33. Advanced Checkback¶
The Checkback Family is New Minor Forcing (NMF), Fourth Suit Forcing, 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 close to 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.
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.
TWNMF over 2N¶
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.
A convention responding 3♣ as a relay to 3♦ to signoff weak hands is the Wolff Signoff. Details are widely available on bridge sites.
A different version with the same signature bid has been suggested by Marc Smith. You could call it a variant of the Wolff Signoff or TWNMF over 2N:
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 NMF bid.
3♥! is a slam try in x. It sets x as trump.
3♠! is a slam try in M. It sets M as trump.
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.
After the 1x-1M-2N-3♥/♠ slam tries, responder has set trumps and opener should make control bids.