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CHECKBACK STAYMAN BY OPENER Have you noticed how often partner's 1NT response to your opening bid leaves you with a rebid problem? To begin with, you may want to sign off, invite game, or force to game--but there is no way to do all three. For instance, with S-AJ6432 H-KQ3 D-A10 C-AJ you must rebid 3NT or 4S when partner responds 1NT to your 1S opening. You would like to bid a forcing 3S to give partner a choice, but 3S is not forcing. Perhaps you have a good two-suited hand: S-AQ942 H-AQJ76 D-4 C-J2. After opening 1S and getting a 1NT response, should you jump to 3H or bid a weak 2H? You would like to make an invitational 3H bid, but 3H is forcing. A jump in a new suit might be played as invi- tational, but then what would you do with S-AQ1083 H-AQJ2 D-A4 C-Q8? You would have to bid 3NT, perhaps missing a better game in a major. Good bidders will open 1H with S-A103 H-AKJ3 D-108743 C-4, both as a lead directing bid and to avoid the rebid problem created by a 2C response to a 1D opening (the hand is not strong enough for a 2H reverse). After partner's 1NT response, however, a 2D rebid invariably fetches a 2H preference from responder, who has Qx of hearts and three diamonds (figuring opener for five hearts). How can we keep this from happening? Similar problems arise with hands such as S-AKJ3 H-A103 D-J9752 C-4 or S-AQJ3 H-J9542 D-3 C-AJ5 (both are 1S openings) or S-2 H-AK109 D-A43 C-J5432 (a 1H opening). Another problem: You open 1S with S-AK8742 H-AQ93 D-76 C-4, and when partner bids 1NT you rebid 2S or 3S, depending on how you feel that day. If partner has four or more hearts you are probably going to play in the wrong suit. If you rebid 2H instead, partner is likely to pass with two spades and three hearts. She might also pass with four hearts and a weak hand, perhaps missing an easy game. You cannot rebid 3H over 1NT, because the hand is not strong enough for a game-forcing jump. The remedy for all these problems, and more, is to play all jump rebids by opener after a 1NT response as forcing to game. With an invitational hand, opener rebids an artificial 2C, which we have named Checkback Stayman (CS), then makes an invitational bid. Rebids of 2D, 2H, or 2S are weak, except for a reverse (two-level bid in a suit higher than the one opened), which is strong but not forcing. Opener may also rebid 2C with certain weak hands, seeking to find the safest landing spot. A raise of 1NT to 2NT is natural, invitational. Warning: DO NOT USE CHECKBACK STAYMAN IF A REVERSE OR OTHER NATURAL BID WILL SUFFICE! One advantage of CS is that you can bypass a weak four-card major suit, responding 1NT with a notrumpish hand such as S-Q76 H-J632 D-K72 C-K107 or even S-9832 H-10876 D-Q2 C-AQ10 when the opening is, say, 1D. Such hands usually play just as well in notrump if opener's hand is also balanced, even if opener has four cards in your major. Besides, you don't want to play in a weak major suit opposite three-card support. If opener has an unbalanced hand with four cards in a major, he may be able to check back with a 2C rebid, or reverse with a bid of the major. Responses to Checkback Stayman Responder shows an unbid major or three-card support (a very strong doubleton--two of the top four honors--is equivalent to three-card support) for partner's major. With both, support partner's major; with neither, bid 2D: Opener Responder 1S 1NT 2C 2D - no spade support, no heart suit 2H - heart suit, denies three spades* 2S - three spades, could have hearts * Exception: 2H is okay with five hearts and three spades. Opener Responder 1H 1NT 2C 2D - no heart support 2H - heart support, could have spades 2S - an impossible bid The last 2S bid is impossible because responder must not bypass a four-card spade suit when lacking heart support. Opener Responder 1C/1D 1NT 2C 2D - no four-card major 2H - four hearts, could have spades 2S - four spades, denies four hearts In general responder must rebid 2D, 2H, or 2S in response to CS. With a six-card semi-solid minor suit, however, she may bid three of the long suit. The suit must be strong enough to play opposite a singleton in opener's hand: Opener Responder 1H 1NT 2C 3C/3D - semi-solid six-card suit Opener's Next Bid If opener does not