ALERTING AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
As from 1st August 2006 the following changes apply to the rules for Alerting and sees the Introduction of Announcements for certain of our common Conventions . This summary of the changes is based on an article by Mike Swanson and whose assistance in preparing this one page Guide to the changes is gratefully acknowledged.
You should NOT Alert
All bids above 3NT except for Artificial Opening Bids and Lightner doubles
Bids of 1C or 1D that may be as short as 3 cards (but not shorter)
Sputnik/Negative doubles no longer need to be alerted (as their use has become the norm)
The straightforward Stayman 2C Bid or its responses
A weakness take-out response of 2 of any suit to partner’s opening 1NT
The initiation or completion of simple Red Suit Transfers (eg when partner’s 2D or 2H response to 1NT is a transfer, that bid and the opener’s 2H or 2S bid should not be alerted)
Opening 2 level bids which proclaim a single suit but are weak (eg a Benji 2C)
But you will need to ANNOUNCE partner’s bid in the following situations
When partner bids 1NT partner immediately announces the strength by stating eg ‘12-14’ and adding if applicable ‘possible singleton’
In the straightforward Stayman sequence 1NT -2C Opener simply says ‘Stayman’
In the case of Red suit Transfers where 2D guarantees 5 hearts and similarly 2H guarantees 5 Spades then Opener simply says ‘Hearts‘ and ‘Spades‘ respectively. This only applies if responding to a 1NT opening, not to a 1NT overcall
When Playing Basic Acol the strong Natural Opening Bids of 2D, 2H and 2S are all announceable with Partner stating as appropriate ‘Strong, forcing’, 'Strong, non-forcing’ or ' Intermediate'
When playing other Systems involving weak 2’s (eg Benji ) the Opening Bids of 2H , 2S (or even 2D) would be announced by Partner as ‘Weak ‘
When playing Precision or Nottingham Club the opening bid of 2C should be announced as ‘Intermediate’
You should NOT alert a double if it is
A double of a natural or semi-natural suit. In the absence of an Alert this is deemed to be for Take-out
A double of a short, nebulous, prepared or phoney minor Opening Bid. In the absence of an Alert this is again deemed to be for Take-out
A penalty double of a No Trump bid
A penalty/lead-directing double of a suit Bid that does not show that suit (so for example doubles of a strong 1C, Stayman 2C and Transfer bids show the suit doubled in the absence of an alert)