Release 2.19r
Announcing
ANNOUNCEMENT & ALERT SUMMARY

Updated 3rd August 2023 – Effective 7th August 2023 

Announcements:

  • only apply on the first round of bidding i.e. the first (non-Pass) bid and the next three calls
  • apply equally over intervention and to advancer’s bids i.e. partner of overcaller
  • never apply to overcalls
  • do apply above 3NT
  • always extend with fuller description where appropriate

          Please be tolerant if opponents alert when they should announce or announce when they shouldn’t.

Opening Bid

Description

Announcement

1♣  / 1 

Non-forcing,

may be fewer than 3 cards

“May be X” where X is 0, 1 or 2.

 Extend e.g. “May be X and may have up to 5 ” 

1NT

Natural, non-forcing

“12 to 14” (or appropriate range) and  extend e.g. “may contain a low singleton”

2 suit

Natural, may or will have just one suit

“Weak”, “Intermediate”, “Strong, non-forcing”,

“Strong, forcing”

2NT/3NT

Natural, strong, non-forcing

No Announcement (or Alert)

 

Response
to 1 suit

Description

Announcement

New suit 

(including jumps below game)

Natural, forcing

No announcement or alert

Natural, non-forcing (not passed hand, not over 1NT overcall)

“Natural, non-forcing”

Natural, game forcing

“Natural, game-forcing”

Artificial or natural, with support

ALERT

Artificial, showing another single suit

Announce: name the suit shown 

1♣   – 1♠ : denying a major

“No major”

1NT

Non-forcing, up to 10 HCP

No announcement or alert

Non-forcing, may be > 10 HCP

“Up to 11”, “Up to a bad 12”, etc.

Forcing – does not show specific suit or suits

“Forcing”

Extend e.g. ”may have weak raise”

Artificial, showing another suit

Announce: name the suit shown 

 

Response to 1NT / 2NT

Description

Announcement

2♣ / 3♣ 

Asking for 4-card majors

“Stayman”  Extend e.g. “at least invitational”

New suit 

(including jumps below game)

Natural, non-forcing

“Natural, non-forcing”

Natural, forcing 

“Natural, forcing”

Artificial, showing another suit

Announce: name the suit shown 

DOUBLES

Bid that is doubled

Meaning of double

Announcement / Alert 

ONLY ON THE 1ST ROUND OF BIDDING:

Natural 1NT opening bid

Not penalties

ALERT

Penalties, but may be based on a balanced hand with less than 15HCP 

ALERT

Suit bid showing the suit

Penalties

ALERT

1NT response

Penalties

ALERT

ANY

Shows a single suit

(different from the suit bid i.e. a Proxy)

Announce: name the suit shown

AFTER THE 1ST ROUND OF BIDDING:

ANY

Takeout or Penalty  

No announcement or alert

AT ALL STAGES OF THE AUCTION:

ANY

An unexpected specific message e.g. number of controls; relates to another suit; shows weakness in bid suit; Lightner

ALERT

REDOUBLES

Bid that is redoubled

Meaning of Redouble

Announcement / Alert

ONLY ON THE 1ST ROUND OF BIDDING:

ANY

Shows a single suit

(different from the suit bid i.e. a Proxy)

Announce: name the suit shown

AT ALL STAGES OF THE AUCTION:

ANY

General strength or desire to play 

No announcement or alert

Other

ALERT

ALERTS

Unless mentioned above, below 3NT continue to alert artificial calls and those with a specific unexpected meaning. In addition alert:

  • Natural opening bids, or responses in a new suit, that have a second suit or support for partner
  • Lead-directing Passes above 3NT

  

© The English Bridge Union 2023.

 

Updated 3rd August 2023 – Effective 7thAugust 2023


Click here to visit the EBU site for the original PDF