Saturday, August 31, 2002 8:34 PM
Hand Evaluation
- Exclusion Blackwood
PITBULLS:
Time for a
review of exclusion Blackwood over the majors and the minors. We have discussed
exclusion Blackwood before . With the minors , EKB has replaced
the void showing splinter . In
addition with minors
, if one hand is very strong then it is useless splintering
to the weak hand . In these cases , the splinter is EKB . ( see
Kantars examples with the minors below) I am getting this stuff from Kantars
web site and he also plays SSA ( specific suit
asks) . Susan & Kiz have a good idea playing Exclusion. They assume there
will never be more than 2 controls
outside the void suit ( good assumption ) so they play
the same responses as over pre-empts and weak 2’s : 0-0 or 0-1 , 1-0 , 1-1 , 2-0 , 2-2 . I like
this treatment so 3♠-P-4♣ 2♥-P-4♣ and
exclusion all have the same responses. Tom & I just reverse KCB ( 0413 ) . Kantar just goes up the line but queen asks get
messy.
EXCLUSION
BLACKWOOD AFTER MAJOR SUIT AGREEMENT
Slam hands with void suits are notoriously hard to handle. Using
Blackwood seldom works unless the Blackwood bidder has three aces or partner
has cuebid an ace. If you use RKB
holding two aces plus a void suit, and partner shows one ace, you may have to
guess which it is.
There are several ways to go with void suits.
The most common is cuebidding which may lead
to a Blackwood sequence. However, it is dangerous to cuebid a void; partner may think that the king or
king-queen of your void suit is golden and go ballistic.
A better way to resolve this dilemma is to use
EXCLUSION KEYCARD BLACKWOOD (EKB) whereby you ask partner for keycards OUTSIDE
of the void suit. EKB is a jump over game in an unbid
suit or in a suit bid by the opponents, usually after agreement.
Partner does NOT count the ace of the jump suit in the
response. The responses to EKB are simple.
1st step= 0
2nd step=1
3rd step=2
4th step=3
An example before we get to some sticky stuff:
Opener
Responder
S. AKQxxx
S. xxxx
H.
-
H.
Kxxx
D. Kx
D.
Axxx
C. AKQxx
C.
x
Opener Responder
2C
2D(1)
2S
4C(2)
5H(3)
5NT(4)
7S(5)
Pass
(1) Waiting
(2) Splinter
(3) Exclusion
(4) 1 Keycard outside of hearts (must be the DA)
(5) Bingo!
Exclusion responses are rarely lower than five of the agreed
suit. They will usually be higher, though the five level of
the agreed suit may be the response.
Note: In an uncontested auction a leap
over game after partner's response is EKB agreeing partner's suit.
Opener
Responder
S. AKxxxx
S. -
H. AJxx
H.
Qxxxx
D.
-
D
AKQxx
C. KQx
C.
Jxx
Opener
Responder
1S
2H
5D
(1)
5H
(2)
Pass (3)
(1) EKB
(2) 0 (DA doesn't count)
(3) 2 keycards missing
WHEN AN EXCLUSION ASK IS DOUBLED
(THEY'LL BE SORRY)
Opener
Responder
S. AKxxxx
S.
QJxx
H. KQx
H.
Ax
D.
-
D.
Qxxxx
C. KQJx
C.
xx
Opener
Responder
(you)
1S
3S
(1)
5D(2)
Dbl.
?
(1) Limit
(2) EKB
When an EKB ask is doubled, thank the doubler.
You now have TWO extra bids available, pass and
redouble. It works like this: Pass = 0 Redbl.= 1 1st step = 2.
If a 2nd step response doesn't bypass the trump suit, it shows 2
with. With 3, bid use the 3rd step but expect to make 9!
In the example sequence redouble to show "1" and opener bids
6S. Had you 0 you would have passed and opener would sign off
at 5S.
Exclusion Key Card Blackwood (EKB) After Minor Suit Agreement
One runs into a little snag when the EKB ask comes
after minor suit agreement. Many jump bids after minor suit agreement are
splinter jumps, not EKB jumps. The recognition problem can be
solved by considering the level at which the jump takes place and the strength
of the hand making the bid.
EKB AFTER TWO LEVEL MINOR SUIT AGREEMENT
Opener
Responder
S. AQJx
S.
xx
H.
-
H.
KJx
D.
KJ9xxx
D.
Axxxx
C. KQx
C.
Axx
Opener
Responder
1D
2D
(1)
4H
(2)
5C
(3)
5S
(4)
5NT
(5)
6D (6)
Pass
(1) Inverted. Some play "crossover". Using
this method, the single raise is a game force and the jump shift to the other
minor, 3C in this case, is considered a limit raise. The jump
to the three level of opener's minor is preemptive.
(2) EKB. A jump to 3H would be a splinter and a jump
one level higher than a splinter in minor suit auctions is RKB.
(3) 2 keycards. An inverted raise is presumed to show five
cards so the queen is not shown when holding five card support
even though partner is known to have five trump in this
sequence. There will be other EKB sequences where partner may
have only four trump so to avoid confusion, no queen showing with five card
support after making an inverted raise or a splinter jump in response to a
minor suit opening which also guarantees at least five card support.
(4) SSA in spades.
(5) A first step response showing third round control which must be a doubleton
as opener is looking at the queen; a direct return to the trump suit (6D) would
be the weakest response denying third round control (xxx, xxxx).
(6) Bidding a grand on a finesse is a losing
proposition unless you "need the points".
Things don't always work out according to plan, of course.
NOT ACCORDING TO PLAN
Opener
Responder
S.
-
S.
AKJ
H. KQJx
H.
xx
D. AKx
D.
QJx
C. KQxxxx
C. Jxxxx
Opener
Responder
1C
2C
(1)
4S
(2)
4NT
(3)
?
(1) Inverted.
(2) EKB 3S is a splinter.
(3) 0!
You know you are off two aces and partner has at most 4 points between clubs
and diamonds. Partner must have strong
spades. Playing matchpoints you
should pass 4NT in a heartbeat.
EKB AFTER THREE LEVEL MINOR SUIT AGREEMENT BY THE STRONG
HAND.
When one hand has overpowering strength, such as an opener who has jump shifted
or reversed or a responder who has jump shifted, chances are that hand does NOT
want to make a splinter jump after three level
agreement. The strong hand is more interested
in asking for information, as opposed to giving it. Therefore
in the example sequences that follow, a jump to the FOUR level of an unbid suit after three level agreement
is EKB, not a splinter.
Opener
Responder
1C
1H
2S
3C
(1)
4D (2)
(1) A game force.
(2) EKB; 4C would be RKB.
Opener
Responder
1D
1H
3C
3D
(1)
4S (2)
(1) A game force
(2) EKB; 4D would be RKB
Opener
Responder
1C
1S
2D
3C
(1)
4H (2)
(1) A game force
(2) EKB; 4C would be RKB.