Blackwood Conventions

Developed by Easley Blackwood in order to learn the number of Aces and Kings on partner's hand to declare Trump Slam contracts.

• Clasical Blackwood : Number of Aces is asked by declaring 4 NT, responses are as follows.

5 Clubs :            0-4 Aces

5 Diamonds :         1 Ace

5 Hearts :              2 Aces

5 Spades :             3 Aces    

If the number of Aces is enough for slam, then the number of Kings may be asked by 5 NT. The responses are the same in upper level.

If the opponent overcalls Blackwood, then Double means no Aces, Pas means 1 Ace, first step from the overcall suit shows 2 Aces, second step shows 3 Aces. This is called D.O.P.I. (Double for Zero, Pas for One). If the opponent doubles Blackwood, then Redouble means no Aces, the other responses are the same as the overcall. This is called R.O.P.I. (ReDouble for Zero, Pas for One).

• Roman Key Card Blackwood : A version of Blackwood. King of the trump is accepted as a key card with the Aces and the responses are given over 5 key cards as follows.

5 Clubs  :        0-3 Key Cards

5 Diamonds :  1-4 Key Cards

5 Hearts   :      2-5 Key Cards, No Trump Queen

5 Spades    :    2-5 Key Cards, With Trump Queen

Some players applies 5 Clubs and 5 Diamonds responses in reverse manner, so when we say Roman Key Card Blackwood we have to clarify as 0314 or 1403.

As you have noticed above, 2-5 keycards answers also show if the Trump Queen is held or not, but the other answers do not. So after the keycard answers, the first economical relay bid asks for the Trump Queen. Holding the trump queen gives also information on the outside kings. Let's look at the table below for the detailed auction.

Opener	Responder	Explanation
1 Club      4 Spades  5 Diamonds  5 Spades  6 Clubs  6 Diamonds  6 Hearts  6 Spades	1 Spade  4 NT  5 Hearts	4 NT is Roman Keycard Blackwood  5 Diamonds show 1-4 keycards. 5 Hearts ask the Spade Queen  No Spade Queen  Spade Queen and Club King or the other two kings  Spade Queen and Diamond King or the other two kings  Spade Queen and Heart King or the other two kings  Spade Queen but no outside King

• Roman Blackwood : A version of Blackwood. The responses are as follows.

5 Clubs  :         0-3 Aces

5 Diamonds :    1-4 Aces

5 Hearts  :           2 Aces, weak hand

5 Spades   :         2 Aces, strong hand

• Key Card Blackwood : A version of Roman Key Card Blackwood.

5 Clubs  :        0-4 Key Cards

5 Diamonds :   1-5 Key Cards

5 Hearts  :          2 Key Cards

5 Spades  :         3 Key Cards

• Rolling Blackwood : Known also as Sliding Wood. The number of Kings are asked with declaring the following step from the Ace response. If that step is the agreed trump then that step is skipped.

• Exclusion Blackwood : After the agreement on trump, Opener or Responder shows his void on 5th level. Responses shows the number of Aces excluding the void suit as you will see below.

Opener	Responder	Opener	Responder	Explanation
1 Spade	3 Spades	5 Clubs	5 Diamonds 5 Hearts 5 Spades	No Ace other than Clubs 1 Ace other than Clubs 2 Aces other than Clubs and so on...

 If you play Roman Keycard Blackwood, then you may give the keycard answers here also. But in this case there is only 4 keycards excluding the Ace of the void suit. So the keycard answers may be given as 0-4, 1, 2 or 3 keycards step by step, or 0-3, 1-4, and 2 without trump queen, and 2 with trump queen again step by step. In this convention you can ask the number of Kings at the 6th level for Grand Slam contract. After the number of Aces response, Opener's 6 Clubs bid may be used to learn the number of Kings excluding the Club King.