Abstract: A rotor blade includes a dovetail and an airfoil joined thereto. The airfoil includes first and second spaced apart sides joined together laterally at opposite leading and trailing edges, and spanwise at a root and opposite tip. A serpentine cooling circuit extends inside the airfoil for channeling air therethrough for cooling the blade. The serpentine circuit includes first and second passes and a first bend therebetween for firstly receiving the cooling air in turn from the dovetail. A tip circuit is disposed between the tip and the serpentine circuit at the first bend for separating the tip from the first bend and providing cooling thereof near the trailing edge.