Slam conventions

Cue-bidding style

After a trump suit is agreed a new suit is a cue-bid showing a control of either 1^st or 2^nd round in the suit bid. This bid initiates a series of cue-bids during which the two partners bid their controls in the most economical manner. The action ends with either a bid in the trump suit proposing the final contract or 4NT as a RKCB to ensure that our side is not missing 2 Aces. A jump bid is either Josephine or a "exclusion RKCB" (void in the suit of the jump).

When a cue-bid is doubled by an opponent:

• RDBL: Void or Ace
• Another cue-bid: Control in the new suit AND Singleton or Queen in the DBLed suit
• Pass: Otherwise
• Trump: Kx(x)
• RDBL: Ace, KQ or Singleton
• Another cue-bid: Same as RDBL plus a control in the new suit
• Repeat cue-bid: Void

When the doubled cue-bid is certain to be a short suit (i.e. Splinter):

• Pass: Discouraging
• RDBL: No wasted values
• Trump: Wasted values
• Another cue-bid: Control in the new suit

Josephine Grand Slam Force

When Trumps are agreed (explicitly or implicitly) a jump to 5NT asks partner to bid 7 with 2 top trump honors. Here are the detailed responses:

• 1^st step: A or K
• 2^nd step: Q or 10 trumps
• 3^rd step: longer trumps than promised so far
• 4^th step: Otherwise
• 5^th step: 2 top honors
  

Asking for 4 Aces (Gerber)

This is used in situations without explicitly or implicitly agreed suit. Typically, this happens only after 1NT-2C-2X-4C.

• 1^st step: 0 or 3 Aces
• 2^nd step: 1 or 4 Aces
• 3^rd step: 2 Aces
• 4^th step: 3 Aces with additional values – for example an un-bid KQJxx suit

Asking for 5 Aces (Roman Key Card Blackwood – RKCB)

When there is an explicitly or implicitly agreed trump suit the Ace asking asks for 5 “Aces” – the 4 Aces plus the Kink of trumps.

• 1^st step: 0 or 3 Aces
• 2^nd step: 1 or 4 Aces
• 3^rd step: 2 or 5 Aces, without Q
• 4^th step: 2 or 5 Aces, with Q(s)
• 5^th step: 2 or 5 Aces, without Q of trumps but with a useful and identifiable void
• Other suit bid below 6Trump: 1 Ace and void in the suit bid
  

When certain to have 10 trumps, one bids as if one has the Q of trumps.

After 1st or 2nd step the cheapest non-trump bid asks for Q of trumps (without the Q responder bids the trump suit, with it he cue-bids his cheapest King, NT if no King or with a K which is higher than 6Trump).

5NT after having asked for the Aces is a Grand Slam proposal. It confirms the possession of all key cards and asks the partner to bid his lowest side King.

Any suit bid by the RKCB bidder is asking for that King. Without this King, the responder bids the trump suit. With it, he bids either another suit to show the King of that suit or NT (or 7Trump when NT is not available or when there is an additional ruffing value).

Asking for 6 Aces

When there is an explicit double fit agreed, Ace asking asks for 6 “Aces” – the 4 Aces plus the 2 Kings.

• 1^st step: 0 or 3 Aces
• 2^nd step: 1 or 4 Aces
• 3^rd step: 2 or 5 Aces, without a Q
• 4^th step: 2 or 5 Aces, with 1 Q
• 5NT: 2 or 5 Aces, without Q of trumps but with a useful and identifiable void
• Other suit bid below 6Trump: 1 Ace and void in the suit bid
• 6Trump: 1 Ace and void in a suit that could not be bid below 6Trump

DOPI

In a competitive action when opponents bid over our Ace-asking bid, the responses are:

• 1^st step (DBL): 0 or 3 Aces
• 2^nd step (Pass): 1 or 4 Aces
• 3^rd step: 2 Aces

If there is space for more than 3 steps, the responses are expanded to include the Queen of trumps.

If there is no space for a 3^rd step, the responses are:

• 1^st step (DBL): Even number of Aces
• 2^nd step (Pass): Odd number of Aces

Suit raise to 5H/S

This has one of two possible meanings:

• Asks partner to bid 6 if he has extra values in trumps relative to what he has promised up to that point in the trump suit.
• Asks partner to bid 6 if he stops the un-bid suit(s); (prevents opponents from taking first 2 tricks in the suit - x, A(x...), Kx(x...)