RKC Minorwood is a bridge convention which looks for all the keycards in a minor suit at a lower level that the normal 4NT RKCB
If you play inverted minors for example then the sequences will fit into this system:
1♣-2♣-4♣
So here 4♣ is RKC minorwood and the responses are:-
- 4♦ – 1/4 Keycards
- 4♥ – 0/3 Keycards
- 4♠ – 2 Keycards
- 4NT – 2Keycards + Queen of clubs
It’s also possible to play 4♦ as – no you tell me about your keycards and you can play the responses starting at 4♥ instead. But let’s not confuse things!
If the Queen of trumps has not been shown or denied,
then the cheapest non-trump suit becomes the Queen ask, and the next cheapest non-trump suit asks for Kings specifically.
If the Queen has been shown, the cheapest non-trump suit asks for Kings.
4NT / 5♣ bids are sign off.
When replying to the queen ask : The 5NT bid response would show the queen + 2 kings.
1♦-2♦-4♦
So here 4♦ is RKC minorwood
- 4♥ – 1/4 Keycards
- 4♠ – 0/3 Keycards
- 4NT – 2 Keycards
- 5♣ – 2Keycards + Queen of diamonds
It’s also possible to play 4♥ as – no you tell me about your keycards and you can play the responses starting at 4♠ instead. But let’s not confuse things!
If the Queen of trumps has not been shown or denied,
then the cheapest non-trump suit becomes the Queen ask, and the next cheapest non-trump suit asks for Kings.
If the Queen has been shown, the cheapest non-trump suit asks for Kings.
4NT / 5♦ bids are sign off.
When replying to the queen ask : The 5NT bid response would show the queen + 2 kings.
Spotting Minorwood?
When is Minorwood minorwood?
- The 4m bid cannot be construed as competitive.
- The partnership is in a GF auction, has reached game (i.e. 3NT), or bypassed any effort to check for 3NT (which covers the 1m (2m/3m) 4m case).
- The minor suit fit is explicitly established, implied (e.g. auction started 1♣ 1NT), or one partner has bid the minor enough times that partner’s 4m should imply support (at least Hx or xxx).