to differentiate hands that have promise from misfits. After your auction, if partner has: KJxx xx AQxx KQJ, they are not happy about pursuing a slam. If they have: Kxx Kxx KQJx Axx, then they like the idea, but may not feel they have the right hand to take charge. I've never done inclusion, so I'm not going to comment on it, but I generally play cuebids past the major suit game.