Thursday, June 09, 2005 6:30 PM

SJS - Minor KCB

PITBULLS:

4NT is never Blackwood when there has been a minor suit agreed as the trump suit. Never ? That’s a strong word. Kantar says that when you just find the minor fit at the 4 level , that is the agreement and not the ask. For memory purposes I like to stick to his rule as minor suit KCB is hard enough. Quite often when you have just agreed to the minor at the 4 level you need to use Kickback as the ask. This is usually an unbid major suit. What if both majors have been bid ? Guess what - 4NT is Blackwood with a minor agreed as trump.

BJ and I had this auction. 1♥-P-1♠-P 3♦-P-4♦-P ? The 4 level is reserved for Q bids at the rarified 4 level. 4♣ should say I have a good hand in support of diamonds. So what is 4♦ then ? Can it be KCB ? This violates Kantars rule. The 4 level is not an ask if you just agreed on the minor suit at the 4 level. I prefer 4♦ just to be a weaker raise than 4♣. So what is Blackwood by the strong hand ? Both Majors have been bid so surprise ? 4NT is Blackwood in this auction. 4NT to play on this particular auction is nonsensical as responder had a chance to bid 3NT and did not. You can not all of sudden want to play this hand in 4NT as a contract.

Tom and I play 3♣ as a relay to 3♦ in all strong jump auctions. If the strong jump shifter bids 3NT after the 3♦ relay it says I have a real club strong jump shift but not that distributional . What is 4♣ by responder now ? That is just the agreement and not the ask. If there is an unbid major we can now use that as Kickback to ask for Aces but if unavailable 4NT is Blackwood. 4NT is unambiguous as Blackwood in these auctions.

Even with a diamond opener I like the artificial club jump shift. You hold Ax Ax AKQJxx xxx and immediately you have an impossible hand to bid. Opening 2♣ is pushing this hand. Opening 1♦ and rebidding 3♦ is silly as is rebidding 2NT . I play one of a minor and rebidding 3NT as gambling with a solid suit and outside stuff but this hand seem too powerful for that bid. This hand fits my artificial 3♣ bid . Partner responds 1♥ to your diamond opener so you rebid 3♣ . Partner is forced to bid 3♦ and you now bid the other major. This shows a hand too strong to make a jump rebid in diamonds !! Partner bids 4♦ to agree to diamonds and now 4NT is Blackwood for diamonds. Do not be in a hurry to throw 4NT out yet !!