If a TD in a club tells you that a weak raise is unexpected because opponents will expect opening values and that you should alert in that club, then you should alert in that club. But above club level, a weak raise is not unexpected and is not alerted.
@Robin_BarkerTD said:
If a TD in a club tells you that a weak raise is unexpected because opponents will expect opening values and that you should alert in that club, then you should alert in that club. But above club level, a weak raise is not unexpected and is not alerted.
i.e. "tell them what you play", see Blue Book 2A2 and 4A1.
What if the bid guarantees a weak hand (rather than merely including a weak hand)? 4!s over 1!s for me is "to play, no slam ambition, might be a sacrifice". Would a system in which it's definitely a sacrifice have it as alertable? I'd consider that meaning sufficiently far from the norm to count as unexpected, but maybe not everyone would.
Playing a strong club system, 1S - 4S is sometimes stronger than it would be in a 'natural' system, but we don't say that should be alerted either - although that one is much closer to being 'unexpected' to those not used to strong club systems
Comments
When it doesn't show spades.
If it had an unexpected meaning in addition to spades.
If it were forcing.
Even if you were likely to raise with zero points but holding 6 Spades this would not be alertable?
That doesn't sound surprising to me. Others may have a different view.
Doesn't sound surprising to me either.
If a TD in a club tells you that a weak raise is unexpected because opponents will expect opening values and that you should alert in that club, then you should alert in that club. But above club level, a weak raise is not unexpected and is not alerted.
i.e. "tell them what you play", see Blue Book 2A2 and 4A1.
No alert. Opponents should ask whenever they're interested in knowing.
What if the bid guarantees a weak hand (rather than merely including a weak hand)? 4!s over 1!s for me is "to play, no slam ambition, might be a sacrifice". Would a system in which it's definitely a sacrifice have it as alertable? I'd consider that meaning sufficiently far from the norm to count as unexpected, but maybe not everyone would.
In most fields, hands with high cards will have some other raise (eg 2NT) available as a raise and those hands will not be part of a 4M raise.
Playing a strong club system, 1S - 4S is sometimes stronger than it would be in a 'natural' system, but we don't say that should be alerted either - although that one is much closer to being 'unexpected' to those not used to strong club systems