To Alert or Not

[BrianEDuran]

Hi all

 

I'm a slight stickler for alerting, feeling that full discosure is important for everyones enjoyment of the game.

 

Last night my partner and I passed and the opponents had the following auction:

2♦!-2NT!

3♦!-4S

 

2♦ - 4-4-4-1 11-15HCP

3♦ - singleton diamond

 

Over "splinters" my partner and I play X ask for a higher rank lead of the two remaining suits, while pass implies the lower or a trump lead.

 

First, should this agreement apply here? And would you assume that it does without discussion? If so, then I think his pass should be alerted?

 

The pass and 4S bids came very quickly. At which point I tanked, not thinking of bidding but the above questions. After pausing for 20 seconds or so, I passed. Now I really got myself in hot water, should I say something about not thinking about a bidding?

 

Brian

[McBruce]

I suppose you could simply use the <---> button and tell opponents privately something like "Partner may take my pass as suggesting a club or trump lead because of an agreement we have involving splinters, but this is a real stretch. I wasn't thinking of bidding."

 

This is a good example of how online bridge is better than table bridge for Full Disclosure. In table bridge you have no easy way of letting the opponents know things without alerting partner and giving UI.

 

And it is a real stretch, since the 4♠ call is a real suit, so you can't double for a lead unless you are sure you've got it beat. I doubt such an agreement should apply here.

[Rado]

Hi all,

When doubling a splinter for a specific lead, there is minimum danger the Splinter to remain as final contract since opps usually have 9+ cards fit outside. Opposite to this in the example 2♦(4441)-2NT(relay)-3♦(singleton) DBL is dangerous since quite easy 3♦ might remain as final contract. Regarding whether this situation is alertable I think that pass of Splinter is alertable while pass of 3♦ no (with McBruce's addition for private message to Opps).

Greetings

Rado

[Trpltrbl]

You always either X or pass? Just to have pd lead a certain suit?

Not sure if that is a winning case.

But if that's what you do then I do think you should alert your pass, since pd definantly takes some info from your pass. Therefore opps have the right to know.

 

Mike ;)

[bambi1]

hi

 

You MUST alert any agreement you have with your partner. Your opps should know exactly what your partner knows (or thinks he/she knows!)