[dickiegera]

Several times resently my partner or I have open a weak 2 in a major and opponent have overcalled 2NT intending it for the minors.
Should that be alerted? Director says a lot of people do that.
Worst yet when asked to explain they don't know.

Same thing when opening a weak 3, they will bid 3NT for the minors. If you say explain they say "i am not sure".

Too often cc are not available or are not clear.

Question : If it is not a natural NT bid must it be alerted?

Thank you

[hrothgar]

dickiegera, on 2013-August-22, 15:30, said:

Several times resently my partner or I have open a weak 2 in a major and opponent have overcalled 2NT intending it for the minors.
Should that be alerted? Director says a lot of people do that.
Worst yet when asked to explain they don't know.

Same thing when opening a weak 3, they will bid 3NT for the minors. If you say explain they say "i am not sure".

Too often cc are not available or are not clear.

Question : If it is not a natural NT bid must it be alerted?

Thank you

Yes

[mgoetze]

dickiegera, on 2013-August-22, 15:30, said:

Should that be alerted? Director says a lot of people do that.

These two sentences have no business being anywhere near each other.

[dickiegera]

mgoetze, on 2013-August-22, 16:18, said:

These two sentences have no business being anywhere near each other.

Sorry you are correct.

Should have said: " Must 2Nt be alerted? When director was asked she said a lot of people bid 2Nt for the minors even when opening bid is a weak 2."

Also I believe that director was called several times today about a hand that had a 2♠ opening bid overcalled with 2NT intending the bid to show both minors.
Actually a 1-1-6-5 hand. Both 2NT bids were by players and partners with 20+ yrs of bridge experience.

I just want something to give to the director so she might do something about this situation in the future

Thank you

[blackshoe]

The alert chart says, in the line for NT overcalls, under "No Alert", "Jumps to 2NT or any four-level or higher NT bid that shows minors or the two lowest unbid suits". Under "Alert" on that same line is "Conventional NT overcalls except those specifically not requiring an Alert".

2NT for the minors is conventional. Over a weak 2 bid, it is not a jump. Therefore it requires an alert.

Anybody with 20+ years of bridge experience who says he doesn't know what his partner's 2NT means in this auction is either (1) a perpetual novice, (2) playing with someone he's never played with before, (3) someone who's lost his memory, or (4) telling tall tales.

[akwoo]

This is the ACBL. Chances for (1) and (3) (simultaneously!) are pretty high.

[mgoetze]

dickiegera, on 2013-August-22, 17:47, said:

Should have said: " Must 2Nt be alerted? When director was asked she said a lot of people bid 2Nt for the minors even when opening bid is a weak 2."

I understood you perfectly well, my point is that there is not necessarily a connection between what needs to be alerted and what a lot of people, or even anyone, does.

[barmar]

mgoetze, on 2013-August-23, 00:55, said:

I understood you perfectly well, my point is that there is not necessarily a connection between what needs to be alerted and what a lot of people, or even anyone, does.

True, although the ACBL alert system is roughly based on alerting unusual methods and not alerting common ones.

However, I suspect using 2NT to show minors over a weak 2 is more of a common mistake (because there are an awful number of life novices) than a common agreement.