35. Advanced Checkback¶
The Checkback Family is New Minor Forcing (NMF), Fourth Suit Forcing (4sf), and XYZ. NMF has a variant, Two-Way New Minor Forcing (TWNMF). The first two conventions were covered previously; TWNMF is described in detail in this chapter.
Two-way New Minor Forcing (TWNMF), also called Two-Way Checkback Stayman, distinguishes invitational vs. game-forcing hands by using both 2♣ and 2♦ as artificial and is universally used amongst experts instead of NMF.
XYZ extends the idea of TWNMF to the case of the opener’s rebid being 1♠, and is so-named because the auction has begun 1x – 1y – 1z. Since it is identical to TWNMF if “z” is no-trump, the two conventions are played together. In this approach, it is still possible to have a fourth-suit auction such as 1♥ – 1♠ – 2♣ – 2♦!.
In another chapter we show an idea of Marc Smith like TWNMF for the case of the 2N rebid. See TWNMF over 2N.
Two-Way New Minor Forcing¶
Two-way New Minor Forcing (TWNMF), also called Two-Way Checkback Stayman, applies after a 1N rebid by opener after responder bids a major. Responder distinguishes invitational vs. game-forcing hands with his first rebid.
Playing this convention instead of NMF is, as Marty Bergen says, “Infinitely easier and better”.
Note
Some also play TWNMF after auctions that begin 1♣ – 1♦; I do not, to avoid confusion with the Walsh style. Likewise, some do not play it after 1♥ – 1♠ – 1N.
TWNMF is off by a passed hand. TWNMF is off after interference.
After 1m 1M 1N, 2M is to play showing 5 cards; playing in even a 2-5 fit is usually better than playing in 1N. After 1m – 1♥ – 1N a bid of 2♠ shows a hand 4-4 in the majors with minimal values.
Checkback: Invitational Hands¶
We bid 2♣! (artificial) with invitational hands containing five of our major or four of the other major. Opener must rebid 2♦! (forced). The bid can be explained as “invitational with five of our major or four of the other major, or a weak hand with diamonds”.
After 1m – 1M – 1N, a weak hand with five cards in M should rebid 2M, to play.
Then, in the case of 1m – 1♠ – 1N – 2♣! (artificial) – 2♦! (forced), responder bids:
Pass – signoff in 2♦.
2♥ – Invitational with 5 spades and 4 hearts.
2♠ – Mildly invitational with 5+ spades.
2NT – Invitational, with 4-card support for opener’s minor. This allows opener to sign off in 3 of the minor if he wishes.
3♣ – Invitational with 4 spades and clubs.
3♦ – Invitational with 4 spades and diamonds.
3♥ – Invitational with 5-5 in the majors.
3♠ – Invitational with 6 spades.
If responder’s suit had been hearts, make the corresponding changes:
Pass – signoff in 2♦.
2♥ – Mildly invitational with 5+ hearts
2♠ – Invitational with 5 hearts and four spades
2NT – Invitational with four-card support for opener’s minor.
3♣ – Invitational with 4 hearts and clubs
3♦ – Invitational with 4 hearts and diamonds
3♥ – Invitational with 6 hearts
If responder does not have support for opener’s minor, and no interest in pursuing a major fit, he raises 1N to 2N and does not use TWNMF. In the sequences above, the 3m bids show either support for the 1m opener or a decent suit and invitational values.
Checkback: Game-Forcing Hands¶
The responses for 2♦! are easier; we are not stopping short of game and use a slow-shows approach to slam. Opener should not jump. Priorities for opener remain as in NMF:
With four of the other major, bid 2W
With 3-card support for M, opener should bid 2M. However, with a flat hand and the points mostly not in M, consider 2N.
Two-Suited Minimal Hands¶
If you have a minimal hand and bypassed a five-card diamond suit to bid a four-card major, you can bid the 2♣! (relay) and pass the obligatory 2♦! (forced).
