[jerdonald]

BBO forum,

According to the "ACBL Alert Regulations" most bids above 3NT are
not alertable but there is no mention of splinter bids.

Partner opens one of a major and you bid 4 diamonds showing support
for the major, a possible game going hand and a shortness in diamonds.
Does the 4 diamond bid have to be alerted?

Jerry D.

[echo25]

No.

[akwoo]

The splinter is an artificial bid and hence alertable.

However, alerts of bids above 3N beginning with the opener's second call are alerted on a DELAYED basis. You alert them immediately after the auction (as declaring side) or after the opening lead has been made faced down (as defending side).

The direct splinter as you stated IS alertable on an immediate basis.

[mycroft]

The ACBL Alert Procedures strictly do NOT say "most calls above 3NT are not Alertable." In fact many are. Many are Alertable, but because the information from the Alert is likely to be more helpful to the bidding side than the Alerted side, they must be Delayed until after the auction.

Specifically, immediate splinter by responder is Alertable because it is a convention that is not on the list of exceptions, and it's not Delayed because it's before opener's next call. However, 1♦-1♥; 4♣ splinter is Delayed until the end of the auction (or after the opening lead if the opening side is defending).

The relevant quote from the Alert Procedures:

Quote

PART X: DELAYED (or POST) ALERTS: ALERTABLE CALLS ABOVE THE LEVEL OF 3NT STARTING WITH OPENER’S SECOND TURN TO CALL

Once the auction has progressed to the point that the opening bidder has had the opportunity to make a second call, conventional calls at the four level or higher are not Alerted until the auction is over.

These DELAYED ALERTS are REQUIRED to be made by the DECLARING side before the opening lead. The DEFENDERS are REQUIRED to Alert declarer AFTER the OPENING LEAD but BEFORE declarer makes a play from dummy (Alerting before the lead is turned face-up and the dummy is spread is best).

The declaring side must make their Delayed Alerts before the opening lead. Defenders wait until they have made the opening lead before they explain calls requiring a Delayed Alert. As with normal Alerts, the partner of the person making the Alertable call is the person who makes the Delayed Alert and explains the agreement.

EXAMPLES:

1♥-P-1♠-P 4♦ (splinter)
There is no Alert at the time for the 4♦ bid.
After the auction, the 1 bidder must Alert and explain as required the meaning of the call.

As a side note, 1♦-1♥; 4♣ is also a (Delayed) Alert if it is Gerber (regular, Keycard, or backwash inverted Roman), as it does not fall under the category of unAlerted ace-asking bids (Gerber/NT, 4NT/suits). Yes, I know you know that, but many people don't.