THE SLAM ZONE BLACKWOOD (AND ALL THAT JAZZ) – Part 1

Once a partnership is in the slam zone, either player might use Blackwood.

“Regular” (or “Plain”) Blackwood:
4NT asks for aces and then:

• 5♣ = 0 or 4 Aces.
• 5♦ = 1 Ace.
• 5♥ = 2 Aces.
• 5♠ = 3 Aces.

The asker can then bid 5NT to ask for Kings, with the same schedule of replies, one level higher.

This convention has been around since the 1940’s. It is a most helpful convention but is often misused and abused. Blackwood should not be used as a crutch to determine if there is a slam, but more to make sure that you don’t reach a slam off two Aces (nor a grand slam off one Ace).

A good rule of thumb: if the answer to Blackwood won’t tell you if you belong in slam, then don’t use it.

Larry Cohen

Larry Cohen is one of America’s top writers and teachers, having semi-retired from top-level competition in 2009. His To Bid or Not to Bid; The LAW of Total Tricks is one of the best-selling bridge books of all time.

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