With 5 or more in M, bid 2M to drop dead. With five spades and four hearts, bid 2H showing your shape; opener can pass or correct. It should do better than 1N.
Finally, we have the problem of a weak hand with clubs. A bid of 3♣ after the 1N rebid is minimal and to play. (With a better hand we’d go through the 2♣ or 2♦ bids first and then bid 3♣).
Responder Jump-Rebids¶
After the 1N rebid, a direct bid of 3M shows a slammish hand with a good suit. We could go through 2♦! first if we were just game-forcing. A jump to 3♦, such as 1♦ – 1♥ – 1N – 3♦ is slammish in diamonds. But a jump to 3♣ is weak, as noted above.
Optionally, you can make 3♣ a slam try too and show the weak hand in clubs by bidding:
1N 2N! (relay to 3♣)
3♣! (forced) Pass
This is possible since a plain balanced invite begins with the 2♣ relay so the direct 2N is an unused bid. The problem is that the 2N bid may be error-prone. So I prefer having 1m – 1M – 1N – 2N just be natural too and lose the 3♣ slam-try bid.
XYZ¶
XYZ is a convention that applies when the first three bids are on the one level, and responder has an invitational or better hand. The name comes from writing this as 1X – 1Y – 1Z.
Essentially we extend the ideas of TWNMF to these additional auctions.
Research XYZ with a partner after having plenty of TWNMF experience.
Wolff Signoff¶
In the section on New Minor Forcing, we saw that in auctions where the opener rebids 2N to show an 18-19 balanced hand, 1m – 1M – 2N, that a bid of 3w!, the other minor, is an artificial bid asking if opener has three-card support of M. The Wolff Signoff, akin to TWNMF disregards which minor was opened and uses 3♣︎ to show weak hands:
3♣! is a mandatory relay to 3♦; see below for examples. This is a Lebensohl-like relay to show various weak hands.
3♦! is the Stayman-like (“Staymanic”) game-forcing bid.
3M shows 5 (or more) cards.
There are various ideas needing partnership agreement for other bids.
The 3♣ puppet to 3♦ is used for a number of weak hand types:
After 1♣ – 1♠ – 2N – holding a hand like Jxxxx/xx/QJxxx/x intending to pass partner’s forced 3♦.
After 1♥ – 1♠ – 2NT – Jxxx/x/KJxxxx/xx same
After 1x – 1♠ – 2NT – Q109xxx/x/Qxx/xxx intending to sign off in 3♠
After 1m – 1♠ – 2N – Qxxxx/Kxxxx/xx/x intending to bid 3♥ to offer a choice of 3♥/3♠
After 1♦ – 1♠ – 2N – Jxxx/x/xx/KJxxxx responder bids 3N over 3♦ showing weak with long clubs – opener can pass or convert to 4♣
The 3♦ is looking for major fits:
After 1♣ – 1♦ – 2N – 3♦ holding something like Kxxx/Qxxx/Axxx/x perhaps – might also have only one major.
If opener bids 3♥ and responder continues with 3♠, that says I wasn’t interested in your hearts but I have four spades. This sequence probably has slam interest as 3NT would also suggest four spades but no interest beyond game.
After 1m – 1♥ – 2N – 3♦ – responder may have any hand with five hearts, just looking to find a 5-3 fit.
Responder might also have 4-4 in majors. If opener shows 3♥, he can continue with 3♠/3N as above.
1m – 1♠ – 2N – 3♦ – responder could have any hand looking for a 5-3 spade fit, or 5-4 in majors looking for 4-4 hearts or 5-3 spades.
Slam Tries¶
Marc Smith suggests this addition to the Wolff Signoff.
3♥! is a slam try in opener’s suit. It sets m as trump.
3♠! is a slam try in responder’s suit. It sets M as trump.
After the 1x – 1M – 2N – 3♥/♠ slam tries, responder has set trumps and opener should make control bids.