The Major Fifth system was created to declare major games; it's its historical core target. And its success continues unabated. It has become established all over the world—or almost.

But bridge isn't just made up of 4 Hearts or 4 Spades; another area of play is of paramount importance, as brand dictates: slams. In a short game, the outcome of a small slam can single-handedly decide the winner. Mastering the top of the pyramid ensures a decisive advantage.

In his first volume of The Logic of Auctions, Alain Lévy provided all the ingredients to revamp the French Standard, with his now-famous System Y. He notably introduced the 2-on-1 game forcing, developments after a major support, the reversed minor support, etc.—all effective conventions that can constitute the first stages of the rocket that will take you to the slam.

In his second volume, the author delves into the final stages of the rocket: the specific bidding for slams. Six comprehensive and detailed chapters explore this fascinating yet frightening world, which many still only approach with hesitation.

You could almost start at the end, the final chapter, which presents all the steps to take towards a slam: the necessary equipment, the control mechanism (and in particular the cardinal notion of the trigger bid), taking the captaincy, and Blackwood. These are vital concepts, too often overlooked.

Nevertheless, the book is essentially structured around strong openings, with a detailed exposition of the strong indeterminate 2 (including the Two-Way), the game-forcing 2 (revisited), as well as the 2NT opening and its associated developments.

You'll also find numerous pages devoted to strong rebids and developments after a 2NT rebid without a jump, not to mention the third and fourth suit forcing at the beginning of the book, one of the author's great specialties.

Like the first volume, this second installment demands and deserves a thorough reading. Don't expect to absorb everything at once. As in haute cuisine, the art of tasting is the prelude to successful digestion.