Rosenkranz Spiral Scan
After Roman Keycard Blackwood Asking Bid
The following is a description of the Spiral Scan originated by Mr. George Rosenkranz. The conventional method is used for uncovering key side-suit Kings and Queens. Using the Spiral Scan, the bridge player does not have to ask for cards already held. The player can immediately zero in on the card, which hopefully the partner holds.
Assume the following auction:
| West |
|
East |
|
Meaning |
1  |
|
2 NT |
|
Forcing Spade Limit Raise |
| 4 NT |
|
|
|
Roman Key Card Blackwood |
|
|
5  |
|
Zero or 3 Key Cards |
In standard Roman KeyCard Blackwood, if the opener continues with 5
, this bid asks the partner if he/she has the trump Queen. The crux of the problem, or situation, if you will, is the question what happens, however, if the opener already has the Queen of trump?
Normally, assuming the Roman KeyCard Blackwood bidder is interested in a grand slam, he/she bids 5 No Trump, and this is considered to be a waste of much biding space. Since the use of all the intermediate bids, each one asking for a specific card - with two provisos: if a 9-card or better Major suit is known, 3 No Trump is to play.
If the responder to 4 No Trump might have zero or one key card, five of the No Trump suit is to play - it is not a step.
If the responder has three or four key cards, he/she treats the bid as checking for the trump queen.
Following is the order of priority according to Mr. George Rosenkranz:
1. The Queen of trump.
2. A side-suit King in a bid suit, starting with the longest suit in the responder's hand. If the responder is unable to bid another suit, he/she shows the first King shown in another suit by the 4 No Trump bidder.
If neither partner has bid a side suit, the responder to 4 No Trump shows a King in the lowest-ranking non-trump suit.
3. Other Kings, scanning the suits in ascending order (or the player may use descending order if he/she wishes).
4. A side-suit Queen in a bid suit, starting with the longest side-suit in the responder's hand.
5. Other side-suit Queens in ascending order.
6. The Jack of trumps.
7. Side-suit Jacks in the same order - if it ever gets to that.
Assuming the identical auction as above, the following rebids indicate the following:
| West |
|
East |
|
Meaning |
| 1 |
|
2 NT |
|
Forcing Spade Limit Raise |
| 4 NT |
|
|
|
Roman Key Card Blackwood |
|
|
5 |
|
Zero or 3 Key Cards |
| 5 |
|
|
|
Asks for the Queen |
5  |
|
|
|
Asks for the King |
| 5 |
|
|
|
Asks for the King. The responder cannot have zero Key Cards |
| 5 NT |
|
|
|
Asks for the King |
| 6 |
|
|
|
Asks for the Queen |
| 6 |
|
|
|
Asks for the Queen |
| 6 |
|
|
|
Asks for the Queen |
The responder rebids by counting steps. If he/she bids the next step up, the responder denies holding the card asked for. If the responder bids the second step, the responder shows the card asked for, but denies higher cards. The following illustration shows the possible responses:
| West |
|
East |
|
Meaning |
| 1 |
|
2 NT |
|
Forcing Spade Limit Raise |
| 4 NT |
|
|
|
Roman Key Card Blackwood |
|
|
5 |
|
Zero or 3 Key Cards |
| 5 |
|
|
|
Asks for the Queen |
| 5 |
|
|
|
Asks for the King |
|
|
5 |
|
Denies the King |
|
|
5 NT |
|
Promises the King, but not the King |
|
|
6 |
|
Promises the King and the King, but not the King |
|
|
6 |
|
Promises the King, the King, and the King, but not the Queen |
|
|
etc. |
|
|
In this fashion, the partnership can concentrate on the most valuable Key Cards and the location thereof. The concept behind the Spiral Scan is the continuance of the auction until at least a small slam is reached. If one or several Key Cards are discovered to be missing, then the small slam is the better contract, but if all the Key Cards are accounted for during the auction, then the grand slam can be bid.
The following auction clarify this situation.
| West |
|
East |
|
Meaning |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1 |
|
2 NT |
|
Forcing Limit Raise to game |
| 3 |
|
|
|
Splinter showing a singleton, perhaps void |
|
|
4 NT |
|
Roman Key Card Blackwood |
| 5 |
|
|
|
Promises 1 Key Card |
|
|
5 NT |
|
The second step asking for the King. Note: a response of 5 would be setting the final contract |
| 6 |
|
|
|
The sixth step promising the King, the King, the Queen, the Queen, and the Jack, and denies the Jack |
|
|
7 NT |
|
All Key Cards accounted for and the grand slam is bid |
If you wish to include this feature, or any other feature, of the game of bridge in your partnership agreement, then please make certain that the concept is understood by both partners. Be aware whether or not the feature is alertable or not and whether an announcement should or must be made. Check with the governing body and/or the bridge district and/or the bridge unit prior to the game to establish the guidelines applied. Please include the particular feature on your convention card in order that your opponents are also aware of this feature during the bidding process, since this information must be made known to them according to the Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge. We do not always include the procedure regarding Alerts and/or Announcements, since these regulations are changed and revised during time by the governing body. It is our intention only to present the information as concisely and as accurately as possible.