Alerting

ALERTING

This is where a player circles his partner’s bid as soon as partner has written it to let the opposition know that the bid has a meaning different from that which they might expect.

• Any bid that means something other than what it says has to be alerted. (An exception to this is 2C, showing clubs, in response to a 1NT opening bid. This has to be alerted. This is because 2C is more commonly used as an artificial bid or convention to show a major.)

• There are some common bids that do not require alerts because they

are so well-known. See “Conventions” for some examples.

• If in doubt, alert.

• If a bid is alerted, it may pay to ask what it means. But wait till the end of the auction if you don’t need to know during the auction.

• Ask only when it is your turn to bid, and ask the partner of the player

who made the bid.

• The appropriate question to ask is “What is your agreement (about the meaning of that bid)?” not “What do you take that as?” If you have no agreement, say “Undiscussed”. Do not provide a guess about what you think your partner means.

• When asked the meaning of the alerted bid, full disclosure is the rule (length and strength). Players are entitled to know the exact meaning of the pposition’s bid in order for them to bid accurately themselves.

• You are not allowed to volunteer an explanation of your alert. It could be construed as giving info to your partner. If the opp wants to know, they must ask.