Last week at the Warner Robins club I had a chance to use exclusion keycard Blackwood for the first time in a very long time. And my partner actually recognized it. Exclusion Blackwood is typically a jump to 5 of a suit to ask about aces of keycards no counting the ace of the suit bid, presumably because the one asking is void in the suit. Normally you would have agreed on a trump suit prior to making this bid. Responses are the same as key card blackwood - 1st step 0 or 3, 2nd step 1 or 4, 3rd step 2 without the Q of trump, and 4th step 2 with the Q of tump. I held:
♠JTxx
♥-
♦AKTxxx
♣AKQ
My partner opened 1♠, I responded 2NT, Jacoby, partner said 3♦ (shortness), and I bid 5♥, exclusion keycard for spades. He responded 6♦ showing 2 keycards with the Q and I could confidently bid 7♠. It's virtually cold even if he only those 9 high card points but he had the singleton Q of diamonds to go along with it.
I'm wondering whether 1♠-2NT; 4♠-5♥ would be exclusion keycard or just first round control of hearts. The 5♥ bid wouldn't be a jump, which is generally part of Exclusion Blackwood. Also, would 1♠-5♥ be exclusion keycard blackwood or exclusion regular blackwood. My partner at the time seemed to think it would not be keycard, which I tend to disagree with, but I don't know.
Megan and I play that it has to be a jump in order to be Exclusion. I guess 1S-2NT; 4S-5H is a weird sequence if your cuebids show first- or second-round control; but you could have AKQx AKxx QJx Qx or something like that...
ReplyDeleteI think that 1S-2NT;4S-5H is exclusion without question. I do not believe it possible for responder to have a hand that they would not have a minor suit cuebid, have slam interest, and have a hand that blackwood wont help. I also am not sure what partner would need to go on to 6S in that sequance, assumably A and Kx either way in the minor (in this case i think that responder would need a shortness cuebid of 5 minor). My question is if 5 minor would be exclusion or a cuebid. I personally think that a cuebid will be of better use; however, this sequance is the reason I do not like regular Jacoby 2nt, there is no room for cuebids when partner is balanced non max (there is not that much room even when partner is 15-17) Swedish Jacoby is much better.
ReplyDeletePS. Patricks hand works but I do not believe its possible for partner to open a hand that wouldn't make 6S on that: Jxx QJxxx Kxx KJ (I trust my partner to pass this hand even playing precision)