[qwery_hi]

You have -

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and the auction goes - 1♣ by partner, 1♥ by you, 2♣ by partner.

If you decide to bid 2♠ now, do you have to alert it?


EDIT - the background is, I bid 2♠ playing online and the opponents complained later that I had to alert 2♠ since it could only be 3 spades.

[MFA]

As always, alert requirements depend on the agreements, not on the actual hand. For all we know 2♠ could be a (legal) psychic action to avoid a spade lead.

Values in a 3-card suit doesn't by itself need alert, since it is by default considered a natural bid. At least in my jurisdiction and in wbf.

But if agreements dictate bidding 2♠ on this hand, then I think it should be alerted. It's not natural bidding to bid xxx in spades before AKx in diamonds in this situation.

[aguahombre]

I can only assume 2D meant something else on this hand, by this responder. However, generally speaking, I cannot imagine how a 3rd or 4th suit bid in a suit which partner cannot hold should result in any damage to the opponents, even it is technically alertable. The world should know the length in that suit is suspect.

[maggieb]

If you don't have any discussion, then this is just natural and forcing. I don't do that though, since in all my partnerships I play 2♦ is GF and feel it's fine to just start that way.

I like to play that 2♠ here is GF and asking:

2N = min, 3C asks shortness
3C = max, balanced
3D/3H/3S = max, shortness
3N = non-min 2227

Risks some wrongsiding, but I think it's worth it.

[kenberg]

A person with six hearts and five spades would bid as you have, and clearly you have neither. A person with spade stops and a diamond weakness might bid as you did, trusting partner to bid NT if he can handle the diamonds. So, as others say, it comes down to what your agreements are. If over 2S your partner bid, say, 2NT holding spade stops and absolutely nothing of value in diamonds, it might raise an eyebrow or two.

A recent auction by my opponents: 1C-1D-1S-3NT. My partner did not find the diamond lead. The very proper looking lady on my left, the diamond bidder, had three small. Congratulations to her. It really wouldn't make much sense to alert your opponents and explain you are bidding a suit that you don't have in order to inhibit the lead.

If the spade bid asks for a spade stop instead of showing one, that's another matter. Standard bidding, as I understand it, is that you would bid 2D here, trusting partner to bid NT with spades stopped (or of course to now bid hearts with three). But faking a stopper is allowed.

[nigel_k]

I wouldn't alert just because it could be a three card suit. That is general bridge knowledge and is highly unlikely to damage the opponents anyway.

However I think you should alert if you routinely or systemically bid 2♠ on xxx instead of 2♦ on AKx.

[mich-b]

Perhaps the OP can tell us why he bid 2♠ and not 2♦ (Which is the bid most of us would select).
Do you and your partner have any unusual agreements about the meaning of 2♦ here?

The answer to this question might be relevant to the alertability of 2♠.