Specific Kings

[CSGibson]

1) After agreeing spades, bidding keycard, and asking for specific kings with 5N, partner bids 6♣.

 

What does a 6♦ or 6♥ follup up by you mean? (I see two choices - asking or telling)

 

 

2) After agreeing hearts, bidding keycard, and receiving a 5♥ answer, is there a common thought for what 5♠ follow up means?

 

 

3) After a key card auction agreeing a major suit, are direct bids of 6♣ and 6♦ always choice of slams, or are they asking for partner to bid 7 with 3rd round control of that suit?

[pclayton]

Here's my understanding;

After agreeing spades, bidding keycard, and asking for specific kings with 5N, partner bids 6♣.

 

What does a 6♦ or 6♥ follup up by you mean? (I see two choices - asking or telling)

 

I believe 6 Red in this auction should say, "Your club King did nothing for me, I need help in the suit bid". This ought to mean, I need a 2nd round control.

 

In my partnerships, I play 6 trump minus one as LTTC, essentially saying, "I'm still interested in 7, but I can't take control. If you have a little something-something extra, please bid it". This is an entirely different message than 5N which just confirms all keys and the trump Q.

 

2) After agreeing hearts, bidding keycard, and receiving a 5♥ answer, is there a common thought for what 5♠ follow up means?

 

This shouldn't be any different from 6♣ or 6♦ (see below).

 

3) After a key card auction agreeing a major suit, are direct bids of 6♣ and 6♦ always choice of slams, or are they asking for partner to bid 7 with 3rd round control of that suit?

 

The latter, unless clubs or diamonds were mentioned previously and they are a possible strain.

[CSGibson]

2) After agreeing hearts, bidding keycard, and receiving a 5♥ answer, is there a common thought for what 5♠ follow up means?

 

This shouldn't be any different from 6♣ or 6♦ (see below).

 

3) After a key card auction agreeing a major suit, are direct bids of 6♣ and 6♦ always choice of slams, or are they asking for partner to bid 7 with 3rd round control of that suit?

 

The latter, unless clubs or diamonds were mentioned previously and they are a possible strain.

How do you ask for the spade king after agreeing hearts, then?

[Codo]

1) After agreeing spades, bidding keycard, and asking for specific kings with 5N, partner bids 6♣.

 

What does a 6♦ or 6♥ follup up by you mean? (I see two choices - asking or telling)

To me 6 Club shows the king of clubs and say nothing about the red kings.

So 6 Diamond ask for further kings

6 Heart is aksing for non specific extras.

 

2)  After agreeing hearts, bidding keycard, and receiving a 5♥ answer, is there a common thought for what 5♠ follow up means?

 

I always played that you show specific kings up the line with 5 NT showing the spade king.

 

3)  After a key card auction agreeing a major suit, are direct bids of 6♣ and 6♦ always choice of slams, or are they asking for partner to bid 7 with 3rd round control of that suit?

 

Yes :) Depends on the auction, if I may hold a long suit, this is a choice, else it is asking.

[Dwingo]

The Specific Kings we are talking here is to bid it Up the Line.

 

I remember reading quite some time back, that there is another method, where the bid made is either that King or other 2 kings ( one or the other option). The person asking will generally be able to make out the Kings which partner holds looking at the kings which he has.

 

eg, if H is trump, 5NT is Specific King ask and pd responds 6D, he has either Diamond K or { Club K plus Spade K}.

 

The advantage it appears is that you can name 2 specific kings in one bid.

 

However I must admit that though I have read this, I have never seen any partnership play this.

 

So I am wondering, if the experts here can give their views of the Pros & Cons of this method.

[brianshark]

1. Asking

2. Transfer to play in 5NT? Haven't given this one much thought.

3. Grand slam try

[paulg]

The Specific Kings we are talking here is to bid it Up the Line.

 

I remember reading quite some time back, that there is another method, where the bid made is  either that King or other 2 kings ( one or the other option).  The person asking will generally be able to make out the Kings which partner holds looking at the kings which he has.

 

eg, if H is trump, 5NT is Specific King ask and pd responds 6D, he has either Diamond K or { Club K plus Spade K}.

 

The advantage it appears is that you can name 2 specific kings in one bid.

 

However I must admit that though I have read this, I have never seen any partnership play this.

 

So I am wondering, if the experts here can give their views of the Pros & Cons of this method.

I play this method and like it a lot. I play kickback in many auctions so it is not limited to just using with a major.

 

p

[ArtK78]

If you want the definitive answers to these questions, see Roman Key Card Blackwood by Eddie Kantar.