RKC Minorwood is a bridge convention which looks for all the keycards in a minor suit at a lower level that the normal 4NT RKCB

If you play inverted minors for example then the sequences will fit into this system:

1♣-2♣-4♣

So here 4♣ is RKC minorwood and the responses are:-

  • 4♦ – 1/4 Keycards
  • 4♥ – 0/3 Keycards
  • 4♠ – 2 Keycards
  • 4NT – 2Keycards + Queen of clubs

It’s also possible to play 4♦ as – no you tell me about your keycards and you can play the responses starting at 4♥ instead. But let’s not confuse things!

If the Queen of trumps has not been shown or denied,
then the cheapest non-trump suit becomes the Queen ask, and the next cheapest non-trump suit asks for Kings specifically.
If the Queen has been shown, the cheapest non-trump suit asks for Kings.

4NT / 5♣ bids are sign off.

When replying to the queen ask : The 5NT bid response would show the queen + 2 kings.

1♦-2♦-4♦

So here 4♦ is RKC minorwood

  • 4♥ – 1/4 Keycards
  • 4♠ – 0/3 Keycards
  • 4NT – 2 Keycards
  • 5♣ – 2Keycards + Queen of diamonds

It’s also possible to play 4♥ as – no you tell me about your keycards and you can play the responses starting at 4♠ instead. But let’s not confuse things!

If the Queen of trumps has not been shown or denied,
then the cheapest non-trump suit becomes the Queen ask, and the next cheapest non-trump suit asks for Kings.
If the Queen has been shown, the cheapest non-trump suit asks for Kings.

4NT / 5♦ bids are sign off.

When replying to the queen ask : The 5NT bid response would show the queen + 2 kings.

Spotting Minorwood?

When is Minorwood minorwood?

  1. The 4m bid cannot be construed as competitive.
  2. The partnership is in a GF auction, has reached game (i.e. 3NT), or bypassed any effort to check for 3NT (which covers the 1m (2m/3m) 4m case).
  3. The minor suit fit is explicitly established, implied (e.g. auction started 1♣ 1NT), or one partner has bid the minor enough times that partner’s 4m should imply support (at least Hx or xxx).