[aguahombre]

pretzalz, on Sep 11 2010, 11:18 PM, said:

I don't understand why 4♠ would need to be alerted playing namyats.

Maybe you don't have to alert it in your jurisdiction. In ACBL, it should be alerted because it is part of a system (Namyats), where it is the weaker of two ways of showing a hand with a long spade suit which wants to open at the 4-level. The inference from not choosing the 4D bid is something to disclose.

Since in certain cases YOUR 4S and 4D openings are stronger than the standards for NAMYATS, if you are in ACBL your partner should make that clear in the explanation.

[the hog]

aguahombre, on Sep 12 2010, 12:52 PM, said:

pretzalz, on Sep 11 2010, 11:18 PM, said:

I don't understand why 4♠ would need to be alerted playing namyats.

Maybe you don't have to alert it in your jurisdiction. In ACBL, it should be alerted because it is part of a system (Namyats), where it is the weaker of two ways of showing a hand with a long spade suit which wants to open at the 4-level. The inference from not choosing the 4D bid is something to disclose.

Since in certain cases YOUR 4S and 4D openings are stronger than the standards for NAMYATS, if you are in ACBL your partner should make that clear in the explanation.

Do people actually alert it though, I mean in reality?

[jdonn]

I don't believe opening 4♠ when playing namyats is alertable in the ACBL. It shows the exact same as a 4♠ opening bid for people who don't play namyats. It's the 4♦ opening bid that shows a hand too strong for a standard 4♠ opening where people who don't play namyats have to try 1♠ instead.

[peachy]

pretzalz, on Sep 12 2010, 12:18 AM, said:

I don't understand why 4♠ would need to be alerted playing namyats. I open 4♦ on hands I would otherwise open 1♠, not 4♠. The range of hands I open 4♠ is pretty much the same whether or not I'm playing namyats. In third seat I need a borderline 2♣ opener to open 4♦ so from that perspective the question is particularly bizarre.

Nothing bizarre about it. In an earlier post, I quoted the relevant part of the ACBL regulation but here it is again:

" Natural opening bids at the three level or higher which convey an unusual message regarding HCP range or any other information which might be unexpected to the opponents must be Alerted.
EXAMPLE: 4H,S openings which are natural but are weaker than might be expected because the partnership has some other method (an example is the Namyats convention) for showing a good 4H,S opening. "