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Quantitative, Normal Blackwood, RKCB, Gerber, Splinter or what? |
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When is 4♣ asking for aces? When is 4NT asking for aces? When is 4♣ a cue bid or a splinter? When is 4NT quantitative? What is 4♣ after a transfer? and after Stayman? |
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These are all questions that a regular partnership should be able to answer, but it's less easy for non-familiar pairs. In general my recommendation is that 4♣ is only Gerber if partner's last natural bid was NT. Lets look in detail. It is assumed that you play RKCB where applicable and that you do not play Kickback. |
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| West |
East |
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| 1♠ |
2♥ |
4♣ is a splinter, agreeing ♥ 's. It is could be either a singleton or void. 4NT is RKCB. Some play exclusion RKCB here but I don't really see why. |
| 4♣ |
4NT |
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| 1♠ |
1NT |
What is 4♣ over the strong 3♥ ? If East had a weak hand or a limit raise for ♠ 's or ♥ 's, he would simply bid game. Thus 4♣ can only be a cue bid agreeing ♥ 's. Responder has a ♥ suit with insufficient values for an initial two level response. A bid of 4NT here or a subsequent 4NT bid by either is thus RKCB for ♥ 's |
| 3♥ |
4♣ |
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| 1♥ |
4♣ |
A splinter or Swiss, according to partnership agreement. |
| 1♥ |
4♦ |
A splinter or Swiss, according to partnership agreement. |
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| 1♥ |
4NT |
Normal Blackwood. This cannot be RKCB for ♥ 's as then East would first bid a forcing raise (maybe Jacoby 2NT). It is not quantitative, as East would presumably first bid a suit. It must be a strange hand. |
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| 3NT |
4NT |
3NT is gambling. This 4NT is not Blackwood, opener has exactly 1 ace. Responder has a good hand and simply requests opener to bid 5 of his suit and responder will take it from there. |
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| 3NT |
4♣ |
3NT is gambling and 4♣ is pass or correct. |
| 3NT |
4♦ |
3NT is gambling and 4♦ is a conventional bid asking about shortage. |
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| 2♣ |
2♦ |
RKCB for ♦ 's. With a big hand in support of ♥ 's, East would have splintered, cue bid, bid 3♥ or bid RKCB on the previous round. Of course it is unwise to use 4NT as Blackwood when minor suits are trumps and my preference is to use Kickback (so 4♥ would be RKCB for ♦ 's here), but that's a totally different topic which is discussed in the Kickback link. |
| 2♥ |
2NT |
| 3♦ |
4NT |
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| And let's have a look at the situation after a 1NT opening: - |
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Remember what I said about Gerber and partner's last natural bid? Here's what I mean: - |
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| West |
East |
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West |
East |
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| 1NT |
4♣ |
Gerber |
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1NT |
4NT |
Quantitative. |
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| 1♠ |
2♦ |
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1♠ |
2♦ |
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| 2NT |
4♣ |
Gerber |
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2NT |
4NT |
Quantitative. |
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| 1NT |
3♠ |
Assuming that you play that East's 3♠ is a slam try, then West's 4♣ is a cue bid agreeing ♠ 's and East's 4NT is RKCB for ♠ 's. |
| 4♣ |
4NT |
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Transfer Sequences |
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Stayman Sequences |
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| 1NT |
2♥ |
Gerber (RKCB?). Partner's last natural bid was 1NT. |
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1NT |
2♣ |
Ace (key card) ask, so |
| 2♠ |
4♣ |
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2♠ |
4♣ |
Gerber (RKCB?) |
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| 1NT |
2♥ |
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1NT |
2♣ |
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| 2♠ |
4NT |
Quantitative (5 ♠ 's) |
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2♥ |
4NT |
Quantitative (4♠ 's) |
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| 1NT |
2♥ |
This time, 4NT is RKCB for ♠ 's. West's super accept of the transfer has set ♠ 's as trumps. East re-transfers to get West as declarer and then uses RKCB. |
| 2NT |
3♥ |
| 3♠ |
4NT |
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| 1NT |
2♦ |
4NT is not RKCB for ♥ 's here, it must be quantitative. If East had a hand where he can investigate slam in ♥ 's with minimal support from partner, he would have started with a slam interest bid of 3♥ over 1NT (if that's what you play 3♥ as). Some players (including me) play 4♣ as RKCB for ♥ 's in this sequence rather than Gerber. |
| 2♥ |
4NT |
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Note : What do I mean by Gerber(RKCB?)? – I play 4♣ as Roman Key Card in these situations and rather than call it RKC Gerber I prefer to say that 4♣ is RKCB. |
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Note also that in the sequences like 1NT - 2♥ - 2♠ - 4♣ and 1NT - 2♣ - 2♠ - 4♣ then 4♣ is normally played as standard ace ask Gerber, I believe that RKCB is to be preferred but you would have to agree that. |
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Pattaya Bridge Club - |
www.pattayabridge.com |
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