[P_Marlowe]

Echognome, on Apr 1 2005, 07:00 AM, said:

P_Marlowe, on Apr 1 2005, 03:50 AM, said:

Double.

No second choice, the bad shape is compensated
by the points.
It seems, that People who will bid 1 NT, tend to
play against opponents, who will not lead spade,
because "they promised a stopper".  And of course,
they wont alert the 1 NT bid, because it's natural ....

Marlowe

Since when does one have to alert if their bid does not show a stopper? What if two suits are bid? Do I have to have a stopper in both or else my bid should be alerted? It might not be sound bridge, but I hardly believe it says anywhere in the laws that a NT bid must contain a stopper of a bid suit, lest it be alerted.

I choose double by the way.

Simply put: A natural NT promises a stopper, at least
this is the standard treatment and anything else would
probably be rated as "highly" ususual around the whole
world, and your opponents need to be informed, if you
play something, they cannot reasonable expect
You have to be careful with statements like "around the
whole world", but I think, in this case I am on fairly
safe ground.
I would always alert it, unless I am 100% sure, that the
alerting rules actualy forbid this. Are you 100% sure they
forbid these special alert? Would you doubt, that the natural
1 NT overcall did not promise a stopper?
If it does, but there is no one, then this is ok, because I
would regards this as a bluff / psych bid, I have no problems
with psych bid, but with fielding psych bids.

The overcall is natural in the sense, that it describes a
strong (?!) NT type hand, but natural and artificial has
nothing to do with alert or non alert.

And I am not talking about the follwing case, natural system,

1C - (1S) - 1 NT
...

were the 1 NT bid may or may not promise a stopper,
but then the 1 NT bid is not natural, it just is a bid saying,
I have ... HCP and no support.

and also not about the case were one overcalls 1 NT with
stopper and a balanced 12-14 count, a treatment, probably
no sane person would play.

This both cases are a gray areas reagrading alerting.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[luke warm]

P_Marlowe, on Apr 1 2005, 08:15 AM, said:

Simply put: A natural NT promises a stopper, at least
this is the standard treatment and anything else would
probably be rated as "highly" ususual around the whole
world, and your opponents need to be informed, if you
play something, they cannot reasonable expect.

i disagree with this... the 1nt bid should show a certain range... if the opps asked me whether or not it shows a stopper i'd say "it does not have to".. i've never heard anyone say that such a method requires an alert, tho i may be wrong