Specific Suit Asks (Taka)

A conventional treatment after the partnership discloses all first round controls and the trump King. Specific Suit Asking bids solicit responder to disclose second and third round controls in a side-suit.

Most important to remember is that a return to the trump suit is the death response.

Also, if you have the ace of the ask suit, partner knows you have it, so don't count it. Think of the ace as a small card: Ax=xx, Axxx=xxx(x), etc.

Kantar's version

• 1st step (Qx, xx)
• Sign Off (xxx) (death response) return to trump suit
• 2nd step (Kxx)
• 3rd step (Kx)
• raise (KQx)

Klinger's version

• no queen, no king, return to trump suit
• 1st step Qx (x)
• 2nd step Kx (x)
• raise the ask suit (KQx)

I feel the effective usage of SSA needs two top cards known to us.

Opener AJx Kxx AJx QJxx

Responder Kx AQJ10xx x Axxx

In this case responders (more desirable club holdings) are AKxx and AQxx than Axxx.

1NT	Pass	4	Pass
4	Pass	4NT	Pass
5*	Pass	6**

* 3 keycards using 0314, ** SSA in clubs.

When you are conservative player or afraid of opener's response of 6, you should not bid 6 but 6 after 5, because total points are too short for 37 points!

7 needs the restricted holdings of club by opener such as Kx or KQJx.

Many other probabilities, Qxxx, Kxxx, xxxx are not enough for 7 as you know. But I am a slam dreamer and I agree with you to bid 6 bravely, ha ha ha laughing in Japanese.

Let's go to examine by my way with you.

Opener's hands

• AJx Kxx AJx QJxx
• AQx Kxx AQx xxxx
• AJx Kxx AJx Kxxx
• AJxx Kxx AJxx Kx
• Axx Kxx AJx KQxx

Responder Kx AQJ10xx x Axxx

• with hand 1 bid 6 (1st step) - alas 6
• with hand 2 bid 6 (sign off) - not lucky today P
• with hand 3 bid 6 (2nd step=skip 6) - 6NT or 7
• with hand 4 bid 6NT (3rd step) - trembling 7
• with hand 5 bid 7 (raise) - proudly 7

Examples above were using Kantar's responses. Klinger would respond 6 to hand 3 and 4

Are you okay?

If it occur the case of Opener's 3rd hand which you worried 6, and if opener plays 6NT,

If the opening lead is the spade, 6NT is already made.

If the opening lead is the heart or club, try the Clubs for 3-3 (duck first), next spade finesse, 6NT is almost made.

If the opening lead is the diamond, no choice but spade finesse.

Be optimistic!!

Opener AJx Kxx AJx QJxx

Responder Kx AQJ10xx x Axxx

1NT	Pass	4	Pass
4	Pass	4NT	Pass
5	Pass	6*	Pass
6**	Pass	6

* SSA in clubs, ** 1st step response showing the queen or a doubleton.

If the responder to the SSA has already denied the king of the ask suit (after a queen ask and a king showing response) these are the responses:

• A return to trump suit denies 3rd round control.
• 1st step response shows the queen or a doubleton.
• A raise shows the queen-jack.

A neat find!

Opener QJx QJ AKJx xxxx

Responder (you) AKxxx AKxx x AKx

1	Pass	1	Pass
2	Pass	3	Pass
3	Pass	4NT	Pass
5	Pass	5	Pass
6	Pass	6	Pass
7	Pass	7NT

5 (1 keycard) - 5 (Queen ask) - 6 (Yes with DK, but no HK, would have bid 5 over 5) - 6 (3rd round heart control? (I know you don't have the king) - 7 (The QJ) - 7NT (Wait till we tell them about this one) - Pass (You tell them, I'm too exhausted)

Not As Easy

Returning to the previous hand, If we exchange the queen and king of spades, we have this:

Opener KJx QJ AKxx xxxx

Responder (you) AQxxx AKxx x AKx

1	Pass	1	Pass
2	Pass	3	Pass
4	Pass	4NT	Pass
5

5 (2 without) - ?

At this point you have to decide whether it is more important to look for the DK via 5NT or 3rd round heart control via 6. There is not room to do both. If you bid 5NT and get a 6 response, a follow up bid of 6 asks for the HK as it has not been denied.

You cannot use the SSA once you bid 5NT asking for specific kings.

If you bid 6 over 5, the SSA, you will get a 7 response showing the QJ. So partner has the Ace of diamonds, the King of spades and the Queen, Jack of hearts, 10 HCP and 12 tricks. If you want to gamble that partner has the King of diamonds or the Queen of clubs (HIGHLY likely) bid 7NT.

If you want to play it closer to the belt, bid 7. Perhaps partner has a doubleton club and a club ruff in dummy will be trick 13. At tournament bridge in a strong field, chance 7NT; otherwise 7.

A SSA can also be made in a previously bid suit

The responses are the same except responder cannot have shortness.

• Return to trump suit denies 2nd or 3rd round control.
• 1st step = The queen
• 2nd step = The king
• A raise of the ask suit= the KQx

Look what I found!

Opener Qxxx Axxx A AQxx

Responder (you) Ax KQxxx xxx KJx

1	Pass	1	Pass
3	Pass	4NT	Pass
5	Pass	6	Pass
6	Pass	7

3 (Nobody likes to splinter with a singleton ace, but that's what they dealt you. If you want to treat this as a balanced hand, jump to 4) - 4NT RKB (0314 weak asks strong) - 5 (3 keycards) - 6 (You don't have room to ask for the SK and the CQ. Since finding the SK won't ensure a grand, but finding the CQ will, you trot out 6. (If you had any desire to play in clubs, you should have bid 4 over 3.) - 6 (1st step response showing the queen. (Opener must have at least four clubs so a spade can go off on a club) - 7

Another SSA to keep in practice:

I Need a new partner!

Opener x AQxxx Ax AKxxx

Responder (you) Ax Kxxx KQJ xxxx

1	Pass	2NT	Pass
4NT	Pass	5	Pass
6	Pass	6

2NT (Jacoby) - 4NT (RKB) - 5 (2 without) - 6 (SSA) - 6 (Zilch)

Hate to end with a sign-off response but look at how many slams you have already bid and made!

Taka