Responder, who doesn't know whether Opener has
the trump Queen, must now make a percipitous guess.
Opener B will co-operate with the slam invitation, but
will the partnership be able to discover the trump loser
and avoid 6H?
|
| Opener B |
 KQJ |
 Kxxxx |
 KQJ |
 J10 |
|
|
|
| Responder |
| Axx |
| Axx |
| Ax |
| KQxxx |
|
|
Only when the red Queens are switched...
|
| Opener C |
| KQJ |
| KQJxx |
| KJx |
| xx |
|
|
|
| Responder |
| A10xx |
| A10x |
| AQ |
| KQxx |
|
|
...are all four of the "CATS" elements in place for a suit slam:
| Control of all four suits |
| Aces: 3 or all four |
| Trump quality |
| Strength |
|
A Detailed Itemization Establishing Trumps trump
asking bid will solve the latter three of these concerns,
allowing cuebids to address the problem of controlling all
four suits. Any direct raise of partner's major suit by an
unlimited hand in a game-forcing auction is a DIET TAB.
In response, the answering partner will deem his/her
trumps as either "Queen/long" (i.e. including the trump
Queen and/or extra trump length) or "male/short" (i.e. no
trump Queen, no extra trump length). Answering partner
will consider any Ace or the King of trump a "Key Card".
The responses are as follows:
| 1st Step | Minimum strength with Queen/Long trumps |
| 2nd Step | Any maximum |
| 3rd Step | Minimum strength, Male/Short trumps, 0 or 3 Key Cards |
| 4th Step | Minimum strength, Male/Short trumps, 1 or 4 Key Cards |
| 5th Step | Minimum strength, Male/Short trumps, 2 or 5 Key Cards |
|
These last three steps are duplicated if responding
partner has a hitherto undisclosed void or, if a void is
not possible, a solid or "semi-solid" (KQJx or better)
side suit which may provide an unexpected source of tricks.
| 6th Step | Same as 3rd step but with a void/good side suit |
| 7th Step | Same as 4th step but with a void/good side suit |
| 8th Step | Same as 5th step but with a void/good side suit |
|
After a first step reply (minimum, Queen/long
trumps), forcing partner can relay with the cheapest rebid
in order to ask about Key Cards. The six possible response
steps will be identical to steps 3 through 8 above.
|
| Opener A |
| KQx |
| Kxxxx |
| KJx |
| xx |
|
| Opener |
Responder |
| 1H | 2C |
| 2NT | 3H |
| 4D | 4H |
|
|
| Responder |
| Axx |
| Axx |
| Ax |
| KQxxx |
|
|
The 4D bid uncovered the minimal Opener as well as the missing Key card and trump Queen. Responder
quickly applies the brakes in 4H.
After a second step TAB reply (any maximum), forcing
partner can relay to ask about trumps and Key Cards. A
first step reply will show male/short trumps while steps
2 through 7 show Key Cards with Queen/long trumps.
|
| Opener B |
| KQJ |
| Kxxxx |
| KQJ |
| J10 |
|
| Opener |
Responder |
| 1H | 2C |
| 2NT | 3H |
| 3NT | 4C |
| 4S | 6NT |
|
|
| Responder |
| Axx |
| Axx |
| Ax |
| KQxxx |
|
|
The 3NT encouraged Responder in the effort to reach a slam, but the
4S bid (1 Key Card, no Q) warned against 6H. Responder reasons that Opener must
have all of the Queens and Jacks that 6NT will require.
Once the Key Cards are disclosed the forcing partner
can sign off in the final contract, cuebid for controls
or initiate a string of Asking Bids--all according to
partnership style.
With bidding space always at a premium, the DIET TAB
works particularly well when used in conjuntion with a
GOLADY 2C response. Here we
see a pair using Italian-style cuebids (where the pair
cuebids 1st and 2nd round controls indiscriminately up-the-line)
to find a slam which many might miss:
|
|
| Opener |
Responder |
| 1S | 2C |
| 2H | 2S |
| 2NT | 3C |
| 3S | 4D |
| 4H | 6S |
|
|
| Responder |
| AJxx |
| xxx |
| AKQJ |
| Qx |
|
|
Playing Golady, 2C was Staymanic,
asking Opener to transfer into a 2nd suit. 2H
denied such a second suit. 2S was then a DIET TAB.
2NT by Opener warned of a minimum but promised the
Q and/or a sixth Spade. 3C asked for Key
cards, whereupon 3S disclosed two (the K and
an Ace). Subsequently, 4D by Responder denied a Club control,
which would send Opener scurrying to 4S if the Club suit were wide open.
Hence, Opener's 4H cuebid promised a control in both
rounded suits. This propelled the partnership to 6S.
What about minor suits? Here a TAB at the 3C or 3D
level is too artificial; it would not allow a minimal
answering hand to show guards for the purpose of stopping
in 3NT. Towards this end, 3C and 3D are considered trial
DIET TABs. The answering partner makes a TAB reply, starting
at the level of 4-of-the trump-suit, only if maximal.
In the case of Diamonds, a maximal answering hand will
cuebid a Club control if one is present before replying
to a 4D TAB. All minimal hands will show stoppers at
the 3-level.
| 1S | --- | 5+card Spade suit, opening strength |
| --- | 2C | Natural 2/1 game force |
| 2D | --- | 4+card Diamond suit |
| --- | 3D | Diamond fit, hinting at slam |
| 3H | --- | Minimum, Heart stopper, no Spade stopper |
| 3S | --- | Minimum, Spade stopper, no Heart stopper |
| 3NT | --- | Minimum, stopper in both majors or neither major |
| 4C | --- | Cuebid of a Club control, maximum. Allows a 4D DIET TAB |
| 4D | --- | Maximum with the Q and/or a 5th Diamond |
| | 4H | --- | A "super maximum" |
| 4S | --- | Maximum, 4 Diamonds only, no Q, 0 or 3 Key Cards |
| 4NT | --- | Maximum, 4 Diamonds only, no Q, 1 or 4 Key Cards |
| 5C | --- | Maximum, 4 Diamonds only, no Q, 2 or 5 Key Cards |
|
Since its introduction in the August, 1978 issue of
The Bridge World magazine,
the DIET TAB has attracted a small but
enthusiastic following. Its most ardent practioners
consider it integral to any 2-over-1 gameforcing structure.
On to The Toddler 2D Response.
Back to McGuinty Versus 1NT article.
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