Under the aegis of Bridge Federation of India
Express Avenue Mall, Central Atrium — Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
The conditions of contest herein set forth are supplemental to the General Conditions and Regulations for the National Tournaments as specified in the "Hand Book" of Bridge Federation of India, and are specific to the EA Bridge International Bridge Championships 2026 organized by EA Bridge under the aegis of Bridge Federation of India (BFI) from 7th to 13th September 2026 at Express Avenue Mall, Tamilnadu, Chennai.
The Gold Team event will be played over six days as given in the brochure. The first two days consist of the qualifying Swiss, in which all contestants will play a total of 10 rounds (10 boards per round) — 5 rounds each on day-1 (7th Sept) and day-2 (8th Sept).
The top 16 teams qualify for the knock-out Pre-QF stage on day-3 (9th Sept). The top seven teams in the Swiss League, in order of rank (1–7), choose their Pre-QF opponent from among the teams placed 9th to 16th.
Each pre-quarterfinal is a direct knockout match of 56 boards in four sessions (14 boards/session), scored by IMPs. The eight pre-QF losers are ranked joint 9th–16th for the Gold Teams event prizes. If a lower-ranked team defeats a higher-ranked team, it assumes the higher rank for the quarter-final. QFs: #1 vs #8, #2 vs #7, #3 vs #6, #4 vs #5.
Each quarterfinal is a direct knockout match of 56 boards in four sessions (14 boards/session) on day-4 (10th Sept). The four QF losers are ranked joint 5th–8th. A lower-ranked team winning assumes the higher rank for the semi-final. Semis: winner of table 1 vs winner of table 4, and winner of table 2 vs winner of table 3.
The Semifinal and Final are played in 4 sessions of 14 boards each, on day-5 (11th Sept) and day-6 (12th Sept) respectively. The losing semi-finalists play the play-off (3 sessions of 14 boards) on day-6 to decide the 3rd & 4th prizes. All are scored by IMPs.
A Silver Teams team can have four, five, or six players. A maximum of two players may be of the rank of National Master or above, and they may not play as partners in any match.
All foreign teams by default play in the GOLD Teams event; a foreign team wishing to play SILVER will be screened by the Technical Committee and needs its approval.
Format mirrors Gold Teams: qualifying Swiss over day-1 & day-2 (10 rounds, 10 boards/round), Pre-QF on day-3 (56 boards / 4 sessions), QF on day-4 (56 boards / 4 sessions), and Semifinal/Final/Play-off on day-5 & day-6 following the same structure and VP conversion rules as Gold Teams (see 2.1 above for the full mechanics, including seeding-by-rank and top-16 qualification).
Played over 3 days. Except for Team Quarter-finalists of both GOLD & SILVER Teams, all other team players plus any new partnership may play after paying the entry fee.
Elimination-1: 3 sessions of 18 boards on Day-3 (9th Sept); approximately 35–40% of pairs qualify to Elimination-2.
Pre-quarterfinal losers of both Gold & Silver team events can join at the Elimination-2 stage, provided they paid the Open Pairs entry fee by deadline. Elimination-2: 3 sessions of 18 boards on Day-4 (10th Sept). Top 26 pairs qualify for the final.
The 26 finalists are joined by 2 sponsored pairs for the 2-session final of 54 boards (all-play-all, 2 boards per opponent) with barometer scoring.
An alternative for pairs not entering Open MP Pairs, played in parallel on Day 3. Two stages of 24–28 boards each. Top 40–45% after Stage 1 qualify for Group A in Stage 2; the rest play Group B.
A 10% carryover of Stage 1 scores applies to Stage 2 (negative scores treated as zero). Final results combine Stage 2 scores with the carryover. Separate prizes for Group A and Group B. No change in partnership permitted.
Played on day-4 in parallel with Open MP Pairs Elimination-2, open to those who didn't qualify plus new entrants. Two stages, each of six rounds of four boards. Stage 1's first two rounds follow normal Mitchell movement; thereafter pairings use rankings one round in arrears (e.g., Round 3 draw is based on Round 1 rankings).
Top 40–45% after Stage 1 qualify for Group A in Stage 2 (draw based on current rankings each round); the rest play Group B. Negative scores are treated as zero. A 10% carryover from Stage 1 applies within each group. Separate prizes for Group A and Group B.