pass responder's answer to CS, his next bid is as follows: -- An immediate 3C bid is natural, showing five or more clubs and a weak hand. Opener would have made a natural (weak) 2C rebid if not using CS: Opener Responder 1 Any 1NT 2C 2D/2H/2S 3C - five or more clubs, weak hand There is one sequence, however, in which 3C is forcing: Opener Responder 1S 1NT 2C 2S 3C is strong, trying for game In this auction opener must have five spades (otherwise the opening would be 1C) and would therefore pass 2S with a weak hand. The 3C call is a trial bid, asking if responder has a hand that fits well. With a suitable hand such as S-1032 H-854 D-A54 C-KJ7, responder will now bid 4S because of the good fit with opener's clubs. With a poor fit responder will sign off in 3S. Opener's hand is S-AK954 H-K2 D-6 C-AQ543. The situation is very different when the suit is hearts: Opener Responder 1H 1NT 2C 2H 3C is a sign-off In this case opener has a hand such as S-4 H-AKJ8 D-A43 C-Q8763 (with five hearts he would pass the 2H bid). A 1H opening is better than 1C, to provide for an easy rebid opposite the expected 1S response. Responder will pass 3C or bid 3D, knowing that opener has 1-4-3-5 distribution (with 3-4-1-5 or 2-4-2-5 the opening would be 1C). With nothing but long clubs and no interest in game, opener just keeps bidding clubs until responder gets the message: Opener Responder 1C 1NT 2C 2D/2H/2S 3C Pass (forced - opener is weak) -- An immediate bid of 3D, 3H, or 3S is invitational, not forcing: Opener Responder 1S 1NT 2C 2D 3D/3H/3S are invitational The 3H bid shows a hand with 5-5 in the majors. With 5-4 opener would bid a forcing 2H instead of 3H. If responder had bid 2S over 2C, the 3H bid might be made with a four-card suit. Even then the 3H bid is not forcing, although responder is unlikely to pass. To do so she would have a weak hand with four hearts and a poor fit: S-873 H-J984 D-KJ3 C-Q76. -- If opener's next bid after 2C is 2NT, that is a game try showing clubs (as a second suit, or as a rebid of clubs if the opening was 1C). Opener Responder 1 any 1NT 2C 2D/2H/2S 2NT shows clubs, invitational hand Opener cannot bid 3C with an invitational hand, because 3C is a weak bid. If his opening was 1D, 1H, or 1S, he has a strong two- suiter with clubs as the second suit, and is inviting game. Responder pretends to have heard an invitational 3C bid (a 3C jump after the 1NT response would have been forcing) and acts according- ly. If she would have passed an invitational 3C bid, she now bids 3C, which opener passes. She might pass 2NT, at her own risk, with a weak hand and strength in the "unbid" suits. If the opening was 1C, opener has a long club suit in a hand of invitational strength. It is usually best not to pass 2NT, because opener could have a very unbalanced hand. If 3NT cannot be made, 3C is probably a better contract than 2NT. Besides, with a liking for notrump opener might have raised 1NT to 2NT instead of using CS. If the opening was 1D, opener has at least 5-4 in the minors. If the opening was 1H, opener has at least 5-4 in hearts and clubs. When hearts have been supported, the reason for bidding 2NT is to help responder evaluate her hand in deciding whether to accept the game invitation or not. When a club fit is not important, opener should just bid 3H over 2H to invite game. If the opening was 1S, opener has at least 5-4 in spades and clubs. When spades have been supported, the 2NT bid definitely shows four clubs because (as discussed before) opener would bid a forcing 3C to invite game with a 5-5 hand. Here too, opener should just bid 3S over 2S to invite game when a club fit is not important. A delayed bid of 2NT, however, does not show clubs. It is a normal invitation to game in notrump: Opener Responder 1S 1NT 2C 2D 2H 2S (forced) 2NT is natural, not club-showing Opener has S-AK32 H-AK67 D-76 C-QJ3 and bids 2C to check for a heart fit. Having found none, he must bid 2H (forcing) as a stepping stone to an invitational 2NT bid. He could not bid 2NT immediately over 2D, because that would show clubs. Responder's 2S bid is forced, even with a singleton spade. She has previously denied spade support with the 2D bid. -- If opener's next bid after CS is a new suit at the two level (as above) that is usually