What's New in the New Alert Procedure

The following is a list of the changes to the ACBL alert system as of June 17th. If something isn't listed here, it probably hasn't changed. You ought to ask when in doubt, because directors will not be making any adjustments due to some failures in the use of the new procedure though at least the end of 1996. Don't bother complaining if you were "confused" by the alerting of a negative double; you are expected to protect yourself in obvious cases. If you aren't sure, ask.

Prealerts

Prealerts have changed from a specific list to a general statement, which goes approximately as follows: If you are playing an unusual system or one with which your opponents may not be familiar, prealert. Prealerting does not relieve you of the responsibility for alerting.

Alerts That Have Gone Away

  1. Don't alert ordinary negative doubles through 3S:, but see New Alerts below.
  2. Don't alert 2/1 game forcing.
  3. Don't alert partner's bid as promising five or more after left-hand opponent's overcall of your opening bid.
  4. Don't alert partner's 1NT forcing or semi-forcing bid, but see Announcements below.
  5. Don't alert partner's 2C: or 2D: rebid after your 1NT forcing.
  6. Don't alert partner's Jacoby transfer, but see Announcements below.
  7. Don't alert partner's major-suit response to your 1C: opening when it may bypass diamonds, but see New Alerts below.
  8. From opener's first rebid on, don't alert anything above the level of 3NT, but see Delayed Alerts below.

New Alerts

  1. Alert penalty doubles during the first two rounds of the auction. (Cooperative too.)
  2. Alert intermediate and strong jump overcalls.
  3. Alert a natural bid of a suit that has been bid naturally by an opponent. Example: Opponent bids 1C:, and partner bids 2C:, natural.
  4. Alert partner's limit or forcing jump raise over opponent's double.
  5. After partner opens 1C:, and you respond 1D:, alert partner's 1NT rebid if it does not deny a four-card major.
Announcements
  1. Announce the range when partner opens 1NT or makes a natural 1NT overcall that does not fall within the range of 15 to 18 high-card points.
  2. Say, "Transfer," if partner responds with 2D: or 2H: (Jacoby transfers) to your 1NT bid. Do not alert unless the transfer bid was made over interference.
  3. Say, "Forcing" or "Semi-forcing," when partner bids a forcing 1NT in response to your major-suit opening.

Delayed Alerts

The conventional bids above the level of 3NT that are not alerted during the auction must be alerted afterwards. The partner of the player who made the conventional call should announce the delayed alert, before the opening lead if declarer or dummy, after the opening lead but before dummy comes down if a defender.

Not-New Alerts (The following are included because they are often omitted.)

  1. You should not alert a preemptive jump raise over a double, but you should alert one after opponent's overcall.
  2. You should alert partner's takeout double if it could be just an opening hand, regardless of support for the unbid suits.
  3. You should alert partner's no-trump raise after Stayman if it retroactively denies a four-card major.
  4. You should alert partner's 1D: response to your 1C: opening if it denies a four-card major.
  5. You should alert partner's 2NT response to your minor-suit opening if it shows less than an opening hand.
Irma Johnson, irjohnson@earthlink.net, May 31, 1996