[jillybean]

Even I wouldn't give partner space and bid 2♦

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[mike777]

Prefer 4C the first time, set trump
Partner now can bid 4D KB
I can respond 5C, if all keycards then
Now 5D specific kings
5NT= KD, deny KH and KS

[jillybean]

That's not how the auction went but funny you mention KB, my partner said we should be playing KB and there were a few hands tonight where it would have been useful.
Perhaps it's time to dust off my KB notes.

[DavidKok]

Kickback is one of the few conventions I refuse to play. I think it's not only bad, but also a trap that looks deceptively shiny.

4♠ over 3♥, showing a heart raise with spade control to go with my clubs. I'm always scared when partner opens 2♣ and I have this much - usually it means partner should have opened 1♥.

[paulg]

4♣ for me, it is too early to commit to playing in hearts with three small.

I like Kickback in my main partnership because we've spent the hours, days, months and years discussing when it applies. I would not play it with an expert partner without weeks of discussion.

[jillybean]

Sorry, I should have mentioned, your partner is aggressive but you can expect 6 card heart suit and a 2♣ style opening here.

I don't know what I would bid over 4♠, I (west) would not recognize it was a heart raise. It is these types of auctions where if that had happened I would feel stuck for a bid and use an ill conceived keycard ask.

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1430

Paul, I remember a few disasters during my last foray into KB and how much discussion I should have had.
These TG's are a regular, fun event on BBO with local experts and wannabes. Discussion in allowed and would be a good place to dust off KB
David, I think a new thread on KB is on order.

[mike777]

Good grief if that is how the bidding is going

Feel as if I am in a disaster movie
Remember the Towering inferno?
Earthquake?
The Poseidan Adventure

[jillybean]

mike777, on 2026-June-28, 07:08, said:

Good grief if that is how the bidding is going

Feel as if I am in a disaster movie
Remember the Towering inferno?
Earthquake?
The Poseidan Adventure

The auction is just as thrilling.

[mikeh]

jillybean, on 2026-June-28, 06:58, said:

Sorry, I should have mentioned, your partner is aggressive but you can expect 6 card heart suit and a 2♣ style opening here.

I don't know what I would bid over 4♠, I (west) would not recognize it was a heart raise. It is these types of auctions where if that had happened I would feel stuck for a bid and use an ill conceived keycard ask.

---

1430

Paul, I remember a few disasters during my last foray into KB and how much discussion I should have had.
These TG's are a regular, fun event on BBO with local experts and wannabes. Discussion in allowed and would be a good place to dust off KB
David, I think a new thread on KB is on order.

What else could 4S be? If you agree to play kickback, firstly you need a well-defined set of rules, but that doesn’t mean complicated rules. Unlike David, I think KB is an excellent convention: IFF (which means if and only if) you have good rules.

One of our rules is that KB takes priority over splinters, which is the only other logical meaning I could think of for 4S. Please don’t tell me your partner would think it was natural.

As for what I’d bid…I literally can’t think of anything other than keycard…and if you have agreed on kb, then that has to be 4S. If you have agreed KB, 4N is exclusion in spades!

Assuming you got a 14 response, clearly it’s 4, and you may as well bid 7N. You could ask for the queen but if he doesn’t have it he surely has stuff in the pointed suits to give you 13 winners. AQx AKxxxx AJx x isn’t even close to a 2C opening bid. AQJ AKJxxx AJx x could qualify but that’s literally a unique hand and we’d have all kinds of chances for 13 tricks.

[mycroft]

Mike, what are your rules for "both suits" (primarily diamonds-hearts and hearts-spades), if I may ask?