Tuesday, October 25, 2005 5:22
PM
Double Agreement KCB
Garazzo
says Bridge is a game of suits . The Edmonton doctrine has been that Bridge is
a game of singletons. This concept is so over done it hurts. A singleton is a control
that can be bid by other means rather than jumping. Yes , splintering does
identify duplication of value but without the long trump to go with it , the
singleton pales in comparison to the importance of showing long suits. In
auctions like Jacoby 2NT , 2/1 auctions especially , I prefer unnecessary belated jumps to show a long 2nd suit
, not a singleton. Showing two suits brings in the concept of double agreement KCB one of Kantars
inventions.
You
hold void KJ1098 Kx KQJ10xx and partner opens 1♠ . You bid 2♣ and partner bids 2♠ so now what ? You have lots of room to show your 6-5
you think so you take it slowly by bidding 3♥ . Partner bids 4♣ which says she likes clubs – next
? The wrong hand is taking control of this auction. if you described your hand to partner with a leap to 4♥ you show your 6-5
and partner will take control of the hand. KJxxxxx
AQx A Ax . Double agreement KCB
should be in effect and showing your heart king, KQ of clubs and spade void you
can get to a grand.
All
your 6-5 systemic toys or two suiters after a 1NT opener should have double
agreement KCB as the default.
Whenever a 2/1 auction occurs when you have a two suited fit , double agreement
KCB should also be the default. The following is from Kantar :
In
double agreement sequences the keycard ask is ALWAYS 4NT.
The king and queen of BOTH suits are included in the RKB response. In double
agreement sequences there are SIX keycards, the four aces, and the two
kings. Also, when you have exactly
two keycards you can
tell partner which queen(s) you do or do not have.
Playing 1430,
these are the responses to RKB in a double agreement sequences.
One partnership
having 6 or 5 controls is virtually impossible that is should not even be
considered . The 4NT bidder having no controls herself is absurd. Simple step responses with queens are used.
5♣= (1 or 4) with
no mention of either queen
5♦= (0 or 3) with no mention of either queen
5♥= 2 with neither queen
5♠ = 2 with the lower ranking queen
5NT= 2 with the higher ranking queen
6♣ = 2 with both queens
After a 5♣ response playing 1430, 5♦ is the
(multiple) queen-ask, with these step
responses:
5♥= Neither queen
5♠= Lower ranking queen only
5NT= Higher ranking queen only
6♣= Both queens
A 5♦ response showing 0 or 3 playing 1430 , is handled like this with
inferences on how many controls taken from the previous bidding:
After a 5♦ zero
response HEARTS agreed, 5H is to play and 5S is the queen-ask. If the 5♦ response
shows 3, 5♥ is the queen-ask with the similar four step responses:
5NT= Neither
queen
6♣ = Lower ranking queen only
6♦= Higher ranking queen only
6♥= Both queens
After a 5♦ response showing 0 or 3, SPADES agreed, 5♥ is the
queen-ask and 5♠ is to play.
OK lets try our auction . After 4NT
, the 6-5 hand has two key cards so she can show which queen(s) she has
simultaneously with 5♠ ( 2 with lower ranking queen ) . Partner does a suit ask
in spades (5NT) so you leap to 7♣
. Voila !
With Jacoby
2NT sequences , a jump to the 4 level shows
two suits. Our jump shift
reverses shows 6-5 so in both
these auctions 4NT would be double agreement
Blackwood. Knowing that partner has two suits makes counting tricks during the auction very easy. Lets try a few more
auctions for practice . AQxxx AQxxx xx x opposite Kxxx Kxx Ax AKx
1♠-P-2NT-P
4♥-P-4NT-P
6♣*-P-7♠-P * two with both queens so I can count 13 tricks for a 29 HCP grand.
x AQxxx x AJxxxx 1♣-P-1♠-P
3♥-P-4NT-P
5NT*-P-7♥-P * two with higher ranking queen Axxxx
Kxxx Ax Kx
Can count 13 tricks for a 25 HCP grand.
Some
more double agreement sequences occur after a 1NT
opener and a conventional two suiter is shown. 1NT-P-3♦-P or responder just showing a 5-5 and a subsequent 4NT bid by
either side. A simple 2/1 sequence
can often signal double agreement KCB.
1♠-P-2♣-P
3♣-P-3♠-P
4NT .