Alert
Need help
today On Bbo pair tournament I was called by North. West is in 4Sp and ended in +3.
The bidding is as follows;
W dealer.
W N E S
1cl P 1D P
2Sp P 3D P
3H P 3SP 4SP
W is holding 5cl-4sp-2h ( small )- 2d ( 2 small) and N is Holding Axxx in H. 3H is not alerted at all .
N's opening lead is D. W wins the first trick and claims for 4sp+3. N complaints that I had Considered the 3H as natural
and therefore I didn+t lead H. If I had we would have wont two tricks ( TheH A and K ).
In my opinon if 3H by W alerted as asking stoper in H and E would indicate no stoper and they would play in 4Sp in any case.
But in this case the H lead by N would be obvious.( N says also)
Questions ;
1) Is Alerting 3h by W mandatory ?
2) If not alerted ıs the score adjusments (as 4sp+1 ) to be made? or
3) Even if 3H is not alerted, is N expected to ask W what 3H means ( N didn't ask)
4) In this case what will be the score ( 4sp+1 or 4sp+3 )
f this had happened in a normal pair tournament ( not on BBO) would your opinons have been any different ?
Looking forward to receiving from you.
Best regards.
Secaaddin Özdeniz
,
Comments
Whether or not 3H is alertable depends on the alerting rules in force, but it is hard to imagine a shape for West in which it could be natural.
My thoughts are
1) It isn't natural so it is an irregularity (BBO rules say that there shouldn't be a "secret society" over the bidding)
2) Yep if North wasn't aware of the potential of the bid. After all it could mean I have 3 hearts and at least a cover, are we ok in NT?
.
3) it will probably depend on the "experience" of the players involved. but to be honest West has a second chance to tell North that the bid should have been alerted before they selected a lead card (20F 5 (b)). We have seen comments by North but nothing from West or East about their understanding of the bid or what they understood when partner didn't alert if they expected them to do so. If West/East are a long time partnership I would consider a procedural penalty. But at this time we don't have enough information. It could be that East had no idea what the bid indicated.
4) 4sp+1. However, you might consider whether West has the 4Sp bid as their partner has only given preference to 3Sp. Has East's failure to alert given West extra information? Could East have safely bid 3NT given that partner is showing a stopper in Hearts? I don't know.
Hope that helps.
At least it is a start, a train will be along in a minute and shoot me down. :o))))))
CMOT
The trouble is on BBO, is that partners alert/explanation is not visible to you, so there would be no UI from failure to alert as there is in F2F bridge.
However, it should be alerted and advised on what it means, if such an agreement exists (otherwise alert as no agreement).
It is the 4th suit... so for any experienced player to be duped by this, I would be surprised. If N is a relative new player, then I would have more sympathy.