Open to those who don't qualify for the Open MP Pairs Final or Gold/Silver Teams Quarter-Final, plus new entrants. Qualifying Swiss League: 7 rounds of 8 boards on Day 5 (11th Sept). Top 16 teams advance to the Final Stage on Day 6 (12th Sept): 6 rounds of 8 boards, with a 15% carryover of qualifying-stage VP score.
Remaining teams compete in Group B (6 rounds of 8 boards, no carryover), top-ranked teams meeting each other in rank order. Both groups use the Danish Draw system — current-rankings pairing, so teams may meet again if rankings place them together; Round 1 pairs the remaining top-ranked teams (Rank 1 vs Rank 2).
Played day-5, in parallel to Swiss Teams. 2 sessions of 22/24/26 boards each. IMP scoring.
Played day-6, in parallel to the Swiss Team final and Mixed Pairs. 8 rounds of 6 boards (48 boards total). Draw for each round based on current ranking.
Played over 2 days, in parallel to the Swiss Team final and Swiss MP Pairs. Elimination round: 5 sessions of 10 boards on Day-6. Approximately 25 pairs qualify for the final, with 1 sponsor-pair quota reserved for EA Bridge.
Finalists (plus sponsor pair, if any) play the 2-session final of 45–50 boards (all-play-all, 2–3 boards per opponent) with barometer scoring. The Mixed Pairs Strata event (IMP scoring) is played over 2 sessions of 20/22 boards each.
The HOME team (shown first in the draw) sits NS in the Open Room and the AWAY team sits EW; this reverses in the Closed Room. Any seating dispute during a Swiss League match is resolved by both teams submitting a blind line-up.
For all KO matches (Pre-QF onwards) in both GOLD & SILVER events, teams must submit their line-up electronically. Captains receive a password at the captains' meeting at the end of the Swiss league. The line-up must be given 15 minutes before the session starts; failure may attract a CTD-decided penalty. Where a paper line-up is required, captains report to the director desk at least 10 minutes before the session.
In each KO match, the higher-ranked (lower serial number) team is the Home Team; a lower-ranked team that wins assumes the higher position and becomes Home Team for subsequent rounds. The Home Team plays NS in the Open Room and EW in the Closed Room.
Seating rights are decided by coin toss: the winner elects which session it wants seating rights for, with the opponent getting the other session. In a 4-session KO, the toss winner chooses either 1st & 3rd or 2nd & 4th segments (communicated to the CTD before the match); in a 3-segment match, the leader after segment 2 gets seating privilege in segment 3. The team with seating rights asks opponents for their line-up first.
A change of player, pair, or partnership can only be made at the start of a session; there are no restrictions on which pairs play against which pairs in any session of the match.
Pairs using Brown Sticker conventions must be available 10 minutes before the scheduled start to present their system and answer opponents' questions.
Entries must be submitted on the EA Bridge tournament website (www.eabridge.in) with the requisite entry fees, giving details of participating players and their Player ID within the specified time in the tournament brochure. The CTD may accept late entries at his sole discretion, where such acceptance does not disturb the tournament schedule.
The Tournament Committee reserves the authority to alter or modify this SCoC. In exercising this right, the committee also has the right to ratify any clear error in the SCoC as soon as it is brought to its notice, provided the error is evident from context or from being in conflict with the laws.
The "BFI System Policy 2021 (Updated)" will be followed — see https://bfi.net.in/bfi-national-policies/ and www.eabridge.in. (Full policy text is reproduced later on this page.)
The main events (Gold Teams & Open Match Point Pairs) are Category 1 events. HUM systems and Brown Sticker conventions are allowed only in KO stages of the team event.
Psychic Strong Artificial opening bids are prohibited in the Swiss League stage of the Category-1 Team event and elimination stages of the Match Point Pairs event; no restrictions apply in the KO stage & Open MP Pair Finals.
The Silver Teams, Swiss Teams, Mixed Pairs, Ladies Pairs, IMP Pairs, and Swiss IMP and MP Pairs events are Category 2 events, where HUM systems and Brown Sticker conventions are totally prohibited. In Category-2 events, Psychic Artificial bids are prohibited in qualifying rounds and Psychic Artificial opening bids are prohibited in KO stages.
WBF Regulation "Using Bidding Boxes with Screens" (published February 2024) shall be used. Where screens are not in use, WBF Regulation "Playing and entering scores when screens are not in use" (published February 2024) shall be used.
