Two-Way Checkback

Two-Way Checkback is an extension of the Checkback Stayman convention. Playing regular Checkback, 2 asks partner for a 4-card major in these auctions:

Opener     1/ 1NT

Responder     1/ 2

Opener     1 1NT

Responder     1 2

Here 1NT shows 11-14 HCP if you employ a strong 1NT opening (15-17). Responder’s 2 promises at least game-invitational values, or roughly 10+ points.

Two-Way Checkback, however, goes further by conventionalizing both the 2 and 2 rebids. The difference is that 2 is game-invitational, whereas 2 is game-forcing.

Responder's Rebid	Meaning
2	10 to a bad 12 points; artificial relay to 2D. May also be a weak signoff in diamonds (rare).
2	12+ points, artificial and game-forcing (by an unpassed hand only).

Thus the following sequences “check back” for a 4-card major as well as the ones above:

Opener     1/ 1NT

Responder     1/ 2

Opener     1 1NT

Responder     1 2

Checkback vs. New Minor Forcing

Two-Way Checkback is also referred to as Two-Way New Minor Forcing. The difference is that New Minor Forcing only applies if responder bids a “new” minor, like so:

Opener     1 1NT

Responder     1 2

Playing New Minor Forcing, 2 would be a natural signoff.

Opener     1 1NT

Responder     1 2

Similarly, 2 would be a natural signoff here.

Two-Way Checkback, on the other hand, always assigns the same meanings to 2 and 2. It does not matter if opener’s first bid was clubs or diamonds.

The 2 Response

After responder bids 2, opener must bid 2. This is a departure from Checkback Stayman, which asks opener for a 4-card major. Responder then clarifies his hand as follows.

Opener     1X 1NT 2

Responder     1Y 2 ?

Responder's Rebid	Meaning
Pass	Weak signoff with 5+ diamonds.
New major	4-card suit, invitational. This takes priority over rebidding a 5-card major.
Rebid major	5+ card suit, invitational.
Jump rebid major	6+ card suit, invitational.

Examples

		Opener			Responder
		Q J 4			K 10 5 3
		A 10 8 7 2			9 6
		10 9			K Q 8 6 3 2
		A Q 3			5
		Opener 1 1NT 2 (2)			Responder 1 2 (1) Pass (3)

1. Relay to 2
2. Completing the relay
3. Signoff with diamonds

		Opener			Responder
		Q 9 4			K 10 6 2
		10 9			A K 8 5 3
		A 10 8 7 2			9 6
		A K 3			5 2
		Opener 1 1NT 2 (2) 2NT			Responder 1 2 (1) 2 (3) Pass

1. Relay to 2
2. Completing the relay
3. 4 spades with 10-12 points

		Opener			Responder
		Q 10 4			K J 8
		Q 9 2			A K 10 5 3
		K 8 7 3 2			9 6
		A K			10 5 2
		Opener 1 1NT 2 (2) 4 (4)			Responder 1 2 (1) 2 (3) Pass

1. Relay to 2
2. Completing the relay
3. 5 hearts with 10-12 points
4. Bidding game with 3-card support and maximum strength

		Opener			Responder
		Q J 6			A 7 5
		10 9			K Q J 6 3 2
		A 10 8 7 2			9
		A K 3			5 2
		Opener 1 1NT 2 (2) 4 (4)			Responder 1 2 (1) 3 (3) Pass

1. Relay to 2
2. Completing the relay
3. 6-card suit with 10-12 points
4. Accepting the game invitation with a maximum

The 2 Response

After responder forces game by bidding 2, opener’s rebids are in priority order below.

Opener     1X 1NT ?

Responder     1Y 2

1. Showing a new 4-card major

		Opener			Responder
		10 9 2			A Q 8 5 4
		A J 9 7			K Q 6 2
		A 10 7 2			K 6 5
		A 5			9
		Opener 1 1NT 2 (2) Pass			Responder 1 2 (1) 4 (3)

1. Artificial game force
2. 4 hearts
3. To play, in keeping with the principle of fast arrival

Here the partnership lands in the 4-4 heart fit, with the hope of setting up spades to discard diamond losers.

2. Showing 3-card support

		Opener			Responder
		Q 10 6			A J 7 5 4
		A 10 7			K J 6
		A 10 8 5 2			Q 6 5 3
		A 5			K 9
		Opener 1 1NT 2 (2) Pass			Responder 1 2 (1) 4 (3)

1. Artificial game force
2. 3 spades
3. Fast arrival

3. Bidding 2NT

2NT denies 3-card support as well as a 4-card major.

		Opener			Responder
		Q J 10			A 7 5
		10 9			K Q J 6 2
		A 10 8 7 2			9 5
		A Q 3			K J 2
		Opener 1 1NT 2NT (2) Pass			Responder 1 2 (1) 3NT

1. Artificial game force
2. Unable to support hearts or bid spades

Pros and Cons

In short, what does Two-Way Checkback accomplish? A key benefit is the flexibility to distinguish weak, game-invitational, and game-forcing hands. Here is an everyday auction with many branches.

Opener     1 1NT

Responder     1 ?

Hand A K 10 7 3 2 K J 9 5 9 8 5 4

Hand A can bid 2 to show less than 10 points. Opener can pass or correct.

Hand B A Q 7 6 2 K J 10 5 9 8 5 4

Hand B can bid 2 to show 10-12 points.

Hand C A Q 7 6 2 A K 10 5 9 8 5 4

Hand C can bid 2 to show a good 12+ points.

Hand D A K J 6 2 A K J 10 5 9 K 4

Hand D can bid 3 as a natural slam try. Slightly weaker or less distributional hands would go through 2D instead.

In “Modern Constructive Bidding”, however, the late expert Marshall Miles was critical of Two-Way Checkback. Miles did not care for the loss of the "Stayman" meaning of the 2 puppet:

The disadvantage of playing two-way Checkback is that opener’s forced 2 rebid over 2 doesn’t provide any distributional information. So far as locating a trump suit is concerned, it just wastes half a round of bidding.

Opener     1 1NT 2

Responder     1 2 2

Does responder show 11 points with a good five-card suit? A longer suit with fewer points? A balanced or unbalanced hand? Some players try to solve this problem by rebidding two of responder’s major over 2 with three-card support rather than making an automatic 2 bid.

This has been a rather long-winded discussion of the reasons I don’t like two-way Checkback. My own preference is for Eddie Kantar’s idea: always use 2 as Checkback.