[aguahombre]

 Vampyr, on 2015-December-23, 06:01, said:

What difference did the alert/announcement status make?

Duh. Try the crap overcalls people love to make against weak-two bids when unbeknownst to you the 2-bid is strong.

[Vampyr]

 aguahombre, on 2015-December-23, 08:09, said:

Duh. Try the crap overcalls people love to make against weak-two bids when unbeknownst to you the 2-bid is strong.

Quite. But whether meaning A receives an alert and B doesn't, or B receives an alert and A doesn't, the message of an alert or the lack of one will be equivalent.

[barmar]

 Vampyr, on 2015-December-23, 12:08, said:

Quite. But whether meaning A receives an alert and B doesn't, or B receives an alert and A doesn't, the message of an alert or the lack of one will be equivalent.

The point he was making is that it used to be that you didn't alert A or B. So the lack of alert informed you that it could be A or B, but not which.

[Vampyr]

I see. In that case I agree that several non-alertable meanings is more fun than a barrel of monkeys.

Though I did know a pair who played some sort of natural twos but not weak, presumably in that same era, who would inform their opponents of this agreement as a matter of courtesy.

[gordontd]

 aguahombre, on 2015-December-23, 08:09, said:

Duh. Try the crap overcalls people love to make against weak-two bids when unbeknownst to you the 2-bid is strong.

I'd be more inclined to make a weak overcall over a strong two bid than over a weak one.

[barmar]

 gordontd, on 2015-December-23, 21:23, said:

I'd be more inclined to make a weak overcall over a strong two bid than over a weak one.

Of course -- you don't preempt over a preempt. But whatever your style, what's important is that you do it with correct knowledge.

And if partner knows that you make crap overcalls over weak 2's, he won't punish you by raising too much -- there's no need to save over weak opponents. But you need to know whether you're bidding over a weak hand or strong hand, so your side knows which side is trying to save.

[aguahombre]

 gordontd, on 2015-December-23, 21:23, said:

I'd be more inclined to make a weak overcall over a strong two bid than over a weak one.

I have found that to be true over a strong artificial 2-bid, or over a strong Nt. The purpose being to mess up the opponents' strain search. But it seems to be much less of a good idea over Acol or other strong natural 2's.

I don't believe overcalls of Acol 2-bids are as immune to penalty doubles as other trash overcalls seem to be.

This post has been edited by aguahombre: 2015-December-24, 10:11