A fully filled System Convention Card (CC), with supplementary sheets if necessary, must be displayed at the table for all segments of all events. Teams without a convention card at the table may be penalized.
Players must fully disclose the meaning of conventional agreements — particularly conventions and treatments requiring defensive preparation — using supplementary sheets where necessary. The onus is on each pair to prepare an accurate, comprehensive system card for opponents.
Understandings involving violations of the normal meaning of a call, where the nature of the violation may be anticipated, must also be disclosed in full detail — explicitly agreed or developed through partnership experience/shared knowledge alike.
Opening bids of 2♦ showing weak-in-either-major (with or without a strong-hand alternative) must be explained in detail, including responses and rebids. The normal range of a Weak Two opening should be specified, and below-minimum situations alerted.
Up to two Brown Sticker conventions per partnership are allowed in direct knockout matches, subject to filing a completed system card and viable suggested defense with the Director before the last Swiss round, and CTD approval. A pair that hasn't submitted its card is debarred from using such conventions until three hours after submission.
Each pair of every team must present two copies of System Cards at the table from the start of any event. At the pre-quarterfinal stage, each qualified pair must additionally submit one copy of its convention card to the CTD before the pre-quarterfinals commence.
It is mandatory for all pairs to have a duly filled convention card at the table. If a pair forgets a convention or resorts to a psyche without a convention card present, the director may assume mistaken explanation and award an adjusted score [Law 12C1]; the offending pair may also be barred from using that convention for the rest of the match. Frequent system violations amount to a private understanding and will be dealt with severely.
Partnerships may clearly describe their third-hand opening strategy. Sub-minimum third-hand openings must be alerted, with the lower limit and conditions specified clearly, and applied consistently.
In Team events, if a team cannot produce four players at the start of, or during, a session, the CTD may designate a substitute to complete the team. The substitute's result stands unless the Tournament Committee judges the substitute's skill considerably greater than the replaced player's, in which case an adjusted score may be determined. The Tournament Committee may impose penalties where it judges a team at fault, regardless of whether the result stands.
In Pairs events, the CTD may make emergency substitutions as necessary for smooth play. If this may result in disqualification of a contestant, the CTD will inform them, where practicable, at the time of substitution.
A team may withdraw only with the CTD's express consent, after completion of a Swiss round or a direct KO match — never after a match has begun or mid-KO-match. Withdrawing without consent may result in disqualification for the rest of the championship and disciplinary proceedings by the BFI Disciplinary Committee.
A walkover must be reported to the director before the start during KO matches. Two walkovers by the same team mean compulsory withdrawal from the competition. Additional penalties may be imposed by the Tournament or Disciplinary Committee.
If a team cannot play or complete a match, the CTD may declare it forfeited. Scoring:
| Format | Non-offending side | Forfeiting side |
|---|---|---|
| Swiss Teams | 12 VPs | Maximum 8 VPs (may be reduced by Technical Committee) |
| Pair Events — withdrawal after 1/3 of session | All scores against the withdrawn pair stand. A pair forced to sit out gets AVE+ on the first sit-out board, AVE on subsequent boards. | |
| Pair Events — withdrawal before 1/3 of session | All scores against that pair are cancelled; any resulting half-table pairs receive their own average (not played). In a multi-session event, prior session scores stand and half-tables in later sessions are "not played". | |
| Howell (all-play-all) events | As above, but a sit-out pair receives the higher of Ave+ or the converse of the withdrawn pair's average. | |
The schedule of penalties below is supplemental to the laws. All infringements will be dealt with per Bridge Federation of India norms.
| Delay | Penalty |
|---|---|
| 0+ to 5 minutes | Late warning |
| 5+ to 10 minutes | 1.0 VP |
| 10+ to 15 minutes | 2.0 VPs |
| Over 15 minutes | Team may forfeit its match, at CTD/Chairman's discretion |
In a knockout match, after 5 minutes' grace, a penalty of 1 IMP per minute applies up to 30 minutes, and the CTD may reduce the number of boards. Over 30 minutes late, the team may forfeit at the CTD/Chairman's discretion.
| Swiss League / Round-Robin stage | Knockout stage |
|---|---|
| 0+–5 min late: 1 VP 5+–10 min late: 1½ VPs Over 10 min late: 2 VPs | 1 IMP for each minute or part thereof |
If a match isn't finished in the stipulated time, the Director may stop play after 10 minutes and declare the result on boards played, adjusting for equity to the non-offending side if boards were reduced.
