The Specific King Ask (SKA)
by Spike Lay     Contact Spike

   After a 4NT RKC ask 5NT asks for specific kings.  5NT also guarantees all of the keycards and the queen of trumps, so responder can bid a grand if he can count 13 tricks – he need not respond kings.  For example, if you hold Kxx  Axx  xx  KQJ10x and the bidding goes as follows …

        Opener                                 Responder
            1♣                                          1♠
            2♠                                          4NT
            5♥ (2 without the queen)        5NT
            ?

Bid 7NT.  Partner has shown at least  AQxxx  xxx  Axx  Ax so you can count 12 top tricks, and partner must have more than this to be bidding so strongly.  He will have a 6^th trump or another king at least.  

Most of the time when partner bids 5NT you just bid your cheapest king if you have one.  With no king in a sides suit (the king of trumps is already accounted for, so you don’t show it) bid 6 of the trump suit.  With 2 kings bid the cheaper one.  With 3 kings (you won’t have this very often) bid 6NT or just bid the grand.  Here is an example …

     Opener                                      Responder
    A842                                KQ763
    K95                                 A
    43                                                                                          AQ872
    AJ52                                K4

1♣                                    1♠
2♠                                    4NT
5♥                                    5NT
6♥                                    6♠

Responder knows the king of diamonds is missing, so he settles for 6♠.

Usually, after 5NT and the response the 5NT bidder has enough info to place the contract. Once in awhile he may make a second ask by bidding the king in which he is interested.  An example:

     Opener                                    Responder
    AQJ963                           K1054
    AQ5                                K874
    AQ6                                K2
    4                                     A107

1♠                                    2NT (Jacoby)
4NT                                 5♥
5NT                                 6♦
6♥ (asks for the ♥ king)  7♠ (I’ve got it!)

There’s a lot more to it, but this will get you started on the specific king ask, known to keycard aficionados everywhere as the SKA.

Copyright © 2005 by Spike Lay