Monday, September 02, 2002 3:06 AM

KCB - Minors at 3 level

PITBULLS:

After finding a minor fit at the 3 level, four of the agreed minor can better be used as RKB and it does save a step. Saving a step allows for extra asks and more precise slam bidding. After three level minor suit agreement you are either in a game-forcing auction or you aren't

THREE LEVEL MINOR SUIT AGREEMENT RULES

1. If you are in a game forcing auction, four of the agreed minor by the UNLIMITED hand is RKB.

Note: in some sequences both hands may be unlimited which means either hand can do the asking.

2. If you are in a non-game forcing auction , then 4NT is RKB.

3. If both hands are limited it is HIGHLY unlikely that an RKB ask is in your future.  

You are considered unlimited if you have:

a. Bid two suits without reversing

b. Reversed

c. Jump shifted

d. Made a support double

Limited hands cannot use four of the agreed suit as RKB. Whenever a limited hand bids four of the agreed minor it is natural.   Reread that.

Now let's see if we can put this all together with a few example hands:

LOOKS GOOD ON PAPER

Opener Responder
S Ax    S. x
H. Kxxxx     H. Ax
D. Kx                                      D. AJxx
C. K10xx    C. AQxxxx

Opener Responder
1H 2C
3C 4C (1)
4S (2) 4NT (3)
5D (4)                                      5H (5)
5NT (6) 7C (7)

(1) RKB If responder has no slam interest and no interest in 3NT,
responder bids 5C directly over 3C.
(2) 2 without.
(3) King ask.
(4) DK, but may also have HK.
(5) Do you have the HK?
(6) Yes.
(7) Now if we only have remembered everything!

In response to a second king ask in a previously bid suit (5H), a return to the trump suit denies the king, bidding the nearest notrump shows the king, raising the ask suit shows the KQ.

A BONUS: SOMETHING NEW HAS BEEN ADDED 

Opener Responder
S. AKJ9x                          S. xx
H. xx    H. AKQ
D. Ax D. KQJx
C. 10xxx C. QJxx

Opener Responder
1S 2C
3C 4NT (1)
Pass (2)

(1) Natural. 4C is RKB, remember?

RKB AFTER THREE LEVEL AGREEMENT (IMPLIED)

This deals with sequences that have a common denominator: a minor suit has been bid and then rebid at the three level.        The RKB asks depends upon: (1) is the partnership in a game-forcing auction?    (2) is the player who wishes to make the ask limited or unlimited?

If the partnership is in a game-forcing sequence, a raise to the four level of the last bid minor by an UNLIMITED hand is RKB.    Here are several common sequences where an unlimited opener does the asking.

Let's look at some sequence where the partnership IS in a game-forcing sequence and an unlimited opener wishes to make a keycard ask, the most likely scenario. 

Opener                                                     Responder
1C                                                              1D
2S                                                               3D
4D (RKB)

Opener                                                      Responder
1H                                                               2C
2S                                                               3C
4C (RKB)

Opener                                                     Responder
1H                                                             2D
3C                                                             3D
4D (RKB)

In these sequences, the partnership is in a game forcing auction responder bidding and rebidding the same minor ending at the three level.    Opener, unlimited, can use the raise to the four level as RKB .

THE BOTTOM LINE

After three level non-forcing agreement the unlimited hand is the one that makes the keycard ask.

After a non-forcing jump raise to the three level (1C-3C or 1D-3D), RHO passing, four of the agreed minor by the opener is RKB. An exception to the rule.