Phones must be switched off during play. A team observed calling or receiving calls is penalized 0.5 VP (2 IMP) for a first offence, 1 VP (3 IMPs) thereafter. Repeated violation may mean suspension of the player/pair at CTD/Reviewer discretion. In KO matches, players may not carry mobile phones at all.
Mandatory penalty of 1 VP for a first offence, 2 VP for a second, 3 VP for a third, and thereafter suspension.
Consumption of alcoholic beverages in the playing area is prohibited. A player under alcoholic influence during play results in their team being penalized 2 VPs (6 IMPs in a KO match); the CTD may substitute the player, with further penalties possible depending on conduct.
Smoking in the designated playing area is prohibited; no player may leave the table to smoke once play starts. Violation: 1 VP (3 IMPs / 20% of top-earned MP in pairs or KO matches) for a first offence, 2 VPs (6 IMPs / 40%) for the second and any subsequent offence. Repeated violation may lead to suspension for the session at the CTD's discretion.
Once play is over, players are expected to leave the playing area and not watch play at any other table.
The BFI Disciplinary Code, 2024 (amended), effective 1st January 2024, applies to all events of this tournament. Link: BFI Disciplinary Code.
Teams with identical scores after deducting all penalties are deemed tied. A tie for the last qualifying position in a Swiss league is broken on VP product of all rounds (BFI handbook, page 66); all other qualifying-position ties are broken by draw of lots (page 66).
In knockout matches, even a 0.01 IMP difference (from carryover) counts as a win. A tied knockout match goes to a play-off of an extra four-board match, with fresh pair line-ups allowed. If still tied, one-board "sudden death" matches follow with the same pairs; a 1 IMP difference wins.
Ties are broken per BFI handbook page 65. For IMP Pair events, if players haven't played in the same direction, or the tie persists, Session Scores are used — the contestant with higher scores in more sessions wins. If the tie still persists, it's broken by draw of lots.
Appeals of a tournament director's ruling are heard by a "Reviewer" appointed by the Tournament Committee under Law 80B2(k).
When the TD notifies players of a decision, they are told of their right to seek a review. In a pairs event, both partners must concur; in a team event, the captain must concur. The time limit for a review request follows Law 92B (30 minutes) unless specified otherwise; the CTD may reduce this for the last session.
The TD fills in the decision on the prescribed BFI review form; the player completes the form with reasons for the review and hands it to the TD, along with a monetary deposit of Rs 1000.
The Reviewer checks that the TD gathered necessary evidence, applied the correct law, and consulted other TDs where appropriate. For judgement calls involving unauthorised information, incorrect explanation, or failure to alert, the Reviewer confirms suitable questions were asked of relevant players. Finally, the Reviewer confirms the ruling was within the bounds of reasonableness given the information available.
A Reviewer determining they might have ruled slightly differently is not grounds to vary the ruling. If process wasn't properly followed in a material way, the Reviewer asks the CTD to correct the failing and issue a new ruling.
If the Reviewer finds insufficient basis for the review request, one or both of the following sanctions may apply: (i) forfeiture of the monetary deposit; (ii) a sanction quantified in VPs, MPs, or IMPs, as appropriate to the event type.
For Match Point Pairs, carryover to the next elimination round or final uses the formula:
The maximum carryover for the event is capped at two boards' worth of score from one elimination round to the next, up to the final. If the formula exceeds this limit, it is abandoned in favour of: subtract the low-qualifying score from the high-qualifying score, divide that into the maximum allowable carryover to get a factor, then multiply that factor by the same difference — so the low qualifier gets zero carryover and the high qualifier gets the maximum.
When a qualified pair is replaced by a reserve pair, carryover uses the reserve pair's actual score.
For pairs entering an MP Pair elimination stage after losing in the team event's KO stage, the seeded-pair carryover uses:
Example: if 60 pairs qualify (T) and 12 seeded pairs join (D), and 32 spots (Q) are available for the next stage, x = (32×60)/(60+12) ≈ 26.67 → 27th position; the carryover of the 27th-ranked qualifier is given to all seeded pairs. (Using the average median value instead would have given all seeded pairs the 30th-ranked pair's carryover — this formula better reflects the number of qualifiers in the round.)
