Hi Tony
Could you please advise me as to whether the following bid is alertable. Over opener’s weak 2♥ my partner doubled for take-out. My right-hand opponent passed and I bid 3♣. We play Lebensohl responses to the double in this situation, so a 2NT bid would be somewhat weaker. I’m aware that a 2NT bid should be alerted (conventional), but is the 3♣ bid alertable?
Debbie Lea – Bridgend
Hi Debbie
Situations regarding ‘alerting’ are covered by the Regulations rather than the Laws. The WBU follows the EBU Regulations – ‘The Blue Book’. Alerting procedures are detailed in various categories – Opening Bids, Doubles, Opening 2’s etc., followed by rather specific cases of alertable bids. Item 4H2e states ‘A minimum suit response to a take-out double, with the next hand passing, that shows values’ should be alerted. This is precisely the situation that you describe, with the non-value bid being the 2NT (which as you say is also alertable).
However I can’t envisage many cases where the opponent’s would call the Director for a failure to alert your 3♣ (most average players recognise the mechanics of Lebensohl, and lesser players probably wouldn’t appreciate the need to alert), but always best to play by the rules.