Tag Archives: Roman Keycard Blackwood

Slam Bidding Tip

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Here is a hand I recently observed on BBO. It’s illustrative of good slam bidding, using cue bids to get to the best contract.

Here is the hand:

The bidding started as shown above. South can discern the excellent slam potential of the hand. North had opened one diamond and guaranteed four hearts by raising to two hearts at second turn. Moreover, South knows there is a diamond fit, including  prospect of parking that losing club on partner’s fourth diamond.

 

Most Souths blasted into Roman Key Card Blackwood at 2nd turn. That’s not the recommended strategy with two potential spade losers.  Better is to cue bid your way there.

Recommended approach:

At 2nd turn South should cue bid 3 clubs, showing first round control and interest in slam. South is hoping partner will now show first round control of spades. When partner does exactly that, South should cue bid 3 Diamonds (first round control). Now partner may bid 3 spades, showing second round control. If so, you will be in grand slam territory.

 

Category: Exercises: It's Your Call | Tags: ,

Eye Opening Slam Bidding

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I discovered new slam bidding insights when kibitzing this hand recently on BBO. East-West were world-class players Robert Levin and Geoff Hampson.

Rlevin Slam

East forced to game in spades with his Jacoby 2NT response. His hand was too good to make a splinter response of four clubs.

Rlevin Slam1

 

Rlevin Slam2

When East next asked about kings, West denied having any by jumping to six spades (East already knew about the king of spades from the RKCB inquiry). Eye opening slam bidding by EW.

*25 Conventions You Should Know by Barbara Seagram and Marc Smith, p. 86. Entire book is highly recommend: https://www.amazon.com/Bridge-Conventions-You-Should-Know/dp/189415407X

FYI nicesummary of RKCB  http://web2.acbl.org/documentLibrary/play/Commonly_Used_Conventions/romankeycard.pdf

Levin also demonstrated how to play this well-bid hand. Here is his puzzle for you: How did Levin hold his heart losers to one after lead of a low diamond by North? I will get to that tomorrow.

Category: Exercises: It's Your Call | Tags: , , , ,

Do You Have a Slam?

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slamish1

slamish2

Looks like you will have to successfully locate the king of spades or the queen of hearts, although partner may have the queen of hearts. Even if king of spades is on side you may not be able to drop it. Other posssibilities are ruffing out the queen of hearts or setting up a trick in one of partner’s minor suits. Slam is no sure thing, but it’s probably a little better than 50 percent. I would bid six.

Category: Exercises: It's Your Call, Interesting Hands | Tags: , , ,

Good Bid, Partner!

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I was sitting South and opened this minimum hand one heart in 1st seat:

good bid

Opponents were silent. My partner responded two clubs and my rebid was two diamonds.

Partner then jumped to three hearts, showing 3-card heart support and a slam invitational hand. My next bid was four hearts with my minimum.

Partner was still interested in slam and bid 4NT (Roman Keycard Blackwood 14-30). I bid five spades showing two key cards plus the trump queen. Partner then put me in a contract of six hearts.

Left hand opponent led the ace of spades and this was my dummy:

my dummy

Recall my hand:

good bid

At trick two LHO made the excellent shift to the seven of clubs. Should I play her for the king of clubs? She is putting me to an early guess! I decided I cannot make the contract without finessing for the king of clubs, so I put in the queen and it won. From there it was a matter of setting up dummy’s clubs for a diamond pitch or two (being careful not to get overruffed).

Category: Exercises: Declarer Play, Exercises: It's Your Call | Tags: