<p>You should use specific king asks instead of count asks. In this auction, opener's 5NT denies any side suit kings; Eddie Kantar in <em>Roman Keycard Blackwood</em> suggests that it show a side queen, singleton, or doubleton, with a jump to 6S denying even that much. Kantar then suggests that a cue bid by responder is a grand slam try, looking for a third-round control in the suit bid.</p>

<p>1S-4NT-5D-5H-6C would then show the spade queen and the club King.</p>

<p>1S-4NT-5D-5NT asks for a specific King, promising all key cards; opener bids their cheapest K.</p>

<p>Obviously, this requires some discussion with partner, but not much more than "Q ask with specific Kings, 5NT specific K ask"; third-round asks and distinguishing 5NT/6S responses to the Q ask should not be used outside an established partnership.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-21T22:03:19.210Z
2013-09-21T22:58:13.140Z
2013-09-21T22:58:13.140Z
ruds
<p>According to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackwood_convention#Roman_Key_Card_Blackwood_.28RKCB.29" rel="nofollow noreferrer">wikipedia on RKCB</a>, after an 03 or 14 response</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>...the 4NT bidder may ask about [the queen] using the cheapest bid other than five of the trump suit. The code for replies to that "queen ask" vary; a common rule is that the cheapest bid in the trump suit denies the queen or extra length and any other call shows it.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Sometimes though, a call of 5NT is only available to show the queen<br>
(Example: 1S - 4NT - 4D - 4H --> 5NT - shows the queen).  </p>

<p>Now assume I find out we together have all 5 keycards and the queen, then how do I ask for the kings? Is there a standard simple non-nonsense way that most casual/random partnerships use?<br>
(5NT that I'd use to ask for kings is wasted ...).  </p>

<p>I'd assume that would be now bidding 6C (and responses to it 6D - 0 kings, 6H - 1 king, 6S - 2 kings, 6NT - 3 kings). Right?<br>
(P.S. I'm looking for most simple straight-forward non-nonsense common way here...)</p>

<p>In other words, how do I ask for kings in RKCB (as opposed to regular Blackwood)?<br>
(Since 5NT is now occupied by queen ask)</p>

<bridge><bidding>
Simplest form of RKCB - asking for kings after asking for queen
user5185
# Simplest form of RKCB - asking for kings after asking for queen

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-09-21)

According to [wikipedia on RKCB](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackwood_convention#Roman_Key_Card_Blackwood_.28RKCB.29), after an 03 or 14 response

> ...the 4NT bidder may ask about [the queen] using the cheapest bid other than five of the trump suit. The code for replies to that "queen ask" vary; a common rule is that the cheapest bid in the trump suit denies the queen or extra length and any other call shows it.

Sometimes though, a call of 5NT is only available to show the queen  
(Example: 1S - 4NT - 4D - 4H --> 5NT - shows the queen).

Now assume I find out we together have all 5 keycards and the queen, then how do I ask for the kings? Is there a standard simple non-nonsense way that most casual/random partnerships use?  
(5NT that I'd use to ask for kings is wasted ...).

I'd assume that would be now bidding 6C (and responses to it 6D - 0 kings, 6H - 1 king, 6S - 2 kings, 6NT - 3 kings). Right?  
(P.S. I'm looking for most simple straight-forward non-nonsense common way here...)

In other words, how do I ask for kings in RKCB (as opposed to regular Blackwood)?  
(Since 5NT is now occupied by queen ask)

**Tags:** bridge, bidding


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2013-09-21. Score: 4

You should use specific king asks instead of count asks. In this auction, opener's 5NT denies any side suit kings; Eddie Kantar in *Roman Keycard Blackwood* suggests that it show a side queen, singleton, or doubleton, with a jump to 6S denying even that much. Kantar then suggests that a cue bid by responder is a grand slam try, looking for a third-round control in the suit bid.

1S-4NT-5D-5H-6C would then show the spade queen and the club King.

1S-4NT-5D-5NT asks for a specific King, promising all key cards; opener bids their cheapest K.

Obviously, this requires some discussion with partner, but not much more than "Q ask with specific Kings, 5NT specific K ask"; third-round asks and distinguishing 5NT/6S responses to the Q ask should not be used outside an established partnership.


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