Alerts and Announcements and Stop card

Alert!

The English Bridge Union (EBU) rules govern which bids need to be alerted and announced at an EBU affiliated club. The basic rule is that most artificial bids and highly unusual bids need to be alerted. So when your partner makes an artificial bid, you take out the Alert card and make sure your opponents have seen it. You should also say ‘Alert’.

Announcements

The idea of announcements is that it removes the need to alert the most common artificial bids. 

We have put together a list of which are alertable bids and announcements. This has been updated to include new changes introduced by the EBU. Don't forget to use these online as well as in club play.

Alerts and Announcements

Stop!

Before making a jump bid (i.e. a bid at a higher level than the minimum required) a player must place the Stop card in front of him, then place his call as usual, and eventually remove the Stop card. His left-hand opponent (LHO) should not call until the Stop card has been removed. The Stop card should be left on the table for about ten seconds, to give the next player time to reflect. It should not be removed prematurely. After a jump bid, the next player must pause for about ten seconds before calling.