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Tag: keycard

Kickback

Kickback is a keycard asking bid which tries to keep the bidding lower, especially useful when the trump suit is a minor suit.

In short instead of using 4NT as the RKB asking bid you use the suit above the agreed suit.

TrumpsKeycard AskStep1 (1/4)Step2 (0/3)Step3 (2)Step4 (2+Q)
4NT5♣555♠
4♠4NT5♣55
44♠4NT5♣5
444♠4NT5♣

Playing kickback you can play 3041 if you prefer which will swap steps 1 and 2 around.

What is the king ask

Assuming you are responding with specific kings…that is you respond 6♣ to show the king of clubs or it shows 2 non touching kings…

The basic rules are:-

  • The king asking suit is a cue-bid of 5 of the next higher strain after the trump suit…so 5NT would still be a king ask when spades are trumps.
  • The negative response would be to bid 6 of the trump suit
  • The three kings response would be to bid 6 of the asking suit
  • The cheapest specific king – simply cue bid the king you have or paradox kings and bypassing a bid then denies that king
  • 5NT response now shows the king of the asking suit

Asking for a 2nd King

  • The secondary ask – A secondary ask you bid the next strain up
  • The negative response showing no additional kings is simply to bid 6 of the trump suit
  • The positive response is to bid 6 of the asking suit to show that king or 6NT if the response pushes to the 7 level
  • The 3rd round control ask positive would then be to bid 7NT

Queen Ask

The queen ask is only employed after a 1st or 2nd step response to the ask.

  • To deny the trump queen simply bid 5 of the trump suit.
  • To show the trump queen bid 6 of the agreed trump suit with no kings
  • Bid 6 of the asking suit to show all three kings and the trump queen
  • Cue bid a king to show that king and the trump queen…again paradox kings apply

Some Examples


a)
b)c)
♠ A76
AK
A106
♣ KQ753
♠ AK4
AQ762
A65
♣ K7
♠ KQ
A1092
KQ6
♣ 7652
♠ K2
Q6542
7
♣ AJ986
♠ 73
KJ543
K8
♣ AJ108
♠ A987
KQJ7
AJ82
♣ 3

The Bidding

a) 2NT (20-22) – 3 – 3 – 4♣ – 4 – 4 – 5 – 5♠ – 7♣

4♣ shows the second suit and 4 is kickback for clubs and 4 is one. 5 is the king ask and 5♠ shows that king.

b) 2NT (20-22) – 3 – 3 – 4♣ – 4♠ – 5 – 5♠ – 6 – 7

4♣ shows the second suit and 4 is kickback for hearts, 5 is two. 5♠ is the king ask and 6 is the king of diamonds.

c) 1NT (12-14) – 2 – 2 – 4♣ – 4♠ – 5♣ – 5 – 6

2♣ is Stayman and 4♣ is a splinter, 4♠ is now kickback and 5♣ shows 3 keycards, 5 asks for the trump queen and 6 is saying I have the queen.

Splinter Bids

So this is a recorded live stream of splinter bids opposite major bids.

In this long video we cover the rule of 26 and we also use RKCB to bid slams more confidently.

Dopi-Ropi

DoPi-RoPi is a bridge Acronym standing for:

  • Double = 0 (nought,zero,nada) or 4 aces
  • Pass = 1 (1 ace)
  • Re-Double = 0 (nought,zero,nada) or 4 aces
  • Pass = 1 (1ace)

It is used in Blackwood or RKCB after you’ve asked your partner for aces and you get an intervening bid.

So if you get a bid over 4NT you use one of the bids above or if you have more aces you make bids higher up to show two or three aces.

If you are playing RKCB you add in the King of trumps and queen of trumps into the mix as well….so:

Playing Blackwood DOPI

So when a 4NT blackwood is overcalled:

  • Double = 0 or 4 aces
  • Pass = 1 ace
  • +1 Bid = 2 aces
  • +2 Bids = 3 aces

Playing RKCB (1430) DOPI

So when a 4NT(1430) RKCB is overcalled:

  • Double = 1 ace or 4 aces
  • Pass = 1 ace
  • +1 Bid = 2 aces
  • +2 Bids = 2 aces + Queen of trumps
  • +3 Bids = 3 aces

Playing RKCB (0314) DOPI

So when a 4NT(0314) RKCB is overcalled:

  • Double = 0 aces or 3 aces
  • Pass = 1 ace
  • +1 Bid = 2 aces
  • +2 Bids = 2 aces + Queen of trumps
  • +3 Bids = 3 aces

Playing RKCB (1430) ROPI

So when a 4NT(1430) RKCB is overcalled:

  • Double = 1 ace or 4 aces
  • Pass = 0 aces
  • +1 Bid = 2 aces
  • +2 Bids = 2 aces + Queen of trumps
  • +3 Bids = 3 aces

Playing RKCB (0314) ROPI

So when a 4NT(0314) RKCB is overcalled:

  • Double = 0 ace or 3 aces
  • Pass = 1 ace or 4 aces
  • +1 Bid = 2 aces
  • +2 Bids = 2 aces + Queen of trumps
  • +3 Bids = 3 aces

This is a hand where I’ve just lost 13 IMPS because my partner forgot how to play the system…

NorthSouth
♠ K863♠ AQ10742
AJ 964
AK9864QJ5
♣ 6♣ J
The Hands

So with this hand the bidding went:

NorthEastSouthWest
12♣2♠3♣
4♣Pass4NT5♣
5Pass5♠Pass
PassPass
The Bidding

So using DOPI-ROPI the 5 bid shows 2 aces….Now if you were playing normal blackwood that would be true…but we play RKCB so that bid now show only 2 of the 5 aces without the queen of trumps….so we missed the easy 6♠ because my partner should have bid 5♠ to show 3 aces (the king of trumps is counted as an ace in RKCB) and unfortunately the other team bid it. Oh well he won’t get it wrong the next time it occurs!

DEPO

This stands for:

  • Double = Even number of aces
  • Pass = Odd number of aces

I would suggest this just includes all the keycards AAAAKQ when playing whatever flavour of RKCB you choose to use.

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