Chip Martel & Lew Stansby are known for their hard work when it comes to trying to build a better mousetrap. One area where they have improved on standard methods is the Roman Key Card Blackwood response when you have a void. Usually 5NT shows two aces plus a void, six of a biddable suit for one or three aces with a void, and six of the trump suit for one or three aces and an unbiddable void. But what if the void is already defined?

Dealer South. E/W Game 8 4 3 K 10 10 3 2 Q J 8 6 4 A J 9 K Q10 7 5 A Q 7 5 4 6 9 8 7 6 4 A K Q J — K 7 5 6 2 J 9 8 3 2 5 A 10 9 3 2 West North East South Pass 1 Pass 1 Pass 2 Pass 2NT Pass 3 Pass 4NT Pass 6 Pass 7 All Pass

The 2NT bid was a relay and 6 shows 2 Aces and a void. When the shortage is already defined - and here it must be clubs - you can use 5NT for one ace plus a void, 6 for two aces and a void and 6 for three aces and a void.

Here Martel knew that if he played 7 he could not use his partner's diamond suit because of the blockage, since he would have to ruff clubs in dummy. So he settled for the diamond grand slam. Nicely bid.

IBPA Editor's note: Playing in diamonds, ignoring the lucky fall of the K, you have to reverse the dummy to avoid promoting North's trump 10. On a trump lead, win, ruff a club, try a second diamond, ruff a club, spade to East, ruff a club, heart ace, heart ruff, draw the last trump.

Comment from Chip Martel: It's strange that we should be getting this award today for getting to a good diamond slam. Just yesterday in the quarterfinal match against China, we failed to get to three good diamond slams.