Roman Key Card Blackwood

Roman Key Card Blackwood - Problems

Problem One

CONTRACT: 4H Lead: 5S; LHO has overcalled 2C

AJ1062

AJ2

K75

———

K8764

AQ108

K10

Problem Two

CONTRACT: 3NT Lead: 7H

AK2

1093

QJ1098

———–

AKQ

Q8754

A76

Problem Three

CONTRACT: 3NT Lead: QC, overtaken by AC, 8C returned

AKQ

Q1054

7654

——–

A73

762

AK76

K32

Problem Four

CONTRACT: 3NT Lead: 6S

KQ953

AK3

852

———

K72

10842

AK63

Problem Five

1043

A82

KJ10

AQ95

——–

Q73

AQ4

K7632

Solutions

You need 10 tricks, which will be 5 trumps, 4 diamonds and a spade. Play AS, then heart to the K, another to the J, then cash the A. Now a D to the A and one back to the K. LHO shows out so you can safely finesse the 10 to make your contract.

Win KH, then run the QC. If it holds, DO NOT repeat the finesse – if it lost and a H comes back, you cannot reach your club winners and will go off. Simply play another C to the A and give up a club. You will make 4C, 2H, and 3S to make 3NT.

Duck the second club (they might break 3/3, and it costs nothing to try. This time they don’t, and a club comes back, LHO having four C. Diamonds might provide a ninth trick, but first you must lead towards your QS. If LHO has the K, that gives you 9 tricks, if not you will need D to break kindly. DO NOT play A and K of D first – if you do that, you will have no entry back to your AS later and will go off.

Play the QS, which wins. You need to ensure that if you lose a H trick, it is to the safe hand. Play a H to your 8. If it loses, you need H to break 4-2 (most likely split). If RHO plays 10 or JH when you lead towards your hand, just play H from the top – RHO might have J10x. If RHO had J10xx, then try to duck a C to LHO – lead from dummy and hope RHO plays the 4C.

It looks like a fourth highest lead, in which case your QH will win. But don’t risk it – you have 9 tricks if clubs break 2-2 or 3-1, or 4-0 if you take care. Rise with AH, and lead a club to your K. They break 4-0, but with 4 on your left, so you simply lead towards the AQ9 twice and beat LHO’s card, using diamonds to re-enter your hand. LHO had lead a heart from 76 doubleton, and if you duck, they cash four spade tricks as well as the heart to defeat you.

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Problem One
CONTRACT: 4H Lead: 5S; LHO has overcalled 2C
AJ1062
AJ2
K75
83
———
43
K8764
AQ108
K10
 
Problem Two
CONTRACT: 3NT Lead: 7H
65
AK2
1093
QJ1098
———–
AKQ
53
Q8754
A76
 
Problem Three
CONTRACT: 3NT Lead: QC, overtaken by AC, 8C returned
Q4
AKQ
Q1054
7654
——–
A73
762
AK76
K32
 
Problem Four
CONTRACT: 3NT Lead: 6S
Q4
KQ953
AK3
852
———
K72
A8
10842
AK63
 
Problem Five
1043
A82
KJ10
AQ95
——–
Q73
Q9
AQ4
K7632
 
Solutions
You need 10 tricks, which will be 5 trumps, 4 diamonds and a spade. Play AS, then heart to the K, another to the J, then cash the A. Now a D to the A and one back to the K. LHO shows out so you can safely finesse the 10 to make your contract.
Win KH, then run the QC. If it holds, DO NOT repeat the finesse – if it lost and a H comes back, you cannot reach your club winners and will go off. Simply play another C to the A and give up a club. You will make 4C, 2H, and 3S to make 3NT.
Duck the second club (they might break 3/3, and it costs nothing to try. This time they don’t, and a club comes back, LHO having four C. Diamonds might provide a ninth trick, but first you must lead towards your QS. If LHO has the K, that gives you 9 tricks, if not you will need D to break kindly. DO NOT play A and K of D first – if you do that, you will have no entry back to your AS later and will go off.
Play the QS, which wins. You need to ensure that if you lose a H trick, it is to the safe hand. Play a H to your 8. If it loses, you need H to break 4-2 (most likely split). If RHO plays 10 or JH when you lead towards your hand, just play H from the top – RHO might have J10x. If RHO had J10xx, then try to duck a C to LHO – lead from dummy and hope RHO plays the 4C.
It looks like a fourth highest lead, in which case your QH will win. But don’t risk it – you have 9 tricks if clubs break 2-2 or 3-1, or 4-0 if you take care. Rise with AH, and lead a club to your K. They break 4-0, but with 4 on your left, so you simply lead towards the AQ9 twice and beat LHO’s card, using diamonds to re-enter your hand. LHO had lead a heart from 76 doubleton, and if you duck, they cash four spade tricks as well as the heart to defeat you.

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