Kickback is a keycard asking bid which tries to keep the bidding lower, especially useful when the trump suit is a minor suit.
In short instead of using 4NT as the RKB asking bid you use the suit above the agreed suit.
| Trumps | Keycard Ask | Step1 (1/4) | Step2 (0/3) | Step3 (2) | Step4 (2+Q) |
| ♠ | 4NT | 5♣ | 5♦ | 5♥ | 5♠ |
| ♥ | 4♠ | 4NT | 5♣ | 5♦ | 5♥ |
| ♦ | 4♥ | 4♠ | 4NT | 5♣ | 5♦ |
| ♣ | 4♦ | 4♥ | 4♠ | 4NT | 5♣ |
Playing kickback you can play 3041 if you prefer which will swap steps 1 and 2 around.
What is the king ask
Assuming you are responding with specific kings…that is you respond 6♣ to show the king of clubs or it shows 2 non touching kings…
The basic rules are:-
- The king asking suit is a cue-bid of 5 of the next higher strain after the trump suit…so 5NT would still be a king ask when spades are trumps.
- The negative response would be to bid 6 of the trump suit
- The three kings response would be to bid 6 of the asking suit
- The cheapest specific king – simply cue bid the king you have or paradox kings and bypassing a bid then denies that king
- 5NT response now shows the king of the asking suit
Asking for a 2nd King
- The secondary ask – A secondary ask you bid the next strain up
- The negative response showing no additional kings is simply to bid 6 of the trump suit
- The positive response is to bid 6 of the asking suit to show that king or 6NT if the response pushes to the 7 level
- The 3rd round control ask positive would then be to bid 7NT
Queen Ask
The queen ask is only employed after a 1st or 2nd step response to the ask.
- To deny the trump queen simply bid 5 of the trump suit.
- To show the trump queen bid 6 of the agreed trump suit with no kings
- Bid 6 of the asking suit to show all three kings and the trump queen
- Cue bid a king to show that king and the trump queen…again paradox kings apply
Some Examples
a) | b) | c) | ||
| ♠ A76 ♥ AK ♦ A106 ♣ KQ753 | ♠ AK4 ♥ AQ762 ♦ A65 ♣ K7 | ♠ KQ ♥ A1092 ♦ KQ6 ♣ 7652 | ||
| ♠ K2 ♥ Q6542 ♦ 7 ♣ AJ986 | ♠ 73 ♥ KJ543 ♦ K8 ♣ AJ108 | ♠ A987♥ KQJ7♦ AJ82 ♣ 3 |
The Bidding
a) 2NT (20-22) – 3♦ – 3♥ – 4♣ – 4♦ – 4♥ – 5♦ – 5♠ – 7♣
4♣ shows the second suit and 4♦ is kickback for clubs and 4♥ is one. 5♦ is the king ask and 5♠ shows that king.
b) 2NT (20-22) – 3♦ – 3♥ – 4♣ – 4♠ – 5♥ – 5♠ – 6♦ – 7♥
4♣ shows the second suit and 4♠ is kickback for hearts, 5♥ is two. 5♠ is the king ask and 6♦ is the king of diamonds.
c) 1NT (12-14) – 2♣ – 2♥ – 4♣ – 4♠ – 5♣ – 5♦ – 6♥
2♣ is Stayman and 4♣ is a splinter, 4♠ is now kickback and 5♣ shows 3 keycards, 5♦ asks for the trump queen and 6♥ is saying I have the queen.