ROMAN KEYCARD BLACKWOOD - 1430-RKCB : 4NT   ª©¨§

14-30 RKCB - Roman Key Card Blackwood is a special version of an original Blackwood convention that aims to ask partner how many Aces (and Kings) he holds. It a tool that can help to investigate whether slem is possible.
With 4NT the question is raised.
There are several answer-scheme's possible. Here we present the Roman Key Card scheme, based on 5 aces where the KING of trumps is declared as 5th ace. Because this statement assumes that trumps are known and defined, and this in practice is not always true or possible, we decided in  RISC/MUTOS in those cases to ASSUME that the last mentioned suit by the own partnership is considered as 'virtual trump' to enable a proper application of RKCB.
The prefix "1430" is a memory trick to remember that the cheapest answer (5§) is to announce 1-4 aces, and the next (5¨)  3-0 aces.
1430 is , as a happy coincidence, also the score that you write in vulnerable conditions for a successful slem in a major.

Answers on 4NT   :
ace holding bid without overcall bid after overcall x  : DOROPI
1 or 4 of the 5 aces 5§  pass
0 or 3  of the 5 aces 5¨ (re)double
2  of the 5 aces 5© overcall+1
2  of the 5 aces AND 
the Queen o trumps		 5ª overcall+2
2 aces AND a void  5NT 
odd number of aces AND a void in called suit 6x (x below trump suit)
odd number of aces AND a void in a suit above trump 6 in trump

With the original Blackwood version one could ask also , via 5NT, for the number of kings.
We do not need this option as we prefer to use  5NT as a natural bid, as an end bid to stop in 5NT when the number of aces you get as answer seems to be a disappointment.

When you get 5§/¨ as answer, there is a possibility to ask for the possession of the Queen of trumps by bidding the next available bid (alert). The answer to that request is :
5 in trump = I do NOT have the queen of trumps
any other bid = I do have the queen and also a king in the suit I mention. 5NT indicates 2 kings and without a king you have to bod 6 in trump.

Exclusion Blackwood
It can happen that you are only interested in the number of aces except one : the one in which you have a void. Getting an ace a respons in that suit does not help you a bit further. 
The exclusion-Blackwood offers a solution :
from the moment the trump suit is decided, a JUMP to the 5-level is a request for the number of aces without counting the ace of the suit bid.
The answer is fairly simple :  first step  = 0/3 aces, 2nd step = 1 ace, 3th step = 2 aces.


Last Update : 31/7/2001
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