[Cyberyeti]

The auction starts with 1♣ may be 2, incorrectly not alerted/announced on my left

Partner overcalls 2♥ and I don't know if he self alerted because of the screens (well I do, but not which self alert he's given).

2♥ over a 3+ club shows 13 cards, at least 4 of which are hearts
2♥ over a 2+ club shows 13 cards, at least 4 of which are hearts and at least 4 of which are spades, can be 4-4, (5-4, 6-4 either way round) but not 5-5

My hand is 4-4 in the majors, so the potential of the hand changes depending on which he has.

What does the director do next when I call - in fact RHO bid over 2♥ before I could flag up the issue, but I believe that makes no difference

[TMorris]

Was their system described at all prior to play starting?

[Cyberyeti]

TMorris, on 2026-November-08, 09:06, said:

Was their system described at all prior to play starting?

Yes, but towards the end of a long event, people getr tired and see 1♣ without an alert and assume 3+

[TMorris]

I'm not a director.

It seems to me that you bid on the basis that you know the system and your partner knows the system. If your partner has forgotten and the lack of an alert didn't remind him then you and he may be damaged by the lack of alert and if so you should get some redress. I don't know if in practice you will but I think you should.

Having said that I am a little confused by the issue of screens. If you are on the side with the opener then you don't know if the opponent on the other side has alerted so surely must assume they have. If you are on the other side you don't know if the opener has alerted.

[pescetom]

Cyberyeti, on 2026-November-08, 08:17, said:

The auction starts with 1♣ may be 2, incorrectly not alerted/announced on my left

Partner overcalls 2♥ and I don't know if he self alerted because of the screens (well I do, but not which self alert he's given).

2♥ over a 3+ club shows 13 cards, at least 4 of which are hearts
2♥ over a 2+ club shows 13 cards, at least 4 of which are hearts and at least 4 of which are spades, can be 4-4, (5-4, 6-4 either way round) but not 5-5

My hand is 4-4 in the majors, so the potential of the hand changes depending on which he has.

What does the director do next when I call - in fact RHO bid over 2♥ before I could flag up the issue, but I believe that makes no difference

You have no right to know what your partner alerted or not (even without screens, although then you do unfortunately know).
Behind screens you have every right to ask your screen mate for an explanation of 1♣, even if not proffered.
The Director will remind you of this and ask your screen mate to explain 1♣ to you.
WTP?

[jillybean]

pescetom, on 2026-November-08, 15:40, said:

You have no right to know what your partner alerted or not (even without screens, although then you do unfortunately know).
Behind screens you have every right to ask your screen mate for an explanation of 1♣, even if not proffered.
The Director will remind you of this and ask your screen mate to explain 1♣ to you.
WTP?

cyberyeti said:

The auction starts with 1♣ may be 2, incorrectly not alerted/announced on my left

[pescetom]

Yes under most regulations it will be an infraction not to alert 1♣ may be 2.
A screen mate still has the possibility to ask for an explanation, both immediately and at next turn of play.

[Cyberyeti]

OK, online with screens in this event. You self alert and that alert goes to both opps but not your partner, you type in any needed explanation with your bid. You can talk only to your screen mate which was my RHO.

So LHO opens 1♣, we both see no alert no explanation. Partner overcalls 2♥ and explains it to both opps but not me as hearts.

[pescetom]

Cyberyeti, on 2026-November-08, 16:54, said:

OK, online with screens in this event. You self alert and that alert goes to both opps but not your partner, you type in any needed explanation with your bid. You can talk only to your screen mate which was my RHO.

So LHO opens 1♣, we both see no alert no explanation. Partner overcalls 2♥ and explains it to both opps but not me as hearts.

A hand diagram makes things so much simpler
But if I now understand correctly, LHO is on the other side of the screen.
I imagine that under your regulations RHO should have alerted the opening, but you have every opportunity and reason to ask for an explanation in any case.

[blackshoe]

You ask for an explanation. Whatever that explanation is, you assume that your partner got the same explanation, and bid, alert and explain accordingly. If it turns out that your partner did not get the same explanation, and your side is damaged thereby, you would be entitled to redress under Law 21B.

[jillybean]

And when the Director is called at the end of the hand, the non-offending side will be reminded that they should have protected themselves, while the offenders get a polite wrist-slap to fill out their CC and actually alert their bids.

Your experience may be different in FIGB, EBU, SBU

[paulg]

blackshoe, on 2026-November-08, 18:32, said:

You ask for an explanation. Whatever that explanation is, you assume that your partner got the same explanation, and bid, alert and explain accordingly. If it turns out that your partner did not get the same explanation, and your side is damaged thereby, you would be entitled to redress under Law 21B.

Basically this.

If you know that the 1♣ opener is 2+, or check with your screenmate, then you assume partner has the same explanation and bid accordingly.

The EBU is one of the few jurisdictions that is fairly lenient with the 'protecting yourself' rule and judges the failure to alert as far more serious. As you play a different defence, your partner might check but could be worried that asking and passing after a non-alerted 1♣ that they could expose their hand to the opener especially if the opponents know your defence.

[paulg]

pescetom, on 2026-November-08, 16:59, said:

But if I now understand correctly, LHO is on the other side of the screen.
I imagine that under your regulations RHO should have alerted the opening, but you have every opportunity and reason to ask for an explanation in any case.

The EBU regulations for online events with screens differ by platform, but the OP's description suggests it is RealBridge and so https://www.ebu.co.u...ith-screens.pdf apply.

Basically, as already mentioned, the player making the alertable call is the ONLY player responsible for alerting. Follow-up questions go to your screenmate, even though they will not have seen the alert.

On BBO, the player making the alertable call is the ONLY player responsible for alerting. Follow-up questions, using chat, are to the player alerting not your screenmate (as you don't have screens on BBO).

[Cyberyeti]

paulg, on 2026-November-09, 02:58, said:

The EBU regulations for online events with screens differ by platform, but the OP's description suggests it is RealBridge and so https://www.ebu.co.u...ith-screens.pdf apply.

Basically, as already mentioned, the player making the alertable call is the ONLY player responsible for alerting. Follow-up questions go to your screenmate, even though they will not have seen the alert.

On BBO, the player making the alertable call is the ONLY player responsible for alerting. Follow-up questions, using chat, are to the player alerting not your screenmate (as you don't have screens on BBO).

Correct, realbridge, the Tolly yesterday. Didn't in fact matter on the board, I just thought it was interesting

[paulg]

Cyberyeti, on 2026-November-09, 03:39, said:

Correct, realbridge, the Tolly yesterday. Didn't in fact matter on the board, I just thought it was interesting

I watched a handful of boards because my Premier League teammates were playing, but not well enough it transpired.

[Cyberyeti]

paulg, on 2026-November-09, 08:39, said:

I watched a handful of boards because my Premier League teammates were playing, but not well enough it transpired.

I only played yesterday, we were tailed off last after day 1, recovered some face yesterday