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An alert is a method to inform the opponents that a call may have an unexpected meaning. Its use is regulated by the sponsoring organisation, including the WBF, zonal organisations or local clubs.

Ways to alert[]

The following is only the general procedure, regulations may be different from the following.

Orally[]

When bidding orally, the partner of the player making the alertable call immediately says the word alert, but nothing else.

Using a bidding box[]

The partner of the player making the alertable call immediately throws the alert card (in blue) toward the alertable call, and take it back after the next opponent calls.

Using a bidding sheet[]

The partner of the player making the alertable call immediately circles the alertable call.

When playing through a computer[]

The player presses the alert button before making his call, and the alert can be seen by the opponents only.

Pre-alert and delayed alert[]

By regulation, some calls need to be pre-alerted or alerted after the auction.

Pre-alerts are used when unusual systems are in use, by saying the agreed system before the round. There is no pre-alerts in EBU.

Delayed alerts are used after high-level bids. The declarer of the dummy alerts the calls before making the opening lead, the defenders alert the calls after making the opening lead but before facing it up.

Regulations[]

ACBL[]

Treatments[]

The following treatments require an alert:

opening bids
direct overcalls
  • A direct 1NT overcall which doesn't show at least 14 HCPs.
  • Natural 2-level cuebids to natural 1-level openings
  • Natural jump overcall which shows at least average strength
  • Natural direct 2NT overcall to natural 1-level openings
responses to opening bids
  • Natural and non-forcing new suit response to a natural suit opening at the cheapest level by an unpassed hand, after a pass or overcall by the opponent, unless it's at the game level or higher
  • Natural and non-forcing new suit response at the 1-level after the opponent doubles by an unpassed hand.
  • A single raise to a 1-level opening which is forcing.[3]
  • A double raise to 3 after a 1-level opening when the opponent in between passed which does not show invitational values[4]
  • natural and non-forcing new suit or 2NT response to a weak two opening
  • A below-game raise which is invitational or forcing in response to a preempt
Opener / overcaller rebids
Passes
  • A pass that is forcing when the hand passing has not previously shown any strength, unless the partner of the passing hand has shown a very strong hand.
  • A pass which does not show a minimum hand.
  • A pass which shows length of strength other than the most recent suit by the partner or opponent.

conventions[]

All artificial bids require an alert, except the following:

Opening bids
Direct overcalls
Responses to openings or overcalls
  • A forcing 2NT after a 2-level preempt
  • Stayman after NT opening or overcall, asking for a four-card major by a non-jump bid after a natural NT opening or overcall,
    • 2 / 3 as a negative response to Stayman is not alerted
    • non-promissory Stayman need to be alerted when it becomes clear from the sequence that the Stayman bidder does not have a 4-card major.
Other artificial bids
  • 4NT Blackwood and 4 Gerber
  • After an opening and an overcall, a cuebid which shows a raise, average or above strength, or either possibility
  • After an opening and response, a cuebid with any meaning
  • After an opening and response, any suit which shows strength or at least 3 cards in the suit
  • Any NT overcall at 4-level or higher

doubles[]

Alert any lead-directing double of an artificial bid which specifies the suit doubled not to be led, or a different suit to be led, otherwise, do not alert a double of 3NT or higher.

If a double is made below 3NT, alert it except the following:

  • Takeout double
  • Negative double
  • any double after an artificial opening
  • any double after an artificial overcall on 1-level suit opening
  • Penalty double after a natural overcall on 2-level or higher suit opening
  • Penalty double on natural 1NT or 2NT overcall, or any double on artificial 1NT or 2NT overcall
  • Negative double, penalty double, or card-showing double after a suit overcall over 1NT or 2NT opening
  • Any double after an opening and response, if either is artificial
  • Any double after a natural opening, natural overcall, and natural 1NT response
  • Any double after opener's rebid

Redoubles[]

Alert redoubles except the following:

  • Penalty redouble
  • Redouble which shows length or strength in partner's suit
  • A balancing redouble or redouble after balancing double which shows doubt or suggests something else.
  • Redouble which shows control in the doubled suit.

If a bid is alertable, it must be delay alerted (unless playing with screen or online) if it is above the level of 3NT, or control bids even if it is below 3NT, starting from the second round of auction.

Some artificial systems require a pre-alert, which include:

  1. Any artificial or forcing 1-level opening
  2. canapé
  3. Playing different systems depending on seat or vulnerability. However, varying strength alone (e.g. NT range) is not considered different system.

Also, you must inform any artificial opening preempt below 3NT.