Sponsored pairs entering the finals of the MP Pair event are given zero carryover.
An appeal to correct a Bridgemate score-entry error must be submitted to the CTD within 20 minutes of the end of the respective session (10 minutes for the last session). In case of a discrepancy between official results on any board, the correction period may be extended by the CTD.
All contestants must conform at all times to the highest standards of ethics and deportment. BFI expects all teams and partnerships to play to win at all times and in all circumstances. While a team may rest its players and make other strategic decisions, it is not permissible for a partnership to play by design to obtain a session score inferior to its opponents'.
All contestants (including non-playing captains) are expected to accept the Reviewer's decisions in a sportsmanlike manner.
Any person in the playing area other than a player or tournament official has the status of a spectator, unless the Director specifies differently. A spectator may not look at the hand of more than one player, must refrain from mannerisms or remarks of any kind during a round, and must have no conversation with a player. A spectator at the table shall not draw attention to any aspect of the game.
The sponsor has a quota of 2 pairs, directly seeded to the Open MP Pairs Final.
Each player of a participating team must play the following minimum number of deals to remain eligible for the next stage of the event; falling short leads to disqualification from remaining stages.
A player failing to meet the minimum play requirement is also ineligible for Master Points/Ranking Points at that stage, and is awarded master points only up to the previous stage.
The BFI Disciplinary Code, 2024 (amended), effective 1st January 2024, applies to all events mentioned above. An official Disciplinary Committee Observer will be appointed, and Yellow Cards issued for violations of the Disciplinary Code.
For any BFI event, the entry of any player, pair, or team may be rejected; affected parties receive written reasons and a reasonable opportunity to respond, in person or writing. The BFI Governing Council's "Disciplinary Committee" exercises these powers. Typical causes include: any breach of the Laws or proprieties of bridge as set out in the Code or these regulations, offensive behavior, or withdrawal/non-attendance without good reason.
The Tournament Committee nominates a person of high standing in the bridge community, or a three-member committee, as Event Recorder, who will:
As given on the Tournament Website www.eabridge.in under "SCHEDULE".
Governs system classification, HUM methods, and Brown Sticker conventions across BFI-sanctioned events, including the EA Bridge International Bridge Championships 2026 (see Section 6 of the SCoC above).
The objective is to ensure BFI Championships can be properly operated and adequately administered, with a fair and equal chance for all competitors, while affording proper consideration to progress and innovation — and to ensure players are in no doubt as to what is expected of them regarding preparation and filing of systems material.
The BFI Systems Committee will carry out additions or amendments to this policy as required, notified via www.bfi.net.in.
A Highly Unusual Method (HUM) is any system exhibiting one or more of:
The BFI Systems Committee may, at its discretion, additionally designate a system as a Highly Unusual Method.
Systems material is identified by a WBF coloured sticker, the appropriate name/colour, or a check mark on a system card, per these descriptions:
| Colour | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Green | Natural |
| Blue | Strong Club/Strong Diamond — one club/one diamond is artificial strong and always forcing. |
| Red | A "warning" that the system contains elements needing advance preparation or explanation — covers everything not Green, Blue, or Yellow. Red 1: one club shows one of three types (natural club suit, a specific-range balanced hand, or a Strong Club opener), or uses specialised/artificial responses to 1♣. Red 2: basic one-level methods vary by position/vulnerability, or uses conventional weak/multi-meaning bids in contestable auctions, or opening bids are transfers to another suit. |
| Yellow | Highly Unusual Methods ("HUM"), as defined above. |
The following conventions or treatments are categorised as "Brown Sticker":
Any partnership using one or more Brown Sticker conventions must indicate this alongside its system classification.
Additional to the above restrictions, players may not use signalling methods where the message conveyed is hidden from the declarer because a key is available only to the defenders — encrypted signals are not allowed in events of any category.
Applies to events of all categories.
Random Openings: forbidden to open hands which, by agreement, may contain fewer than 8 HCP with no further definition provided.
1NT Opening: a natural 1NT opening must have a minimum of 10 HCP with a range no greater than 5 HCP (e.g. 11–15 or 10–14 is allowed; 10–15 or 9–14 is not).
3rd Seat One Level Suit Opening Bids: the hand should have near-average strength — at least 8 HCP, or meet the rule of 17 (sum of high cards and length in the two longest suits).
