Optional Roman Key Card Blackwood is a slam try asking your partner to bid the next step if they are not willing to cooperate with the slam try, or show their key cards starting with the 2nd step if willing to cooperate with the slam try.
|
Convention |
Context |
Problem Solved |
Description |
|
Optional Roman Key Card Blackwood |
A slam invitation (or stronger) by showing your minor at the 4-level |
When you invite slam (or stronger) by bidding your minor at the 4-level, the standard 4NT negative response consumes too much bidding room. |
A slam try in a minor at the 4-level asks partner to bid the next step if they cannot cooperate the slam try. Otherwise, they show their key cards beginning with the 2nd step. |
On the auction below, South's 4♣ bid is a slam try.
| South | West | North | East |
| 1♦ | Pass | 2♣ | Pass |
| 3NT | Pass | 4♣ | Pass |
| ? |
The standard way for South to respond to North's slam try is to show a control if they are cooperating with the slam try. South bids 4NT if they aren't willing to cooperate with the slam try.
The problem of using 4NT as a negative response is that it doesn't leave North room to ask for Key Cards.
Optional Roman Key Card Blackwood solves this problem by using the next step as the Negative Response. If South bids 4♦ to say they aren't willing to cooperate with the slam try, North may be strong enough to look for slam despite the negative response. North can bid 4♥ to ask for Key Cards for clubs. North may be looking for 6♣, 6NT, 7♣, or 7NT.
| South | West | North | East |
| 1♦ | Pass | 2♣ | Pass |
| 3NT | Pass | 4♣ | Pass |
| 4♦ | Pass | 4♥ |
If South is willing to cooperate with the slam try, South uses their Roman Key Card Blackwood responses beginning with the 2nd step, 4♥. If playing 1430 responses, 4♥ would show willingness to cooperate with the slam try and 1 or 4 Key Cards. 4♠ would show willingness to cooperate with the slam try and 0 or 3 Key Cards.