a one round force. Opener has invitational strength or better. Let's discuss the above auction first: Opener Responder 1S 1NT 2C 2D 2H is forcing Opener has only four hearts, since he would bid 3H with five (over 1NT to force to game, over 2D to invite game). Responder has denied holding four hearts, so opener can only be bidding 2H on the way to describing her hand. Responder must bid 2S at this point (the 2D bid denied spade support). Opener may have 5-4-0-4, 5-4-4-0, 4-4-4-1, etc. If so, he will bid his minor next (not forcing). He might have a weak hand with six spades and four hearts, using the 2H bid as a device to get to a 2S contract (2S over 2D would show five spades, not six, as explained later). Or he might have: S-AJ976 H-KQ108 D-AJ C-Q9, planning to follow with an invitational 2NT bid. He could not bid 2NT over 2D, because that would show clubs, remember? Responder must usually just make the cheapest call when a major suit opener bids the other major at the two level in a CS sequence. There is no need to jump to 3NT with a maximum 1NT response, because opener will always bid again if he is interested in game. If the new suit is spades, responder may be in a position to raise instead of bidding 2NT: Opener Responder 1H 1NT 2C 2H 2S ? Responder could have four spades (a weak suit, of course), since she must show heart support as a first priority. If she does have spades, he raises to 3S or 4S, according to her strength. Otherwise she just bids 2NT, allowing opener to continue showing his hand. Opener Responder 1H 1NT 2C 2D 2S 2NT - forced Responder has denied having four spades or three hearts. Opener is bidding 2S on the way to showing his obviously good hand, which may have a distribution of 4-5-4-0 , 4-5-0-4, or 4-6 in the majors. Responder bids 2NT to allow opener to continue his hand descrip- tion. When a minor suit opener bids a new major after using CS, responder can sometimes give more information. She must never bypass opener's first suit, however: Opener Responder 1C 1NT 2C 2D 2H 2S - good spade strength 2NT - non-committal 3C - four clubs, maximum hand 3D - not permitted The 2S bid, which shows good spade strength but not necessarily a maximum hand, may enable opener to invite game with a 2NT bid (or even bid 3NT) when he was planning some other bid: S-J H-AK42 D-AK C-K108732 The 3C bid could lead to a slam if opener has the same hand. Opener Responder 1D 1NT 2C 2D 2H 2S - good spade strength 2NT - non-committal 3C/3D - four or more, maximum (3C denies four diamonds) Opener Responder 1D 1NT 2C 2D/2H 2S 2NT - non-committal 3C/3D - four or more, maximum (3C denies four diamonds) What if a light 1C opener is 5-5 in the black suits? This is not a rare occurrence, since 1C is the right opening with a weak to moderate hand and weakish spades. The answer, unfortunately, is that we must have an exception: A 2S rebid by a 1C opener who has used CS shows five spades and is neither forcing nor particularly invitational. This means that opener cannot show a four-card spade suit at this point and must choose some other sequence (e.g, a reverse) with a good hand. -- If opener's next bid after 2C is a rebid of his major suit at the two level, he shows five cards in the suit, plus four clubs, and a weak hand: Opener Responder 1H 1NT 2C 2D 2H - five hearts, four clubs, weak hand Opener could not bid 2NT to show clubs, because that requires a hand of game-invitational strength, and he needs five clubs to bid 2C, then 3C. Responder may pass, prefer clubs, or correct to 2NT. More About Two-Suiters A 1S opening followed by a 2H rebid after a 1NT response is never based on a holding of more spades than hearts. Opener either has equal length or the hearts are longer (e.g., S-AKJ3 H-J10863 D-KJ2 C-5): Opener Responder 1S 1NT 2H Responder passes 2H with equal length in both majors. If respon- der's majors were reversed, with more spades than hearts, 6-4 or 5-4, opener could have used CS. If the response to CS is a disappointing 2D, opener bids 2H to force a 2S bid: Opener Responder 1S 1NT 2C 2D 2H 2S is forced This won't work very well if responder has a singleton spade and three hearts, but that doesn't happen very often. Do not use CS with a 4-6 holding in spades-hearts and no interest in game. Just rebid the