[Knurdler]

Playing 1430 RKCB, clubs or diamonds are trump.
I have read about forcing a bail out to 5NT if the initial response to 4NT is 5C, 5D 5H and that is was less than hoped for.
The 4NT bidder bids 5S and responder must bid 5NT.
Questions:
Have I understood this convention correctly?
Is it worth adopting?
Is there a better way of not getting too high in a minor (without dropping RKCB and using kickback?
If this has not come up in my last 2 years, should I just forget it?

[DavidKok]

I have seen this played over 5♣ but not over 5♦ or 5♥, though you could choose to do so. Over higher responses you may need all the remaining space for king ask, extras ask or signoffs.

I think it is not worth adopting in the slightest. There are useful and valuable other uses of the sequence, though the real cure is to be less trigger happy with RKC. Almost always when a bailout in 5NT seems like the best move one or both partners has misbid at a lower level.

There are lots of ways to not get too high in a minor suit. Having a good inverted minor structure or ways to set the minor as trumps in game forcing auctions at a low level helps a lot ("slam bidding begins at the 2-level"). Sophisticated 1m openings and responses to this will gain on the minor suit slams as well as on many game and partscore auctions. In addition you could adopt gadgets like (non)serious 4m or last train, which I frequently find valuable in addition to or even as a replacement of RKC on minor suited slam hands.

Personally I would definitely recommend forgetting about the 5♠ transfer. In fact, I think a lot of the followup structures to RKC are the tail wagging the dog - instead focus on improving bidding at the 2- through 4-level so you gain the relevant information at a safe level.

[apollo1201]

I had opened a crappy aceless 12-count (1C) and partner was bullish. I was standing on the brake the whole auction but despite that, I had to admit holding the CK so we were in 5D (some use 41-30 rather than 30-41 for minors but I am not sure it would have saved us). Yeah, used it once and 5NT= after opps misdefended.

So we used the trick and ended up in 5NT= after opps missed the lead.

First and last time we used it.

Because we decided first, to be better during the auction before RKCB, and second, that the key-carder must hold 2 at least (since I cued again my S control at 4S rather than key carding, I had just one, so partner with 2 knew we would be off 2 KC).