EBU[]

General principle[]

  • Artificial passes and bids must be alerted.
  • Natural passes and bids must be alerted if it has an unexpected meaning.
  • Double must be alerted unless it is for the following:
  • Redouble must be alerted if it shows anything other than strength
  • No alerts are to be made above 3NT except:
    • Artificial suit bids in the first round of bidding after opening.
    • Lead-directing pass
    • Lead-directing double which asks for a suit led other than the doubled suit
    • Lead-directing double on NT contract

Specific treatments and conventions[]

The following bids are announced:

  • A 1 or 1 opening which may show less than 3 cards, but otherwise natural is announced rather than alerted.
  • A natural 1NT or 2NT opening is announced with the range. If there may be a singleton in an otherwise-natural 1NT opening, it is also announced as well, but not necessary on a 2NT opening.
  • Stayman is announced after an uninterrupted opening when it asks for a 4-card major, whether it shows a 4-card major or not. 5-card Stayman is alerted instead. Unusual response to Stayman, such as 2 not denying 4 s, or 2NT response, is alerted.
  • Jacoby transfer to a major suit is announced after an uninterrupted opening.
  • A natural 2 of a suit opening is always announced, and an artificial 2 of a suit opening is always alerted.
    • Precision 2 is considered natural because only s are guaranteed, even it may show other suits.

The following calls are alertable because they are artificial:

  • A strong opening in a strong minor system is alerted;
  • Lucas 2, which guarantees another suit in addition to , is alerted;
  • Pass or correct bids;
  • Any trial bid which may show less than 3 cards in the suit;
  • Forcing pass;
  • A direct double on a natural 1NT opening which may show significantly less than the commonly accepted values of a penalty double (e.g. less than 15 HCP)
  • Doubling the sequence 1X - / - 1NT for take out of opener's suit
  • Any competitive, cooperative or optional doubles because they are not takeout doubles.

The following treatments are alertable because they carry unexpected meanings:

  • Canapé 1 or 1 opening, which is systematically opened even with a presence of a longer suit;
  • Forcing 1 of a suit opening;
  • A pass which may show 10+ HCP after a double to partner's 1 of a suit opening;
  • Preemptive raises from 1 to 3 in an uninterrupted auction;
  • Forcing raise;
  • A new suit without jump which is game forcing (e.g. 2/1 game forcing);
  • A non-forcing new suit response to a non-forcing suit opening at any level below game (e.g. 1 - 1 as non-forcing), unless he has passed, natural NT has been overcalled, or it is a double jump (e.g. 1 - 3);
  • A minimum response to a takeout double which shows values;
  • The completion of transfer which shows a specific holding in the suit bid (e.g. after 1NT - 2 as a transfer to , 2 guaranteed 3 s to be held)
  • If the pass in (1X) - X - (XX) - / is for penalty, the expected meaning is tell the partner to take it out. This is alerted in this specific sequence only, otherwise a pass is to play.
  • A 1NT response to a 1 or 1 opening which may have more than 10 HCP (e.g. Forcing 1NT in a 2/1 game forcing system)
  • A natural 1NT overcall which may be made on significantly less than 15 HCP or with a small singleton or doubleton in the opponent's suit.
  • A double after (1) - / - (1) which shows a specific suit.
  • A takeout double which shows unusual strength constraint, such as a takeout double on a weak 2 opening showing 16+ HCPs.
  • A redouble after partner's opening is takeout doubled which does not show 9+ HCP, or which shows a specific suit holding.
  • A negative double, such as 1 - (1) - X, showing unexpected holdings such as 4+ s (if it shows exactly 4 s, it is the expected meaning and should not be alerted).

WBF[]

The following classes of bids should be alerted, as specified in the policy:[5]

  1. Conventional bids should be alerted, non-conventional bids should not.
  2. Those bids which have special meanings or which are based on or lead to special understandings between the partners.
  3. Non-forcing jump changes of suit responses to opening bids or overcalls[6], and nonforcing new suit responses by an unpassed hand to opening bids of one of a suit.

If screens are not in use, do NOT alert the following:

  1. All doubles.
  2. Any no-trump bid which suggests a balanced or semi-balanced hand, or suggests a no-trump contract.
  3. Any call at the four level or higher, with the exception of conventional calls on the first

round of the auction.

External Links[]

  1. e.g. 4 or 4 when Namyats is in use
  2. e.g. Acol 3NT
  3. e.g.Inverted minor raise
  4. e.g. a weak raise when Bergen raises are in effect
  5. [1]
  6. e.g. a weak jump shift
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