SELECT values from a table WHERE first letter is ...

[nexgen_x]

I've got an index page for a load of names in a table. along the top is the alphabet, allowing the user to display names that begin with a particular letter of the alphabet. Lets say they click on the letter "D"
The $query will looking something like:
"SELECT name FROM reviews WHERE name=" .... and then im not sure... Whats the SQL syntax for "first char of the value"? I'll be using the variable $alph to determine which letter of the alphabet the user has clicked on, so I need the code equivilent of:
WHERE first letter of name='$alph'

Any help would be great

Cheers,

[jnuneznyc]

$alph = mysql_escape_string($alph);
$sql = "SELECT name FROM reviews WHERE name LIKE '{$alph}%' "