Two-way checkback 

General Approach 
Eddie Kantar, an American great, pointed out the unplayability of standard bidding after a 1NT
rebid by opener:

Opener Responder
1♣ 1♠
1NT ?

Responder may now want to sign off, invite game, or force to game with a suit bid. There are only
two levels of bidding available for the three actions, however, and three into two won't go.

Our style of rebidding no trump with balanced hands means that we may miss major suit fits and
we use a convention known as ​checkback ​to find them.

Over a one no trump rebid, we give up two bids (2♣ and 2​♦​) to this convention and it is known as
two-way checkback. This allows us to differentiate easily between invitational and game-forcing
hands, leaving jump rebids for hands with slam interest.

Over a two no trump rebid we only give up one bid (3♣) as the differentiation is not required and
the natural bids below three no trump are too valuable.

We will mainly focus on two-way checkback as this is more frequent.

After any auction like:

Opener Responder
1X Pass 1Y Pass
1NT Pass ?

2♣ is a PUPPET to 2​♦​ - that is, the opener MUST bid two diamonds. Responder may pass this if
they have a weak hand with long diamonds. All other bids are INVITATIONAL.

2​♦​ is GAME FORCING checkback. Opener makes the most natural rebid but always shows hearts
BEFORE spades: that is, if responder has bid hearts, then you show 3-card heart support before
showing a four-card spade suit; however, if responder has bid spades, then you show your 4-card
heart suit before showing three-card spade support suit.

2​♥​ and 2♠ are weak.

2NT is invitational with CLUBS

3♣ is WEAK CLUBS

3​♦​, 3​♥​, and 3♠ are natural slam tries.

   
Examples 

Opener Responder Auction Comments

♠ Kxxx ♠ xx 1♣ 1​♥ With a minimum hand responder shows their 4-card

♥​ AQx ♥​ KJxx 1NT 2♣ major looking for a fit, then settles for playing in
♦​ Qx ♦​ K10xxxx 2​♦ Pass diamonds.
♣ Jxxx ♣x

♠ Ax ♠ Qxxxx 1♣ 1♠ Responder shows five spades and 4+ hearts with

♥​ AQxx ♥​ Kxxx 1NT 2♣ invitational values. Opener invites and responder
♦​ Jxxx ♦​ A 2​♦ 2​♥ hopes for a good dummy.
♣ Jxx ♣ Qxx 3​♥ 4​♥
Pass

♠ Ax ♠ Qxxxx 1♣ 1♠ Responder shows five spades and 4+ hearts with a

♥​ AQxx ♥​ KJxx 1NT 2​♥ weak hand. Opener shows a preference.
♦​ Jxxx ♦​ x Pass
♣ Jxx ♣ xxx Responder will often be 5-5 for this auction.

♠ Axxx ♠ Qxxx 1♣ 1​♥ Responder shows four spades and 4+ hearts with
♥​ AQx ♥​ KJxx 1NT 2♣ INVITATIONAL values. Two spades is non-forcing, but
♦​ Jxx ♦​ x 2​♦ 2♠ Opener likes the double fit and is maximum for 1NT.
♣ Qxx ♣ AJxx 3♠ 4♠
Pass Opener’s 4333 distribution means a cautious
invitational raise (imagine if responder had xx xx in
the minors), but many would raise directly to game.
Responder accepts with good values.

♠ Axxx ♠ KQxx 1♣ 1​♥ Over the game-forcing checkback, Opener shows his
♥​ AQx ♥​ KJxx 1NT 2​♦ 3-card heart suit before their 4-card spade suit.
♦​ Jxx ♦​ x 2​♥ 2♠ Responder shows four spades (and probably four
♣ Qxx ♣ AJxx 3♠ 4♠ hearts) and they find the best game.
Pass
This route allowed them to find a possible club fit if
they did not have a spade fit.