Events are divided into three categories:
Indian Team Selection Trials, Gold Event at Winter Nationals, Summer Nationals, Inter State Championship and National Masters; events providing Ranking Points as decided by BFI; Gold sections of events accorded National Level status (e.g. HCL, Bhartia). BFI may, at its discretion, categorise an event as Category 1.
Specific Teams/Pairs Championships and events providing Ranking Points as decided by BFI; Silver sections of all Category 1 events.
All other BFI tournaments and championships, events run by BFI members, and stages not covered by Categories 1 & 2. HUM & Red systems and Brown Sticker conventions are prohibited. Additionally, defence against artificially strong bids requires a suit overcall showing at least 4 cards in a known suit.
For Psych bids in any category, refer to the BFI Psychic Bidding policy (Appendix 4).
For Category 1 Teams events where Yellow (HUM) systems are permitted, any pair using a HUM system must submit the full system in English in advance, before the championship begins — in addition to the normal timely filing of the System Card and Supplementary Sheets.
Pairs using Green, Blue, or Red systems are encouraged to submit their full system in English at the start of any BFI Championship.
In TD decisions and the Appeals Process, pairs who submitted their full system in advance are given the benefit of any support this provides for a table explanation, as far as it goes.
Adequate disclosure requires competitors to fully disclose conventions and treatments requiring defensive preparation, using Supplementary Sheets alongside the System Card. Entries must be properly numbered and cross-referenced; brevity is encouraged, particularly for Category 2 and 3 events, without prejudicing full disclosure.
The front right part of the Convention Card must include: (i) all artificial openings except strong one club/two club openings; (ii) weak, conventional responses to natural openings; (iii) all conventional defensive bids against natural one-of-a-suit openings (two-suited interventions should be labelled "Two Suiters" with a Supplementary Sheet reference number for the particulars).
If a pair uses an undisclosed bid and opponents fail to reach their best contract as a result, there is a strong presumption of damage from inadequate disclosure — the offending pair may incur a procedural penalty. Any pair playing a HUM system or Brown Sticker convention has a special obligation to fully describe both bids and subsequent developments (especially competitive ones); an insufficiently described auction carries the same presumption and penalty exposure.
The Conditions of Contest for each tournament state the submission deadline and address for systems material and System Cards (with contact emails for system queries). Missing the deadline results in automatic penalties described in the Conditions of Contest. System problems should be referred to the Chairman of the Systems Committee or nominee.
After the closing date for submission, changes to the Convention Card/Supplementary Sheets follow this policy:
This policy is strongly emphasised and will be rigorously applied.
For Team events in Category 1, regarding defensive measures against HUM systems:
For Teams events in Category 1 and Category 2, regarding Brown Sticker conventions: a pair may prepare written defences against the Brown Sticker elements of any system, given to opponents (two clearly legible copies) at a time/place specified in the Conditions of Contest, prior to the segment start. These are deemed part of the opponents' system card.
For Category 1 events, a maximum of four Red or Yellow systems, of which only three may be Yellow, is permitted per participating team. A System, for this purpose, may include different methods for different vulnerabilities.
Both members of a partnership must agree to use the same bidding and card-play methods.
To be completed and emailed to the address specified in the Conditions of Contest, by the announced closing date.
With what hands will responder pass the opening bid? — Meanings of other responses and rebids:
Responses after opponent's DBL (including Pass, RDBL and expected follow-ups); responses after opponent's overcall; rebids after 4th hand doubles the response.
To be completed and emailed to the address specified in the Conditions of Contest, by the announced closing date.
With what hands will advancer pass the overcall? — Meanings of other advances and follow-ups:
Responses after opponent's DBL (incl. Pass, RDBL, follow-ups); responses after opponent's bid; rebids after opener doubles the overcall (1X)-2Y-(P)-P-(DBL)-?; rebids after opener doubles advancer's bid; rebids after opener's suit rebid.
Four types of Alerts apply: Pre-Alerts, Immediate Alerts, Delayed Alerts, and Announcements.
Required primarily to inform opponents about methods they may need to prepare defences against, via the appropriate section on two BFI (or WBF) Convention Cards. In pair events, on arrival at a new table, inform opponents about special calls needing preparation and defence (subject to organizer permission).
Pre-alerts are required for: two-system methods; systems based on very light openings, highly aggressive methods, pre-empts, or very light responses; systems/treatments unfamiliar to opponents (e.g. canapé); all conventional openings and non-standard responses that might require advance defensive preparation.
