Checkback Stayman

is a 2 rebid by responder after opener rebids a natural 1NT. The 2 rebid checks back for a possible three card fit for responder's major and/or a side four card major. The 2 rebid is artificial even if opener opened 1. The drawback is that you must play either in 3 or 1NT with a long club suit.

The simple rebids after Checkback Stayman are as follows.

1 or 1 - 1 - 1NT - 2;

• 2 is three card spade support
• 2 shows four hearts and denies three spades
• 2 denies both majors

1 or 1 - 1 - 1NT - 2

• 2 is 3 card heart support.
• 2 denies both majors

Many people play that a rebid of 1NT by opener after 1 - 1 does not deny a four card major. In that case, responder may rebid 2 to look for a four card major fit.

1	Pass	1	Pass
1NT	Pass	2	Pass
?

• 2M shows a four card major
• 2 denies a four card major

There are two thorough treatments of Checkback Stayman that I have found: the Aces and Romex treatment.

The Aces treatment is from Bobby Goldman's book Aces Scientific. A 1NT rebid shows 12-15 hcp.

General follow up rebids by responder are:

All NT bids show the normal expected point count range as having not gone through checkback, but they guarantee a five card major.

For example:

1	Pass	1	Pass
1NT	Pass	2	Pass
2	Pass	?

• 2NT shows an invitational hand (about 10-12)
• 3NT is to play (12-17)
• 4NT is quantitative (18-19), etc
• Note: 1 - 1 - 1NT - 4NT is quantitative, but without five spades

Jumps are game forcing, but deny a singleton.

1	Pass	1	Pass
1NT	Pass	2	Pass
2	Pass	3*

* 3 shows a semi-balanced hand with five plus hearts

1	Pass	1	Pass
1NT	Pass	3*

* 3 guarantees a singleton somewhere

Rebids at or below responder's suit are invitational

1	Pass	1	Pass
1NT	Pass	2	Pass
2	Pass	2*

* 2 shows an invitational hand with five plus spades and four hearts

1	Pass	1	Pass
1NT	Pass	2	Pass
2	Pass	2*

* 2 shows an invitational hand with six plus spades

Rebids above responder's suit are game forcing. EXCEPT a 3 rebid which is a signoff.

After 1 - 1, opener may rebid 1NT with a balanced hand that contains a four card major. If responder checks back for a four card major, responder is showing at least invitational strength. Also, going through checkback, responder is showing a semi-balanced hand as opposed to showing an unbalanced hand (the same as above).

1	Pass	1	Pass
1NT	Pass	2	Pass
2x

The rebids are:

• 3 is invitational (with less, make a direct weak raise of clubs)
• 2NT natural (10-12)
• all others game forcing with a semi-balanced hand

The Romex treatment is from George Rosenkranz's book Bridge: The Bidder's Game. A 1NT rebid shows 12-16 hcp; thus, the 2 checkback is also used to determine if opener is minimum or maximum. If maximum then the auction is automatically game forced.