Alerting
The general principle is to alert calls that the opponents may not fully
understand, or may reasonably misinterpret. The following summary is not
intended as a complete guide - the full set of
Alerting Regulations can be found on the ABF Website.
Alerting Procedure
Alerts are compulsory - you cannot ask the opponents not to alert. The
requirement to alert applies even though the convention, treatment or other
agreement may be listed on the system card.
All doubles, redoubles, cue bids and calls at the 4-level or higher,
except
conventional opening bids
are self-alerting. Do not alert these calls as they are deemed to have alerted
themselves.
A cue bid is defined as a bid of a suit shown by an opponent or of the
denomination bid by an opponent.
Skip bids are not given any special status - generally they should be alerted
if conventional and not alerted if natural.
Bidding style is not alertable. Some players bid 'up the line', some prefer to
show a major ahead of a 4 or even a 5 card minor, some skip a 4 card major in
making a NT rebid, etc. Be aware of these different approaches and
protect yourself by asking where necessary.
There are three stages of the alert procedure, viz .
The pre-alert stage before bidding starts.
Before the round starts you should draw the opponents’ attention to any unusual
agreements you have which might surprise them, or to which they may need to
arrange a defence (e.g. unusual two level openings, transfer pre-empts,
canapé style bidding, etc.) Pay particular attention to unusual
self-alerting calls (e.g. very unusual doubles, unusual cue bids of the
opponents’ suit, etc.). Highly unusual carding (e.g. leading low
from doubletons) should also be pre-alerted at this stage.
Alerts during the auction.
Alert all conventional bids and passes below the 4-level. A natural bid is
alertable if it is forcing or non-forcing in a way the opponents may not
expect, or if its meaning is unexpectedly affected by other agreements (e.g.
canapé sequences, jump responses to an opening bid or overcall that are weak, a
1H opening that denies 4+ spades, etc.). Alerts are made by audibly
saying, "Alert" and, if written bidding is in use, circling the call on the
bidding pad. (If bidding boxes are in use, an alert card should be placed
across the relevant call.)
Delayed alerts.
At the end of the auction, the declaring side should draw attention to
any unusual features, particularly any unusual self-alerting calls.
Takeout/negative-type doubles and penalty doubles do not require a delayed
alert, but support doubles, single suited doubles and other conventional
doubles do. Defenders must not give delayed alerts. Delayed alerts
should be indicated by a small plus sign (+) in one corner of the appropriate
square of the bidding pad as evidence of the delayed alert. (If bidding boxes
are in use, the declaring side should verbally indicate which unusual calls
require a delayed alert.)
Updated December 25, 2011
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