ROMAN KEY-CARD BLACKWOOD

From Ideas from Edwin Kantar -

Idea: the four Aces and the King of Trump are included in the responses to the Ace ask. If there are two keycards missing then slam is improbable to make. If there is only one keycard missing then 7 is improbable, but 6 is likely.

Responses to a RKCB 4NT (note: 4NT need not be the ask):

5C 1 or 4 key cards

5D 0 or 3 key cards

5H 2 without the Q of Trump

5S 2 with the Q of Trump

After the Response, 5NT asks for Specific Kings (note: 5NT guarantees that the partnership has all 5 keycards):

NOTE: with no kings, responder bids the agreed trump suit, else:

6C king of clubs, may have other kings

6D king of diamonds, denies the king of clubs

6H king of hearts, denies the king of clubs and king of diamonds

6S king of spades, denies any other king

The QUEEN-ASK

After 5C or 5D, the Blackwood bidder may want to know about the queen of trump. (5H and 5S, of course tell the asker about the Q). To discover the Q of Trump, the asker bids the next highest bid (5D or 5H). The responses are:

cheapest bid of the agreed trump DENIES Q of TRUMP

new suit Q of Trump with that suit's king

5NT Q of Trump with _NO_ side king, but has an extra trump or important Q

jump in trump Q of Trump, _NO_ side king, nothing else important (weaker than 5NT)

NOTE: Unless the "asker" has bid strongly (by cue bidding or other means), if "responder" has shown 0 keycards and hearts are trump, 5H is not asking for the Q of trump.

The DIRECT-ASK

When the "asker" bids a suit other than the Queen-ask, the "asker" is making a direct-ask about that suit. With enough room partner responds with (enough room = at least 1 steps between the ask and trump):

1st step: no 2nd or 3rd round control

2nd step: 3rd round control (Qxx or xx)

3rd step: Kxx(x)(x)

rebid of ask: KQ(x)(x)

jump in trump: x or Kx

"NO ROOM" with no room between the ask and the trump suit, the responses are:

1st step: no 2nd round control

2nd step: Kxx(x)(x)

rebid of ask: KQ(x)(x)

jump in trump: x or Kx

The DELAYED-ASK

After "asker" makes the Queen-ask, a new suit is an ask in that suit. With enough room (1 or more steps between trump and ask) partner responds:

1st step: no 2nd or 3rd round control

2nd step: 3rd round control

3rd step: Kxx(x)(x)

rebid of ask: KQ(x)(x)

jump in trump: x or Kx

"NO ROOM ASKS" ask for 3rd round control, the responses are:

1st step: no 3rd round control

2nd step: Qx(x)

7(ask): QJ(x)(x)

7(trump): xx: