Saturday, September 07,
2002 10:53 PM
RCB – 2♣ Revisited
PITBULLS:
There are sequences over 2♣ where the systemic bid
denies controls . This leaves an opportunity for the 4NT bid to mean something
else . Kantar has some examples :
RKB AFTER PARTNER HAS
PREVIOUSLY DENIED AN ACE OR A KING
South
North
S.
AK10xxx
S.
Qxx
H.
A
H.
xxxx
D.
AK10xx
D.
Qx
C.
-
C.
xxxx
South
West
North
East
2C
3C
Dbl (1)
3H
3S
Pass
4S
Pass
4NT (2)
Pass
6D
(3)
Pass
7S
Pass
Pass
Pass
(1) Double negative, denying an ace or a king.
(2) Queen-ask (can't be for keycards, responder doesn't have any!)
(3) Yes with the DQ.
After partner has denied an ace or a king, 4NT after suit agreement is
the queen-ask. Opener must be willing to play a small
slam facing the trump queen and nothing else. When responding
to one of these rare queen asks, the return to five of the agreed
suit denies the queen, any other response shows the queen.
When responding to one of these rare queen
asks, the return to the five level of the agreed suit denies any side suit
singletons, doubletons, or outside queens. Bidding a side
suit at the five level shows a small doubleton and jumping to the six
level in a side suit shows that queen. Responding 5NT shows a
side suit singleton and the asker can bid 6C to find out where it is.
Jumping to the six level of the agreed suit shows the trump queen but denies a
singleton, doubleton or outside queen. Responding 5NT shows a side
suit singleton and the asker can bid 6C to find out where it is.
Responses are:
6D=singleton diamond;
6H=singleton heart;
6S=singletonclub.
Give responder one more club and a singleton small diamond:
Qxx xxxx x xxxxx.
The response to 4NT is 5NT showing an unknown singleton. If
opener continues with 6C asking for the singleton suit, responder bids 6D to
show a singleton diamond, 6H to show a singleton heart and 6S to show a
singleton club.
Instead
of playing 4NT opposite a hand with no controls as a trump queen ask you can
play it as asking for queens period. The responses are just up the line. 5NT
would ask for specific queens and you bid you lower ranking.
When I played with Peter Jones , we
had a very useful bid over 2♣ by responder . When responder jumps in a suit directly over 2♣ ( 3♥/3♠ or 4♣/♦) it shows a 7 card or longer suit
with no Aces or Kings anywhere . Therefore 4NT can be used to ask for suit
length . 1st step shows 7 , 2Nd 8 etc .
AKx AK Axx AKxxx
xx QJxxxxxx x xx
2♣
3♥
4NT
5♦ ( 8 cards )
7NT
( can count 13 tricks )