A gentle reminder

• All players should complete a convention card and make it available for the opposition to view. Your convention card should be identical to that of your partner.  If you do not do so, you should play only simple ACOL systems. If you then use more advanced conventions and do not alert them and explain them correctly when asked, any Director’s ruling will normally go against you.

• Please remember to use the STOP card for jump bids.  This is to alert your opponents, not your partner, to your jump bid and avoid the opponents making an insufficient bid.

• Please remember to “alert” all of your partner’s bids which do not mean what they appear to mean. Exceptions are Stayman and Transfer bids which should be “announced” under current rules.  (Please refer to the Announcing Rules Page)

• Having alerted, please only explain if your opponent asks you to explain at his/her turn to bid. 
  If you alert but do not know the meaning of your partner’s bid, you should not pour out various possible interpretations.  Strictly, the Director should be called and you should leave the table while your partner explains to your opponents what his conventional bid meant. You remain in blissful ignorance!

• If you should hesitate at your turn to bid and then pass, be aware that your partner should normally be unable to bid again, because he may have derived from your hesitation the unauthorised information that you have some points or a hand worthy of a bid.  The opponents should call the Director in these circumstances.