Improve Your Play #06-31

IMPROVE YOUR PLAY
with Larry Matheny

Complicated conventions can cause trouble at the table, but if properly employed, they can help you find your best contract. Take a look at Roman Keycard Blackwood in action.

Scoring: Matchpoints (Pairs)

Hand #31
Dlr	E
Vul	N/S

	AKJ97
	7
	AJ92
	AJ5

	54
	KJ102
	865
	10987

	103
	9653
	1074
	Q643

	Q862
	AQ84
	KQ3
	K2

West	North	East	South
		Pass	1NT
Pass	2*	Pass	3
Pass	4NT	Pass	5
Pass	5	Pass	6
Pass	6	Pass	7
Pass	7	All Pass

*Jacoby Transfer

BIDDING: As soon as South opened 1NT, North was thinking about a grand slam. South's jump to 3

really got North excited because this showed a maximum no-trump with four spades. This partnership used Roman Keycard Blackwood and South's 5

response showed one keycard (keycards= 4 aces + trump king). 5

asked if South held the trump queen and the 6

response said "yes, and I also have the king of clubs". Next the 6

asked about the diamond king and the 7

response showed the king of diamonds along with the queen. North could now count twelve tricks with several ways to find another so he bid the grand slam.

PLAY: West led the ten of clubs and it only remained for declarer to draw trumps and ruff dummy's third club in his hand for the thirteenth trick. Note there are only twelve tricks in a no-trump contract.

It's true many players in the North seat might just leap to the grand slam after discovering South had four spades and a maximum hand, but if South held Kxx(x) of diamonds with his values in the other suits, the slam might fail. Roman Keycard is a powerful convention but I urge you to study it carefully before adding it to your convention card.

Copyright ©2007 Larry Matheny.