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BR 23.1 - Blackwood Convention
As explained earlier bidding conventions are predetermined coded messages in the auction (using regular bids) to convey special features of a hand.
The Blackwood Convention (Bidding Guide p.14) starts with a bid of :
- 4 NT which conveys the message :
"Partner, how many Aces do you hold in your hand?"
- Partner replies :
These bids tell absolutely nothing about the suit bid, but only indicate the number of Aces held in Partner's hand.
When the 4NT bidder discovers his side holds all 4 Aces, he me follow on with a bid of :
- 5 NT - this shows that the side holds all 4 Aces and conveys the message :
"Partner, how many Kings do you hold in your hand?"
- Partner replies :
The Blackwood convention is used in trump contracts where some of the 33 points required for a Small Slam may include 4 or more shortages points, and the Opponents may therefore hold 2 Aces. The Blackwood Convention guards against this.
The bid of 4NT is not Blackwood when it is a response to a NT opening bid. In such case it is an invitation bid for Slam (1NT - 4NT - ? or 2NT - 4NT - ?)
Enemy Interference
When the enemy tries to spoil the party with an interference bid over Partner's Blackwood 4 NT responses follow the so called DOPI procedure.
For example after 4NT - (5D) - You ?
Double
Pass
(5 in next suit) 5H
(5 in suit after that) 5S
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= 0 or 4 Aces (D = 0)
= 1 Ace (P = 1)
= 2 Aces
= 3 Aces
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BR 23.2 - Roman Keycard Blackwood
Roman Keycard Blackwood (Bidding Guide p.14) is a useful variation on the standard Blackwood conventions and includes asking for the King and Queen of the trump suit. if no trump suit has been agreed upon the last bid suit counts as the trump suit.
The key cards are the 4 Aces plus the trump King.
The responses to 4NT then are :
After a 5C or 5D response the cheapest bid (excluding the trump suit) asks for the trump Queen. The cheapest response to that denies the trump Queen. The next higher bid promises the trump Queen.
A subsequent bid of 5NT asks for the Kings as in standard Blackwood, but the trump King is not shown again.
Against enemy interference use DOPI
For example after 4NT - (5D) - You ?
Double
Pass
(5 in next suit) 5H
(5 in suit after that) 5S
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= 0 or 3 key cards (D = 0)
= 1 or 4 key cards (P = 1)
= 2 key cards with the trump Queen
= 2 key cards without the trump Queen
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