Any pair using a Pre-Alertable method must, in addition to describing it on the front of their Convention Card, suggest in writing on the reverse (or a Supplementary Sheet for WBF cards) a suitable defence to that method. If the suggested defence is deemed very unsuitable, the CTD may debar the pair from using the method for the remainder of the event/championship. Even if opponents were pre-alerted, any call requiring an alert (e.g. artificial bids) must still be alerted when made.
Given at the moment partner makes a call requiring an Alert (except those requiring an Announcement or Delayed Alert). The Alert must be made audibly (oral bidding) or conspicuously (bidding boxes) so opponents would reasonably notice it. With screens, the Alert is given by conspicuously displaying the small Alert Card, not by tapping it.
2.2.1 Must be alerted: conventional bids; bids with special meanings/understandings between partners (a call/play based on a special partnership understanding is only allowed if opponents could reasonably understand its meaning, or the side discloses it per Law 40(b)); non-forcing jump changes of suit responses to opening bids/overcalls and non-forcing new suit responses by an unpassed hand to one-of-a-suit openings; after an Opening NT sequence or natural NT direct overcall, a 2♣ bid over 1NT or 3♣ over 2NT asking about major-suit holdings — alert any follow-up revealing the asker may not hold a major suit.
2.2.2 If screens are not in use, do NOT alert: any no-trump bid suggesting a balanced/semi-balanced hand or NT contract; any call at the four level or higher (except conventional first-round calls, which require a delayed alert).
2.2.3 Doubles: Alert a double of an Artificial Bid asking for the doubled suit not to be led, or for a specific non-doubled suit to be led. Otherwise, do not alert a double of 3NT or higher; alert a double below 3NT except the following, which are NOT alerted: a takeout double after a natural suit opening at any level; a penalty/card-showing double after a NT opening; any double after an Artificial Opening Bid; a negative double by responder after a natural suit overcall of a 1-level opening; any double by responder after an Artificial overcall of a 1-level opening; a penalty double by responder after a natural suit overcall of 2-level or higher; a penalty double by responder after a natural 1NT/2NT overcall (or any double after an artificial 1NT/2NT overcall); negative/penalty/card-showing doubles by responder after a 1NT/2NT opening and an overcall at the two or three level; a takeout double after a natural opening and a natural response; any double after an opening and response where either is artificial; any double after a natural opening, natural overcall, and natural 1NT response; all doubles by both sides at opener's rebids and later.
2.2.4 Redoubles — do NOT alert: a redouble showing general strength suggesting the current contract or penalizing others; a redouble showing a specific card count/strength in partner's suit; a redouble in balancing seat, or after a balancing double, suggesting doubt about the contract; a redouble showing control in the doubled suit. Players must nonetheless respect the spirit of the policy as well as the letter.
Required for calls that might have non-standard meanings where opponents don't need to know during the auction but knowledge may matter for defense. From opener's rebid onward, calls above 3NT (particularly ace-asking calls and their continuations) should NOT be alerted during the auction, as this can inadvertently aid the alerting pair. After the auction ends (final pass), the partner of the player who made such a call should alert opponents — this Delayed Alert comes after the final pass and before the opening lead, if given by a defender. A defender who leads without making the final pass or otherwise indicating it has ended is not entitled to redress for a missing Delayed Alert; the declaring side should still make Delayed Alerts after the opening lead and before dummy is exposed.
Some universally used conventional methods (e.g. Takeout doubles, Stayman 2♣ over partner's 1NT opening/overcall) need no Alert at all. Other widely used calls that opponents rarely question when alerted (e.g. 2♦/2♥ transfer responses to 1NT; 1NT forcing/semi-forcing over 1♥/1♠) fall into a special "Announcement" category, along with natural calls that vary widely in range between partnerships (e.g. 1NT opening) where opponents need to know very often. For oral bidding, partner announces the method with a very short definition (e.g. "Good 14-17" or "transfer to hearts") right after the bid, without waiting to be asked. With bidding boxes, partner also taps the Alert strip while announcing. With screens, the big blue Alert strip is displayed, with a written (not oral) explanation.
(For category definitions, see Section 4 of this policy above.)
Risk-free psyches, or psychic bids protected/required by system, are treated as Brown Sticker per clause 3.3(d) of the BFI System Policy.