Sunday, August 27, 2006 8:55 AM

Minor Suit KCB

PITBULLS:

Minor suit KCB is not that tough to grasp. Two things to remember to identify minor suit KCB . Are we in a forcing to game auction & did we find the minor fit either supported directly or implied with a splinter below the 4 level . Think about it. In a forcing to game auction why would anybody in their right mind want to bid 4 of the trump suit. With fast arrival , you would leap to 5 of a minor if you were not interested in slam. An aborted slam try quite often ends up in 4NT to play when you get “cold feet”. 4 of the agreed minor is KCB pure & simple by either side.

In a non forcing to game auction ( limit raise or better Q bids ) , 4 of the minor is never KCB. In these auctions , you must use Kickback if you are slamish. In a forcing to game auction, if you just found the minor fit at the 4 level it is the agreement and not the ask. You must use Kickback in these auctions also. 4NT with a minor fit is never ace asking . I repeat 4NT with a minor fit is never Ace asking. It is a quantitative bid saying that I am too strong to bid 3NT if you jump. It is a place to play the contract if a non jump. Kiz & I had a mix up in the Calcutta with 4NT in a minor auction. I held 18 HCP with KJx of spades and opened 1♥ . Kiz bid 2♦ and I bid 2♥ which brought 3♣ from Kiz. Now I was stuck. I had to right side the NT as I had KJx of spades but I was too strong to bid 3NT which ends most auctions so I bid 4NT. I can not have a minor fit or I would have established it first so Kickback can be used. I would have bid 4♣ or supported diamonds. 4NT as Blackwood for a minor fell out of vogue 50 years ago !!

Here is a hand from the Spingold which was terribly hard to bid. ♠void ♥KQx ♦KQx ♣KQJ109xx and they opened 1♣. Partner bids 1♠ and with my nice 7 bagger I still would bid 3♣. Partner now bids 4♣ which is obviously forcing to game and that is the agreement and not the ask. You bid 4♦ KCB ( Kickback ) and partner bids 4♠ shows 3 Aces ! Suit asking bids assume all the controls and the trump queen. Is there a way you can find out partners specific Aces. No ! I do not know who to get to our 7♣ so I bid 6♣. They got to 3NT at both tables in the Spingold because they were too pessimistic with the void in partners suit & rebid 2♣. ♠Q10xxx ♥Axx ♦Axx ♣Ax was partner’s hand.