[MickyB]

How about something like, "Bids above 3NT are not alertable unless they promise 5+cards in a suit other than the one bid".

[Cyberyeti]

gnasher, on 2011-December-06, 10:09, said:

The relevant part of the EBU convention card reads "Aspects of system which opponents should note", not "As many aspects of system which opponents should note as you can fit into the available space." If there isn't enough space, you should find a way to deal with the problem that doesn't disadvantage the opponents. I would put it on another part of the card or on another sheet of paper, with a cross-reference from the front of the card.

I was taking into account the bit you then quoted.

This to me meant "Headline news you need to know", just a few key bits. It would be ridiculous to put virtually the whole of a really complicated strong club system in that section, so some really unusual stuff which would make it onto the front of the card if embedded within something simpler, will be missed off.

[Vampyr]

bluejak, on 2011-December-06, 03:06, said:

There is a space on the SC for items an opponent needs to know, and if these bids are not there that is MI. It is also required to exchange SCs at the start of the round: if this pair did not attempt to do so again I would penalise. That is the EBU pre-alerting method.

This auction is unlikely to be in that space, though.

[campboy]

Vampyr, on 2011-December-06, 15:52, said:

This auction is unlikely to be in that space, though.

I don't see why it wouldn't be. This method is much more unusual than any of the things which are mentioned in 4L1 as needing to be in that space, and since most of those are alertable anyway its absence is much more likely to damage opponents.

[mrdct]

We have a similar section on the ABF System Card headed "PRE-ALERTS: CALLS THAT MAY HAVE UNEXPECTED MEANING/S OR REQUIRE SPECIAL DEFENCE" but it only has room to mention about half-a-dozen things. What I usually say to my opponents is, "doubles, redoubles, bids of your suits and bids in competitive auctions are usually artificial, quite often a t-fer, but often aren't alerted so it may pay to ask". To date that has kept me out of trouble.

[mycroft]

I remember someone, I believe bluejak, referring to a pair that played 1NT:

12-14 V
15-17 NV

and marked it exactly as such on the card. This was before the EBU announced NT ranges, of course. The thought was that they played it specifically because people would read it in the "obvious" way and misdefend.

People who play the regulations to attempt to misinform (by omission at least) should get "an introduction to the world", as my TD-mentor used to say.

And Ed, start playing a strong club system, with either relays or asking bids. You'll be delayed-Alerting in no time (and you'll get it right, unlike most). Just don't start to pull the Alert card, and then say aloud "oh yeah, I shouldn't Alert yet." And of *course* that happened (not at my table, I was directing).

[blackshoe]

Heh. Last time I played Precision I didn't know anything about alert regulations. :-)