hearts. Remember that CS followed by a rebid of the opened major shows just five cards in the suit (plus four clubs). A 1H opening followed by a rebid of 2D denies five hearts: Opener Responder 1H 1NT 2D - denies five hearts Opener has a hand such as S-3 H-KQ108 D-J7652 C-AQJ. With five hearts opener can safely use CS after the 1NT response, since responder cannot bid 2S. As discussed previously, a 1NT response to 1H must not be made when holding four spades and no heart support. When opener has S-A4 H-Q10832 D-KQ764 C-3, the bidding will go: Opener Responder 1H 1NT 2C 2D/2H Pass Opener might even bid like this with five hearts and four diamonds, although this is a little risky, since responder could have a 3-2-2-6 hand. It might be better to pass 1NT or rebid 2H. With six hearts and five diamonds, opener should forget diamonds and rebid 2H with a weak opening. Now look at the spade-diamond situation. With five spades and four or five diamonds, opener (after opening 1S and getting a 1NT response) should usually rebid 2D with no interest in game. In this case responder prefers spades with equal length in both suits (opener will never have longer diamonds). Use of CS with a hand such as S-AJ875 H-3 D-KJ62 C-K53 would lead to trouble if responder bids 2H. When opener has three hearts, however, in a 5-3-4-1 hand, CS may be chanced (with the plan of passing any response). That is one reason why responder, holding three spades and four hearts, must bid 2S in response to CS. With a hand like S-AKJ2 H-A103 D-J9762 C-5, the correct opening is 1S, to provide for a comfortable rebid if the response is 1NT or 2C. The hand is not strong enough to open 1D and reverse with 2S, and the diamonds are too weak to rebid. With a 1S opening, opener can use CS after a 1NT response, then pass responder's next bid. That is why we permit a 2H response to CS when responder has three spades and five hearts (S-543 H-J8752 D-Q103 C-AQ). If opener has chosen to start with 1D holding a hand such as S-KQ3 H-4 D-AKJ2 C-97543, CS is fairly safe. Opener will pass a 2S bid, and otherwise will rebid 3C, which shows five clubs. Responder should prefer clubs with equal length in the minors. When opener has five diamonds and four clubs (S-KQJ H-4 D-97543 C-AKJ2), she might pass 1NT. If she chooses to use CS, the plan is to pass 2D or 2S, and to (probably) force a 2NT contract (by bidding 2S) if responder bids 2H. If responder then bids a minor (showing at least four) instead of 2NT, that's okay too! With six diamonds and five clubs opener has the choice of rebidding 2D after a 1NT response, or treating the two suits as if they were of equal length by bidding 2C, then 3C (with the small risk of playing a 5-3 club fit instead of a 6-3 diamond fit). Don't worry much about this, because the opponents will surely be in the bidding when opener has a weak hand with both minors opposite a 1NT response. Some Final Points When opener jumps to 3NT after using CS, despite being supported in his major, he must have four cards in the other major: Opener Responder 1S 1NT 2C 2S 3NT Opener's jump to 3NT denies a five-card spade holding, so the only reason for using CS must have been the possession of four hearts. If responder has a heart suit in addition to the spade support shown, she may now bid 4H. Hands of 4-4-4-1 shape may present problems. With a weak hand 1NT must usually be passed, although it is no crime to open 1S and rebid 2H with S-AK87 H-AQ103 D-8762 C-3. Responder should not take a "false preference" with two spades and three hearts, because this sequence denies a 5-4 holding in the majors (as previously discussed). CS should not be used because responder will bid 2S with three spades and four hearts. CS does not usually work well with 4-4-4-1 hands of invitational strength. Just raise 1NT to 2NT and hope responder has enough to continue, whereupon she will show an unbid major. With a game-going hand CS can always be used safely when it is needed. CS is not used with 5-3-3-2 or 4-4-3-2 hands of mere invitational strength. With a five-card major in a 5-3-3-2 hand, there is usually no way to raise to 2NT after using CS. Just raise 1NT to 2NT, after which partner may be able to show support for the major. If partner didn't raise the major opening with