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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.
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Opening Bid
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Description
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Announcement
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1♣ / 1♦
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Non-forcing,
may be fewer than 3 cards
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“May be X” where X is 0, 1 or 2.
Extend e.g. “May be X and may have up to 5♦ ”
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1NT
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Natural, non-forcing
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“12 to 14” (or appropriate range) and extend e.g. “may contain a low singleton”
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2 suit
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Natural, may or will have just one suit
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“Weak”, “Intermediate”, “Strong, non-forcing”,
“Strong, forcing”
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2NT/3NT
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Natural, strong, non-forcing
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No Announcement (or Alert)
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Response
to 1 suit
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Description
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Announcement
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New suit
(including jumps below game)
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Natural, forcing
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No announcement or alert
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Natural, non-forcing (not passed hand, not over 1NT overcall)
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“Natural, non-forcing”
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Natural, game forcing
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“Natural, game-forcing”
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Artificial or natural, with support
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ALERT
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Artificial, showing another single suit
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Announce: name the suit shown
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1♣ – 1♠ : denying a major
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“No major”
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1NT
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Non-forcing, up to 10 HCP
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No announcement or alert
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Non-forcing, may be > 10 HCP
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“Up to 11”, “Up to a bad 12”, etc.
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Forcing – does not show specific suit or suits
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“Forcing”
Extend e.g. ”may have weak raise”
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Artificial, showing another suit
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Announce: name the suit shown
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Response to 1NT / 2NT
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Description
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Announcement
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2♣ / 3♣
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Asking for 4-card majors
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“Stayman” Extend e.g. “at least invitational”
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New suit
(including jumps below game)
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Natural, non-forcing
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“Natural, non-forcing”
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Natural, forcing
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“Natural, forcing”
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Artificial, showing another suit
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Announce: name the suit shown
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DOUBLES
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Bid that is doubled
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Meaning of double
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Announcement / Alert
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ONLY ON THE 1ST ROUND OF BIDDING:
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Natural 1NT opening bid
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Not penalties
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ALERT
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Penalties, but may be based on a balanced hand with less than 15HCP
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ALERT
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Suit bid showing the suit
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Penalties
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ALERT
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1NT response
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Penalties
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ALERT
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ANY
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Shows a single suit
(different from the suit bid i.e. a Proxy)
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Announce: name the suit shown
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AFTER THE 1ST ROUND OF BIDDING:
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ANY
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Takeout or Penalty
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No announcement or alert
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AT ALL STAGES OF THE AUCTION:
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ANY
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An unexpected specific message e.g. number of controls; relates to another suit; shows weakness in bid suit; Lightner
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ALERT
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REDOUBLES
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Bid that is redoubled
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Meaning of Redouble
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Announcement / Alert
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ONLY ON THE 1ST ROUND OF BIDDING:
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ANY
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Shows a single suit
(different from the suit bid i.e. a Proxy)
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Announce: name the suit shown
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AT ALL STAGES OF THE AUCTION:
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ANY
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General strength or desire to play
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No announcement or alert
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Other
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ALERT
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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
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