The Precision Club Piggery        Guest User

Alpha is always the first bid in an Asking sequence if it is used at all. If Alpha is not used to initiate an Asking Bid sequence then it cannot be used later on. A bid is Alpha in the following situations:

• A jump-shift response by an unpassed hand to an Opening Bid of 1♦ or 2♣. eg: 1♦-2♥ is Alpha in Hearts.
  
• A 3-level jump-shift by an unpassed hand over an Opening of 1NT. eg: 1NT-3♠ is Alpha in Spades.
  
• A simple new-suit rebid by Opener after a 1♣ Opening and a positive response of 1♥ or 1♠. eg: 1♣-1♠-2♣ is Alpha in Clubs.
  
• A rebid of 2NT by Opener after a 1♣ Opening and a positive response of 1NT, 2♣ or 2♦ is Alpha in the relay suit (because the relay is a low-level Beta). Thus 1♣-1NT-2NT is Alpha in Clubs, because 1♣-1NT-2♣ is Beta.
  

There are no other situations where a bid can be Alpha

The step responses to Alpha are as follows (the blue line indicating the divide between negative and positive responses):-

1. : 0-3 Controls and no good support for Opener's suit (less than Qxx or xxxx).
2. : 4+ Controls and no good support for Opener's suit.

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3. : 0-3 Controls and support (at least Qxx or xxxx).
4. : 4+ Controls and support.
5. : 4 Controls and good support (at least Qxxx)
6. : 5 Controls and good support (at least Qxxx)
7. : 6 Controls and good support (at least Qxxx)
8. ...etc etc

In the Same Suit

If Responder gives a negative response to Alpha (ie: 1 or 2 steps), then Opener is allowed to make a Repeat Ask in the same suit. This Repeat Ask is a Theta unless Responder has shown a balanced hand in which case it is Iota. Any response that shows Qx or xxx agrees the suit as trumps.

If Responder makes a negative response to this Iota Ask (ie: showing less than Qx or xxx), then all Asking Bids lapse with the exception of Gamma in Responder's suit below game level and high-level Beta Asks. If trumps are explicitly agreed by natural means, then Epsilons also become available again.

In these situations it is often (ie: a negative response to Alpha) it is often better to hand over the Captaincy to Responder, space permitting, and allow them to bid their hand naturally (ie: to show a second suit, additional length in their first suit, or partial support for Opener's Alpha suit). Moreover, with a decent tolerance or support for responder's suit it is sometimes better to agree it via Gamma rather than using Alpha, and enquire about the Alpha suit afterwards (perhaps with a view to jump-shifting into that suit later on).

In a Different Suit

If Responder gives a negative response to Alpha (ie: 1 or 2 steps), then Opener is also allowed to make a Repeat Ask in a different suit. This Ask is always Iota, whether or not Responder has shown a balanced hand.

This second suit must be at least of 5-card length, since the normal rules for Iota apply (ie: a 3-step response showing Qxx or KQ agree the suit as trumps). With a second suit of 4-card length, Opener almost always hands over the Captaincy. If Opener does hand over the Captaincy and a trump suit is explicitly agreed by natural means, then Epsilons again become available. High-level Beta Asks are always available.

• As can be seen from the above, a 3-step response or better agrees Opener's suit as trumps and any subsequent bids in side-suits (unless a jump-shift, which is "to play" or invitational) is either Beta or Epsilon.
• The response to an Alpha Ask always affects the range for any subsequent Beta in the sense that the "normal" Beta scale is never used if Alpha has been used. Thus if Responder shows 0-3 Controls, then the weak Beta scale is used, and if 4+ controls are shown to Alpha, then the strong Beta scale is used. (If Alpha gets a 5-step or better response, there is no need for a later Beta because Responder's exact number of controls is known).