KICKBACK

The origin of this concept is by Mr. Jeff Rubens of Scarsdale, New York. The concept is also a result of an application called U.S.P., or Useful Space Principle, also conceived by Mr. Jeff Rubens, which is defined as when allocating bidding space under partnership agreements and understandings, then assign the bidding space where most useful without reference to natural or traditional bridge meanings of calls. This U.S.P. principle was published by The Bridge World magazine, 1980-1981.

Mr. Jeff Rubens decided that the Blackwood conventional method and most, if not all, of its variations contained within them the disadvantage of actually wasting useful bidding space. This was especially true if the trump suit is not Spades. The concept of Kickback was originated in order to avoid and alleviate this drawback by employing some bid other than the usual and traditional 4 No Trump bid as the Keycard Asking Bid.

Therefore, according to Mr. Jeff Rubens, the suit employed to trigger the request for Keycards, or the so-called Kickback suit, is the suit in rank above the agreed trump suit and the Kickback bid is four of this suit. This conventional method may be employed for all four suits, for Minor and Major suits.

As long as the agreed trump suit has been clearly defined and definitely established, then it is of no importance whether or not this suit has been previously bid by either partner or opponent in the case of any intervening call or overcall or implied suits via any double.

Note: Some partnerships play that the Kickback conventional method is typically, normally, generally employed when the trump suit is a Minor suit. Therefore, the Ace-Asking or Keycard-Asking bid in Kickback is four of the suit above the agreed / established trump suit, i.e. 4 for Diamonds and 4 for Clubs. Compare: Redwood conventional method.

The responses to the Kickback Asking bids are accomplished by steps and the meanings are identical to the responses to the 4 No Trump Keycard Asking bid employed in the Roman Keycard Blackwood convention.

Opener	Responder		Meaning
1	3		Limit Raise or Forcing Raise is a matter of partnership agreement.
4			Kickback Keycard Asking Bid
	First Step		Promises 0 or 3 Keycards.
	Second Step		Promises 1 or 4 Keycards.
	Third Step		Promises 2 or 5 Keycards without the Queen of Trump.
	Fourth Step		Promises 2 or 5 Keycards with the Queen of Trump.

Opener	Responder		Meaning
1	3		Limit Raise or Forcing Raise is a matter of partnership agreement.
4			Kickback Keycard Asking Bid
	First Step		Promises 1 or 4 Keycards.
	Second Step		Promises 0 or 3 Keycards.
	Third Step		Promises 2 or 5 Keycards without the Queen of Trump.
	Fourth Step		Promises 2 or 5 Keycards with the Queen of Trump.

The partner denies possession of the Queen of the agreed trump suit by bidding the next step, by-passing the agreed trump suit if necessary. The partner confirms the possession of the Queen of the trump suit by bidding two steps above the Queen asking bid.

7 AK4 AQ6 QJ10642		AK83 95 K94 9853
North		South
1		1
3		4		Etablishes the trump suit.
4				Kickback: bidding the suit in rank above the agreed trump suit.
		4		Promises 1 or 4 Keycards. Roman Keycard 3014. Second Step.
		4		Promises 1 or 4 Keycards. Roman Keycard 1430. First Step.
5				Establishes the final contract since North realizes that there are two Keycards missing.

By employing regular Roman Keycard Blackwood 3014, the response to the Keycard Ask of 4 No Trump would be 5, which would have resulted in a fatal contract for the partnership. Only those partnerships employing Roman Keycard 1430 would have responded 5, showing only one Keycard, which North would have then passed establishing the final contract.

This conventional method, developed by Mr. Jeff Rubens, is an excellent example of his concept Useful Space Principle, which provides the partnership with more possible bidding space to exchange information.

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