three-card support he must be balanced, so the hand is likely to play just as well in notrump. Here too, using CS is okay with a game-going hand. CS does not apply when responder's 1NT call is a rebid: Opener Responder 1C 1D 1S 1NT 2C - natural, not CS 3C/3D - invitational, not forcing CS does not apply after a 1NT response to an overcall: South West North East 1D 1H Pass 1NT Pass 2C - natural bid When the Opponents Intervene CS applies when the 1NT response comes over an opposing bid: North East South West 1D 1H 1NT Pass 2C is CS All further bids by either partner retain the usual meanings, except that a natural bid in an opposing suit can show either four cards or a strong three. For instance, a 2H response by South would show four hearts or three good hearts (e.g., KJx), and would not deny four cards in spades. CS does not apply if the 1NT bid is doubled, however. The bidding reverts to standard bidding in that case. If there is an opposing bid following the 2C bid that initiates CS, direct doubles are for business, reopening doubles are for takeout, and all bids are natural: South West North East 1C Pass 1NT Pass 2C Pass 2D 2H Dbl - business South West North East 1D Pass 1NT Pass 2C 2H Pass Pass Dbl - takeout South West North East 1S Pass 1NT Pass 2C Pass 2D 2H Pass Pass Dbl - takeout South West North East 1H Pass 1NT Pass 2C 2D Pass Pass 2NT - natural, not an artificial club bid When an Artificial Bid Gets Doubled When an opponent doubles an artificial bid, including the CS 2C bid, any elaborate scheme for showing stopper(s) or lack of stopper in the doubled suit would get in the way of CS bidding sequences: South West North East 1S Pass 1NT Pass 2C Dbl Pass - good clubs, weak hand 2D/2H/2S - normal response Rdbl - good clubs, good hand The pass or redouble tends to deny four hearts or three spades. "Good clubs" means a biddable club suit, Q10xx or better. South West North East 1H Pass 1NT Pass 2C Pass 2D Dbl Pass - good diamonds, weak hand 2H - normal bid showing 5-4 in hearts-clubs 2S - normal force 2NT - normal club-showing bid Rdbl - good diamonds, good hand If the double of an artificial bid gets passed around, a redouble to reopen the bidding says nothing about the doubled suit. It just says, "Please continue the auction." When a Natural Bid Gets Doubled When a natural bid is doubled, a redouble is a suggestion (not a command) that the contract may be playable; a bid just ignores the double; and a pass is non-committal. Partner can do what he wants after a pass: continue the CS bidding, pass the double, or redouble (to play) himself. Summary After a 1NT response to an opening bid: All three-level jump rebids by opener are forcing to game. 2D, 2H, or 2S is weak (reverses excepted). To invite game, opener bids 2C (artificial), then invites. 2C followed by 3C is a weak sign-off, so 2C followed by 2NT is a game try club bid. Responder's action after CS: Show three-card support for opener's major suit. Lacking that, show an unbid major. Lacking either of these, bid 2D. If opener does not pass responder's answer to CS, his next bid is as follows: 3C is natural, weak (unless spades have been supported. 3D, 3H, or 3S is invitational. 2NT shows clubs, invitational strength. A new suit at the two level is forcing. Rebid of a major is weak, shows four clubs too. A spade opening followed by a 2H rebid never has longer spades, with which CS is used. A heart opening followed by a 2D rebid never has longer hearts, with which CS is used. A spade opening followed by a 2D rebid promises five spades, without which a weak opener must pass 1NT (or bid 2C with 4-3-5-1). A diamond opening followed by 2C, then 3C, seldom has longer diamonds, with which opener must rebid 2D if he doesn't want to treat the two suits as equal in length. When opener bids a new suit at the two level, that is a one round force unless the opening was 1C and the new suit is spades (which shows 5-5 in the black suits). When the bid is forcing, responder generally makes the next higher ranking bid. If a minor suit opener bids a new major, however, a maximum responder has other options. What do you give up with CS? Answer: You cannot stop in 2C after a 1NT response when both hands are weak. And when was the last time the opponents let you do that?