ERKCB
♣ ♥ ♠ ♦
This is Extended Roman Key Card Blackwood.
The four usual responses to a RKCB are exactly the same in ERKCB!
So here are our complete ERKCB responses:
- 5♣ 3 or 0 Key cards
- 5♦ 4 or 1 Key cards
- 5♥ 2 Key cards
- 5♠ 2|4 Key cards & the Queen of trumps
- 5N 3 Key cards & the Queen of trumps
- 6♣ 1 Key card & a useful void (a Key card may be a critical Q)
- 6♦ 2 Key cards & a useful void (a Key card may be a critical Q)
Note:
In the case where a double fit has been expressed there are actually 7
key cards! and 2 Key Queens! Now the 4N bidder must possess at lest 2KCs. The regular responses to 4N should be
preferred in this case even if using the variant above and 5♥ modified
to read 2|5 key cards! & 5N modified to 3|5
Note: Some prefer to reverse the first two responses above. That's a question of taste and there are pls/minuses both ways.
I'm not convinced that 0 should be admitted myself! Also why not 2|0?,
3|1, 4, odd + key Q, even + key Q, void + odd KCs,
void + even KCs
i'm not a fan of RKCB that's true! However in NT slams the KC are all
important and the A, K & Q are vital in the 4+ card suits & in
1, 2, 3 card suits A, AK & AKQ are vital.
While Blackwood has merit for balanced hands aiming at slam contracts; It cannot match cue-bidding with trumps agreed.
How often I see a 4N hit the table propelling the bidding into a slam
willy nilly! I counted the outcome of this tactic of a good player of
the cards: Achievement was unacceptable: just 1 in 3 such slams were
made - It is generally accepted that 50% prob is valid for small slams
and 75% prob necearry for a grand.. I personly promote cue bidding
& TURBO - unfortunately i observe a general fear of this. Slightly
unfair? Maybe....