Alerts and BBO

[W Kovacs]

I hope this is in the correct forum. If not, will the MODs kindly move it for me?

 

My f2f partner is going to join BBO this week. We play Precision together, which necessitates many alerts of bids.

 

What is the proper etiquette on alerting bids? Should I wiat and have partner alert one of my bids, knowing that the opps might bid before he has a chance to do so? Or would it be proper that I alert the bid, and let partner handle the explanation, and perhaps give partner UI? And prefer the former, but I can see the logic in the latter. We are both well versed in our system, not that that is a good argument for alerting our own bids.

 

Same question for bids where announcements are required. Should I announce our 1NT range, Transfers, etc., or should partner be the one doing this?

 

I ask because I've rarely seen the system used, and I am not sure who is doing the alerting when it does happen. It seems to happen awfully fast for partner to be doing the alert.

[bid_em_up]

On BBO, you self-alert your own bids. I find it best to type the alert in the explanation in the alert box prior to making the bid, and you click the alert button as well, then bid.

 

Your partner alerts his bids, as well.

 

Only the opponents see the alerts.

[W Kovacs]

thanks for the reply. I had no idea partner couldn't see the alert.

[paulg]

If you type in the alert box, say "16+ any" for the 1♣ opener, then there is no need to also hit the alert button too.

 

My view is that people want to know about the meaning of bids in the early rounds of the auction, especially when there is a chance that they may be bidding. So I like to see a brief explanation (like above) for a strong club, but after a couple of rounds an unexplained alert would be absolutely fine.

 

When you play a system where you alert a lot, it takes time to find the right balance between explanations and pure alerts - you want to give info but you don't want to be slowing up the auction unnecessarily. All reasonable players are very tolerant if you are seen to be making an effort :)

 

Good luck.

 

Paul

[mycroft]

If you type in the explanation, it shows up alerted whether or not you press the Alert button. Actually very helpful.

 

I tend to 1 "11-15, 2+!D" D for most "weird" calls, except when we're in a 1C-positive, asking bid sequence, where I make the call (say 2 [Alert] H), and then click on my bid to stick in the explanation immediately after. Doing otherwise slows the auction down too much, and it's rare they want an explanation immediately.

 

I don't, however, just Alert the call and wait for a question - I always explain it. I don't like the "ask so partner knows I care about this suit" game, so I preempt it by explaining everything *first* :-) That's one big benefit to self-alerts - I can do the self-explain without passing UI to partner.

[Zelandakh]

I highly recommend creating an FD CC for yourselves if you will be playing together alot. Not only will the game run more quickly but you will be able to concentrate more on what you really need to and not have to worry about missing some nuance in your description. It does take some time to create but is well worth the effort imho.