The New Alert Procedure

Here's a link to the current ACBL Alert Chart.

Here's a quick summary, almost entirely courtesy of Stuart Collis, on the current alert scheme, which went into effect on June 17, 1996.

Pre-alerts:

No longer alertable:

1. 2/1 game force (unless the bid is artificial)
2. A bid of 1h or 1s over 1c where the responder could be bypassing a longer diamond suit.
3. A rebid of 2 of a minor after a forcing one no trump, which might show only a 3 card suit (or even a rebid of 2c which could be 2-2-5-4 after a 1h opener).
4. A bid of 1s in the auction 1 minor-1h-1s to show 5 spades.
5. Negative doubles which show at least one unbid major in any auction where the opener started at the one level. Any other double in responders seat (even penalty doubles) must be alerted.
6. Cue bids (including implied cue bids) which do not contain very unusual meaning (read as not Michaels, Western Q, limit raise or better, Flannery defense bids of 2h/2s, Unusual v Unusual, etc)

New procedures for once alertable calls (i.e. no longer say alert):

1. Jacoby transfers of 2d and 2h (to 2h/2s) over opening 1nt with no interference, say transfer rather than alert. People with boxes should tap the alert card and say "transfer" simultaneously.
2. Instead of alerting the forcing no trump (in auctions with no interference), say forcing rather than alert. People with boxes should tap the alert card and say "forcing" simultaneously.
3. Persons who play no trump ranges that do not completely fit in the 15-18 range are required to have partner state the range after the 1nt bid, whether an opening one no trump or a no trump overcall.

Now alertable

1. Early penalty(ish) doubles of suit contracts through 4h inclusive with partner inactive.
2. Penalty(ish) doubles in a negative double situation through 3s inclusive.
3. Notrump continuations after use of Stayman by responder which do not promise a major (eg, in the auction 1nt-p-2c-p-2d-2nt, 2nt is alertable if it does not promise a 4-card major).

Delayed Alerts (explain only after auction is over, not alertable during the auction):

1. Ace-asking/control asking calls and responses and other conventional calls above 3nt starting with opener's rebid (not including Gerber over an opening no trump bid or Blackwood over any opening bid).

Declaring side

Defending side

The defenders must be careful to provide information only about each other's bids at this time, and not to give any indication of failures to alert or other misinformation, including misinformation coming from partner's delayed alert or failure to make a delayed alert. Misinformation and failures to alert by the defenders should be brought up immediately after the play of the hand has been completed.

For more information

If you have any questions about any particular system or bidding sequence under the new ACBL alert procedures, do not hesitate to contact scollis@sojourn.com.