May 2015 - 38

Kasle
2♣	
3♦
4♦	
5♦
6♣
7♦	

	

Kozlove
1♦
2NT
4♣
4NT
5♥
6♥
Pass

	

Levitina
1♦
4NT

	
	

Sanborn
	
	

2NT	
Pass

If	you	do	not	play	inverted	minors,	
how	do	you	initiate	a	game-forcing	
auction	with	the	West	hand?	You	could	
just	jump	to	3NT,	but	that	eats	up	a	lot	
of	space.	Kasle	improvised	with	2♣.
After	both	players	supported	the	other's	minor	suit,	Kasle	made	a	control	
bid	in	diamonds	and	Kozlove	launched	
Roman	Key	Card	Blackwood.	5♦ is one
or	four	key	cards.	5♥	asks	for	the	♦Q	
and 6♣	confirms	it,	as	well	as	the	♣K.	
6♥	probes	for	a	grand	slam.	
Sanborn	and	Levitina	play	2NT	over	
a	minor-suit	opening	as	a	game	force	
with	at	least	four	diamonds	and	no	
four-card	major.	The	pair	use	4♦ as the
key-card	ask,	so	4NT	is	quantitative.
Bridge Bulletin auction: 1♦-2♦
[10	or	more	points	with	at	least	four	
diamonds	and	no	four-card	major];	
2NT-3NT;	4NT	[quantitative]-	6NT;	
Pass
Scores: 7♥	12;	6♥	10;	6NT	7;	6♦	5;	
5♥	3;	5NT	2
Kasle-Kozlove	10,	Sanborn-Levitina	12

Problem 3

South	deals.	E-W	vulnerable.
North opens 1NT (15-17), or overcalls
1NT if West opens 1♠. South bids Stayman over pass or double, or doubles a
natural 2♣ by East for takeout. If East
takes any other action, North-South
are silent for the rest of the auction.
If West opens 1♠ and South is able to
bid Stayman or make a takeout double,
North responds with 2♦. If West originally passes and South bids Stayman or
doubles, North responds with 2♠.

38 Bridge Bulletin May 2015

West
♠	A	K	7	4	3		
♥852
♦6
♣	K	8	7	3	 	
Kasle
	 	
1♠	
4♣	
4♠	
Sanborn
	 	
	 Pass	
	 Dbl	

North
	
(1NT)	
(Pass)	
(Pass)	
North
	
(1NT)	
(2♠)

East
♠-
♥A74
♦	9	5	2
♣	A	J	10	9	5	4	2
Kozlove
	
3♣	
4♥	
5♣	

South
(Pass)
(Pass)
(Pass)
All	Pass

Levitina
	
Dbl	
3♣	

South
(Pass)
(2♣)
All	Pass

In	second	seat,	would	you	open	the	
West	hand?	Kasle	voted	yes,	while	
Sanborn	passed.	The	hand	does	not	
meet	the	rule	of	20,	but	with	control	of	
the	boss	suit,	opening	1♠	is	somewhat	
preemptive	and	can	get	partner	off	to	
the	right	lead	if	the	opponents	buy	the	
contract.
Over	the	1NT	overcall,	Kozlove	
said	he	showed	his	playing	strength	
with	3♣.	When	partner	raised	clubs,	
Kozlove	said,	"Now	I'm	not	stopping	
short	of	game."	4♥ and 4♠ are control
bids.
Sanborn	and	Levitina	play	the	Meckwell	convention	over	a	strong	1NT	
opening	by	the	opponents,	so	Levitina's	
double	is	either	a	long	minor	or	both	
majors.	Sanborn's	double	of	South's	
Stayman	bid	shows	values	and	is	"pass	
or	correct."

	

Kozlove
1♠
4NT
5NT
6♥
Levitina
1♠
4NT
5NT
6♦
Pass

The	two	auctions	are	identical	
until	the	fourth	bid	from	East.	For	
both	pairs,	4NT	is	RKCB:	5♠	is	two	
key	cards	with	the	♥Q,	5NT	asks	for	
specific	kings	and	6♣	shows	the	♣K.	
Then	Kozlove	signed	off	in	6♥,	but	
Levitina	did	not	want	to	give	up	on	a	
grand	slam.	6♦	asks	partner	to	bid	7♥
with	any	other	useful	values.
Bridge Bulletin auction: 1♥-1♠;	
3♥-4NT	[RKCB];	5♠	[two	key	cards	
with	the	♥Q]-5NT	[asking	for	specific	
kings];	6♣ [♣K]-6♦	[looking	for	7♥
if	West	has	any	extras];	7♥-Pass
Scores: 7♥	10;	6♥	7;	6NT	5;	5♥	4;	
5NT	3;	7NT	2
Kasle-Kozlove	24,	Sanborn-Levitina	24

Problem 5

North	deals.	None	vulnerable.

Scores: 6♣	12;	5♣	7;	4♣	2;	3NT	1
Kasle-Kozlove	17,	Sanborn-Levitina	14

West
♠	Q	
	
♥	Q	9	7	2				
♦	K	J	8	7	4	
♣	K	Q	4	 	

East
♠	9	7	2	
♥	J	6		
♦	A	Q
♣	A	J	10	9	5	2

Kasle

Kozlove
1♣
2♣
4♦
Pass

1♦
3♠
5♣	

Problem 4

West	deals.	Both	vulnerable.
East
♠	K	9	6	5	2
♥	K	9
♦	A	J	6
♣	A	9	4

	
	

Sanborn
1♥
3♥	
	
5♠	
	
6♣
7♥	
	

Bridge Bulletin	auction:	(Pass)-
Pass-(1NT)-3♣;	(Pass)-3♠-(Pass)-
4♣;	(Pass)-5♣-All	Pass

West
♠A7
♥	A	Q	J	10	5	3	
♦4
♣	K	J	7	2			

Kasle
1♥
3♥	
5♠	
6♣
Pass

Sanborn

	

1♦
3♠
4♠
Pass

	

Levitina
1♣
2♣
4♦
5♣
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May 2015