♠ Axxx ♠ KQxx 1♣ 1​♥ Over the game-forcing checkback, Opener shows his
♥​ AQx ♥​ KJxx 1NT 2​♦ 3-card heart suit before their 4-card spade suit.
♦​ Jx ♦​ Kxx 2​♥ 3NT Responder’s 3NT shows that they are not interested
♣ Qxxx ♣ Ax 4♠ Pass in a 5-3 heart fit, so they must have four spades
otherwise they would have not used checkback. So
Opener corrects.

♠ Axx ♠ QJ10xxx 1♣ 1♠ Don’t use checkback when you have an obvious bid.
♥​ AQJx ♥​ Kx 2NT 4♠
♦​ Axx ♦​ 10 Pass
♣ QJx ♣ Kxxx

♠ Axx ♠ KQJ10x 1♣ 1♠ Responder shows slam interest with five spades and,
♥​ xxx ♥​ AKJxx 1NT 3​♥ probably, five hearts. With 5-4 you would often use
♦​ KQxx ♦​ A 3♠ 4​♦ game-forcing checkback.
♣ QJx ♣ xx 4♠ Pass
Opener sets spades and Responder cue bids. Opener
signs off, knowing that they have two club losers.
♠ Axx ♠ xx 1♣ 1​♥ Responder shows their 4-card major before signing
♥​ xxx ♥​ KJxx 1NT 3♣ off in clubs. In real life you might expect the
♦​ KQxx ♦​ x Pass opponents to bid some spades.
♣ QJx ♣ Q10xxxx

♠ Ax ♠ Qxxxx 1​♥ 1♠ Responder shows a weak hand with three hearts.

♥​ AQxxx ♥​ xxx 1NT 2​♥ Responder would only do this with five spades and
♦​ Qxx ♦​ xx Pass weak hearts: with four spades or stronger hearts,
♣Jx ♣ KQx then an immediate heart raise will be best.

♠ Axx ♠ KJ 1♣ 1​♦ With a game-forcing hand Responder bids their

♥​ xxx ♥​ QJxx 1NT 2​♦ longest suit first, diamonds, and then uses
♦​ Qxx ♦​ AJ109x 2NT 3NT game-forcing checkback to see if there is a heart fit.
♣ KQJx ♣ Ax Pass When there is not, Responder settles for the no
trump game.

♠ Axx ♠ KJxxx 1♣ 1♠ Responder uses game-forcing checkback and opener

♥​ KQxx ♥​ xx 1NT 2​♦ shows four hearts (hearts before spades!). When
♦​ Qxx ♦​ A9x 2​♥ 3NT Responder just bids three no trump, they must have
♣ Jxx ♣ Axx 4♠ Pass been looking for spade support, so opener chooses
that game.

♠ Axx ♠ KJxxx 1♣ 1♠ Responder uses game-forcing checkback and opener

♥​ KQxx ♥​ x 1NT 2​♦ shows four hearts (hearts before spades!).
♦​ Qxx ♦​ A109x 2​♥ 2♠ Responder would prefer to investigate alternative
♣ Jxx ♣ Axx 3♠ 4♠ contracts with a singleton heart and bids a forcing
Pass two spades. Opener raises with 3 spades and
Responder places the contract.

♠ Axx ♠ KJxxx 1♣ 1♠ Responder uses game-forcing checkback rather than

♥​ KQxx ♥​ x 1NT 2​♦ jumping because there are three potential trump
♦​ Qxx ♦​ AK9x 2​♥ 2♠ suits and the space will be useful. When they find a
♣ Jxx ♣ AKx 3♠ 4NT fit, then key card is appropriate.
5♣ 6♠
Pass
Competition 
Checkback is used even when the opening bid is overcalled or doubled at the one level and ​Opener
still rebids no trump.

North East South West

1♣ 1​♥ 1♠ Pass
1NT Pass 2♣=puppet to 2​♦​, either to play or to show invitational hands
2​♦​=game-forcing checkback
2​♥​=asking for heart stop
2♠=natural and non-forcing

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, after the heart overcall, a
2​♥​ response by North would show four hearts with at least one honor or three good hearts (while
denying three-card spade support).

Checkback does not apply if the fourth hand bids (or doubles) or if the one no trump rebid is
doubled. The bidding reverts to standard bidding in these cases.