RKC 1430 vs 3014

[katbyte]

Just wondering which is preferable and why. Just learning RKC and would like the reasoning for each. Thanks in advance

[helene_t]

If clubs are trump, 1430 is best if you need p to have two keycards for slam and "know" he must have at least one. 0314 is better if you need him to have one keycard for slam.

 

If hearts are trump, 1430 is best if you need p to have one keycard plus the queen. 0314 is best if you need him to zero keycards plus the queen.

[TimG]

I one had opponents insist they were playing 1340.

[Walddk]

From the ACBL Bulletin, January 2003.

 

http://www.bridgeaholics.com/articles/clas...kantar_rkb.html

 

Here is why Eddie Kantar believes that 1430 is superior. I have no stats to back it up, but I have a feeling that most top pairs prefer this method to 0314.

 

Roland

[Codo]

1430 is best because you can remember it quite easy: This is your score in 6 of the major you want to play.

 

I have played both and really see no big difference for my every day bridge.

[fromageGB]

You have to learn RKCB to play with people who like it, but it is by no means my weapon of choice. You can quite simply construct hands where a partner may have either 0 or 3 (or 1 or 4) and using it is dangerous. If you are prepared to get to grips with the kickback concept of "the next step above 4 of the trump suit is the ace asking bid", then it is much better to remove the ambiguity and play simple steps, 1, 2, 3, with 0 logically being the sign-off in trumps. To allow for the next-step-ask for the trump queen you have to say 3 steps is 3 aces with the trump queen, and 3 aces without the trump queen gets lumped in with the first step, but the queen responses handle that easily. And if you have 4 aces you reply above the level of 5 trumps by showing your kings.

 

So learn RKCB to be able to play with anyone, and just ask them whether they play 3041 or 1430 (or 1340!), but if you are learning with a partner, then have a look at http://www.bruntonbridgeclub.org/ygreen_aces.htm

[pdmunro]

3041 RKCB is better in the Main Bridge Club on BBO, as it causes less misunderstandings when playing with pick-up partners. I use plain Blackwood because it causes even less misunderstandings.

[Winstonm]

From the ACBL Bulletin, January 2003.

 

http://www.bridgeaholics.com/articles/clas...kantar_rkb.html

 

Here is why Eddie Kantar believes that 1430 is superior. I have no stats to back it up, but I have a feeling that most top pairs prefer this method to 0314.

 

Roland

In Kantar's book on RKCB, he advocates using both 0314 and 1430, depending on what hand does the asking in certaian sequences. His theory being that the biggest advantage to RKCB is to receive the 5C response to 4N, and thus you modify which sequence is most likely to get that response.

[barmar]

From the ACBL Bulletin, January 2003.

 

http://www.bridgeaholics.com/articles/clas...kantar_rkb.html

 

Here is why Eddie Kantar believes that 1430 is superior. I have no stats to back it up, but I have a feeling that most top pairs prefer this method to 0314.

 

Roland

In Kantar's book on RKCB, he advocates using both 0314 and 1430, depending on what hand does the asking in certaian sequences. His theory being that the biggest advantage to RKCB is to receive the 5C response to 4N, and thus you modify which sequence is most likely to get that response.

Although this is a good idea in theory, practically no one actually uses it because it's so prone to errors if you don't have firm agreements about which situation you're in, and able to remember it. It's certainly not appropriate for B/I's.

[jdonn]

To keep it simple I suggest always 1430, for the simple reason that 1 is by far the most common response out of 0 1 3 4, so it's good to have it be the cheapest response (leaving room to ask for the queen most often). I have heard people say 3014 for clubs only but I think that's dumb. It's much more common the keycard bidder wants 2 keycards for slam and can depend on you having at least 1 than it is that he wants 1 keycard for slam.

[cherdano]

To keep it simple I suggest always 1430, for the simple reason that 1 is by far the most common response out of 0 1 3 4,

Also, if partner shows 0 keycards you are more likely to sign off than to inquire about the trump queen.

[Trinidad]

I think that there is little doubt about which convention is technically better: 1430 is better, but only slightly.

 

The following is rarely mentioned. The 1430 method has lost many more MPs or IMPs than it has gained. If you play with different partners, after a day of work, you meet at the bridgeclub and on board 12 partner bids 4NT when you have 1 keycard, you are not happy. Did we now play 1430 or 0314? At that point, I wish no one had ever invented 1430. The IMPs lost by the confusion outweigh the IMPs gained by the technical superiority of 1430 over 0314 by orders of magnitude.

 

The introduction of 1430 was one of those technical innovations that has cost us more than it has given us. But the bell can't be unrung.

 

Rik

[y66]

Here's Fred G's writeup on RKC Blackwood which includes his take on the advantages of 1430.

 

In my neck of the woods, most of the older players play 0314 and all the newer players play 1430. I prefer 1430 for reasons stated on this thread. However, I have noticed that my overall scores are often better when I play with partners who prefer 0314. :(

 

Have had one instance of the type of screw up Trinidad mentioned and it cost us a match in a team event. It was not my fault! Have had several others involving responses to the queen ask and king ask. Most of the problems I've had have had more to do with judgment - when is it right to use RKC Blackwood -- than with technical misunderstandings.

[matmat]

imo you can get significantly greater gains by tweaking other, more common parts of your system or defensive agreements or whatever, than adding complexity to your ace-asking system. just pick one of the two your partnership is more comfortable with it and stick to it.