A Bit More Advanced Stuff – Roman Keycard Blackwood – 23 June 2010

Here for reference are the responses to 4NT when it’s Roman Keycard Blackwood. In RKCB the King of the agreed trump suit is counted as an Ace so there are in effect 5 (!) Aces. The responses to the 4NT ask enquiry are:

• 5C = 0 or 3 Aces
• 5D = 1 or 4 Aces
• 5H = 2 or 5 Aces but no Queen of trumps
• 5S = 2 or 5 Aces with the Queen of trumps

After partner responds 5C or 5D then the a bid of 5 of the next suit above (not the trump suit)ASKS for the Queen of trumps. The Queen is important because if you are missing an Ace you can’t afford to lose a trump trick as well so you suit better play for no losers, i.e. you need the Queen.

You show the Queen by jumping to 6 of the agreed suit or by bidding another suit which shows not only the Queen of trumps but an extra feature in the suit bid as well(King or singleton). If you don’t have the queen you “sign off” by simply bidding 5 of the trump suit.

K Q 7 6
K 7 5 4
Q 10 9 6 2
7

Partner opens 1S and you junp to 3S – a limit bid, 10 hcp but not mcuh quality to tee hand. [You also have seven ‘losers’ but no ace so devalue the hand a bit – 3S looks better than going game. Nonetheless partner now bids 4NT.

The bidding goes:

1S ..... - ... 3S
4NT.. - ... 5D
5H ... - ... 6H
6S

5D = One of five “key cards”, in this case the King of Spades.
5H = “Do you have the Queen of Spades?”
6H = “Yes, I do and the King of Hearts as well”
6S = “Thanks for the info, but 6S is enough, we don’t have seven!”