(pass) - 1C - (pass) - 4NT

[perko90]

The type of player I most dread pairing up with is the one who just loves to

see the wheels go round. In the example given,I would pass 4NT and if partner started

remonstrating,I would just simply reply "We had no agreement on this" Time and again

I have stressed that in any pick up pairing you should strive to KEEP IT SIMPLE!!!!!!

Long ago,when I was a novice I was told that if you made a bid and partner didn't understand the

meaning of it,it was YOUR fault <_<

This.

I didn't even vote because this 4NT is so unnecessary. If it's intended as RKC, keep it simple and set the suit with a forcing 2♣ bid first.

If intended as "quantitative," how would you expect a pick-up partner to know what range? Why not start with 1♦ and hear partner's rebid?

[Vampyr]

This.

I didn't even vote because this 4NT is so unnecessary. If it's intended as RKC, keep it simple and set the suit with a forcing 2♣ bid first.

Precisely. This is why it is normal Blackwood.

[Phil]

There is a large subset of good players that opt to play this as RKC, and another set that would play it as 19-20 and a balanced hand with poor controls. If the player is intermediate, I would probably assume 1430, only because they don't even know what standard blackwood is / or thought it was not played when one learned 1430.

 

However, all of this is a deviation from the standard definition of blackwood (04,1,2,3).

 

However, just because you loathe your partner for making this call, don't do something like pass out of spite. You are better off assuming a certain agreement than doing something purely irrational. Spiteful actions loudly proclaim that you are more interested than being right than winning.

[steve2005]

Whats with the option RKCB without a trump King? Isnt that plain Blackwood?

[Vampyr]

Whats with the option RKCB without a trump King? Isnt that plain Blackwood?

 

Maybe. I assumed that the difference was that 5NT would ask for specific kings, rather than number of kings.

 

Anyway, I don't understand the large vote for keycard in clubs, since you are "nearly certain" you are playing inverted minors and therefore there will be a way to establish that clubs are agreed.

[miamijd]

This is pretty standard, actually. If an auction goes (no opposing bidding) 1any suit - 4NT, that is regular, standard (not keycard) Blackwood.

 

Why is this? First, there may be hands where responder only wants to know about Aces and Kings. For example: 1C - 4NT. Responder has:

 

KQJT9XX AKQ Ax x

 

Aren't you really just interested in how many Aces partner has? If he has none, you'll sign off at 5S. If he has one, you'll bid six spades. If he has two, you'll ask for Kings and bid 7NT if he has one.

 

OK, but what if you want to play with opener's suit as trump and want to use RKC? Well, you don't have to bid 4NT immediately. Just make a forcing raise to set trump (e.g., inverted minor raise for C or D; Jacoby 2NT for H or S). Then you can bid keycard later on. If you tell me you don't have a forcing raise, then you need to change your system so that you do (any system that doesn't have a forcing raise available is nutty).

[neilkaz]

Assuming a BBO pickup I'd just answer to regular old Blackwood.

[PhilG007]

Assuming a BBO pickup I'd just answer to regular old Blackwood.

"Old" is right Simple Blackwood nowadays is considered to be a crude museum piece,

crashing down with one blunt question and one equally blunt answer. The modern ways

in slam investigation are RKCB and cue bids.

[Phil]

"Old" is right Simple Blackwood nowadays is considered to be a crude museum piece,

crashing down with one blunt question and one equally blunt answer. The modern ways

in slam investigation are RKCB and cue bids.

 

if I'm building a table, sometimes I don't want a compound mitre saw. Occasionally a handsaw is the *right* tool for the job.

[masse24]

"Old" is right Simple Blackwood nowadays is considered to be a crude museum piece,

crashing down with one blunt question and one equally blunt answer. The modern ways

in slam investigation are RKCB and cue bids.

 

Assuming "modern ways in slam investigation," regular old Blackwood is standard here and shows a more advanced understanding of when RKCB applies and equally as important . . . when it does not apply.

[Finch]

Playing with someone good, I'd assume it was regular blackwood for aces.

Playing with a weaker player, I'd assume it was RKCB for clubs.

[lycier]

I know Gib CC is RKCB for ♣.http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gifhttp://www.bridgebase.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gifhttp://www.bridgebase.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gifhttp://www.bridgebase.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif

[Fluffy]

RCKW for clubs unless I am 100% certain we both know we play inverteed minors, that is, we used them previous board or something like. Then I would take it as quantitative.

[PhilG007]

In days gone by you were warned not to use Blackwood when you had a void.

Now it seems you can use it...as long as certain criteria was satisfied.

I'd like to know more as the two statements seem to be conflicting.

[Vampyr]

In days gone by you were warned not to use Blackwood when you had a void.

Now it seems you can use it...as long as certain criteria was satisfied.

I'd like to know more as the two statements seem to be conflicting.

 

Well, you can use exclusion.

[Zelandakh]

Well, you can use exclusion.

And you can also safely use it once partner has denied a control in the suit, usually via cue bidding. Or, rarely, when you have a big hand and already know that you want to go to a grand slam but need to find out if partner has the ace of your void to decide between 7NT and 7 of the suit. And sometimes space is so limited that it is the best you can do even though it is flawed. As a general rule, those that take "never" rules to heart are weak players - there are nearly always exceptions.