| Board 13 North Deals Both Vul |
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North opens 2NT (20-21). South, with 9 hcp and 5242 shape, suspects there may be a slam, but there isn't much room to explore over 2NT. This looks like a good time to try visualizing: pick 20 hcp and see whether slam would be a laydown. Perhaps Axxx xx Axx AKQJ ? Only 18 hcp and, barring a 5-0 trump split, 12 easy tricks. South isn't strong enough to pursue slam without a fit, so it seems reasonable to transfer first, rebid 3NT, and reconsider if partner corrects to 4S. North does so and South can invite by way of a 5H control bid or resort to 4NT. Over 5H, North signs off at 5S for lack of a club control. Blackwood, of course, should lead to slam -- South absolutely should not bid 4NT and then sign off missing only one Ace; odds are very strong partner has the King of clubs. Unfortunately, he doesn't, and East is more likely to lead the Jack from J10xx than anything else, so slam should fail, but East could as easily have the King of clubs or such and lead something else -- sometimes you'll steal a slam if you don't tell them what to lead. No one bid slam on this one.
| Board 20 West Deals Both Vul |
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After two passes, East must decide between opening 1D or 2C. With 8 running tricks and the chance for a ninth on the opening lead, it looks right to force to 3NT. An opening 1D bid probably won't be passed out but a leap to 3NT would be normal on a weaker hand, so 2C looks right. West replies 2D (waiting or semi-positive) or 2S (steps) or a natural 2NT (8-10) if 2D would be strictly negative. While most prefer not to have responder "steal" notrump, West's hand is actually fairly suitable to be declarer at notrump.
Some plausible auctions:
2C-2D (waiting, 0+)
3NT-6NT
2C-2D (semi-positive, at least an Ace or King or perhaps 2 Queens; forcing to game)
2NT-3C (Stayman)
3D-4NT (invitational)
6NT
2C-2S (steps, 7-9 hcp)
2NT-3C
3D-3NT
4NT-6NT East might rebid 4D, which is also a slam invitation.
2C-2NT (8-10, no suit worth bidding)
4D-4H (sets suit; heart control)
4NT-5C (no Ace or 0-3 key cards)
6D or 6NT
Only three pairs reached a small slam; we overbid to 7NT due to an RKCB mixup.
RKC Blues:
Roman Key Card Blackwood is an excellent convention; having strong trumps is crucial for successful slam bidding. However, confusion over which suit is "key" is often a problem. Anyone playing this convention should have a clear agreement about what suit is key. Here are some suggestions (pick one):
KISS: If we haven't agreed on a suit, 4NT is simple Blackwood.
Implied Fit: If we haven't agreed on a suit, 4NT asks about the last NATURAL suit bid.
SJS Exception: As with Implied Fit, unless responder makes a strong jump shift and then bids 4NT at his next opportunity; that would ask about responder's suit regardless of what opener rebid.
There's one more exception to all of the above: after a 2C opening, if anyone jumps in a suit, they are "setting the suit" and asking for immediate control-bidding. Examples: 2C-3H; 2C-2D-3S. In such a case 4NT logically asks about the "set" suit. It might surprise you that responder is allowed to set trumps over 2C; I've never actually seen that done, but that IS the default meaning of 2C-3D/3H/3S/4C if you haven't redefined those bids. Responder might have x AQJ109xxx xx xx, for example; there is little chance that any other suit should be trumps. If opener were void, responder's hand would be worthless anywhere but in hearts!
Our disaster on board 20 came after 2C-2D (semi-positive); 3D-3H; 4NT -- under the Implied Fit, rule, I replied with one key card; partner thought diamonds were "agreed" and bulled on to grand slam. While it's understandable for East to think diamonds should be trump, partner doesn't know that!
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