Australian Bidding System

Craig Benn

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Never used this before so I have a few hopefully simple questions.

The scenario I am due to play has G1, G2, G3 and A1, A2 and A3 bids.

Q1; can you bid A0 or G0? (no balance)
Q2; If the bids are A2 and G1, does only A2 take effect or do both take effect?
 

bendizoid

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Question 1: yes ‘zero bid is allowed and I believe OO is also allowed meaning no side preferred.
Question 2: Dont know for sure, my guess is they both take effect.
 
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Philippe D.

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Doesn't A2 mean "I would like to play the defender, and I am ready to give you this [the balance] to get this side"? If so, then when the players bid on opposing sides, they should each get their preferred side with no balance?
 

BattleSchool

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Actually,
That's not exactly how it's done, at least not as published by MMP. Both players secretly bid for sides by recording their bids. Each player's bid includes their preferred side and the handicap level they are willing to concede to their opponent.

For example, Player A bids G1, while player B bids A2. In this case, Player A would play the Germans with the G1 handicap, while Player B would play the Americans with the A2 handicap.

If both players bid the same side, the player who bid the higher handicap plays that side at that handicap level, while his opponent would play the other side side a level 0.

If both players bid A3, they would make a DR, with the lowest DR getting the Americans with the A3 handicap, while the other player would play the Germans without any handicap.
 

Philippe D.

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OK, so I had the system wrong in my mind. I don't think I've ever played a scenario with the Australian system; I never play in tournaments and it's very rare that the sides are not just agreed upon with my opponent.
 

Mister T

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It is of course to up to each TD to specify in advance the way the ABS would work as the system is adjustable. Nevertheless there is now one firmly established practice, and this practice: i) allow zero bids; ii) enable both bids to take effect when they are of opposite side.
 

BattleSchool

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...I believe OO is also allowed meaning no side preferred.
I'm not sure that a "00" bid is permitted under ABS as currently published by MMP.

If I understand your clever thinking, it allows you to snag either side at no cost to you. More important, your "00" bid may potentially cost your opponent one or more handicap levels regardless of which side he bids. That said, there's nothing stopping a TD from permitting a "fence-sitter" bid.

However, in my limited experience, TDs usually indicate when ABS-style bidding is compulsory for a scenario, round, etc. This translates into players having to bid for a side. The strength of a bid is the only thing that remains at the player's discretion.

But you raise a good point, one that a TD may overlook when planning a tourney that incorporates ABS.

YABSMMV
 

klasmalmstrom

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I'm not sure that a "00" bid is permitted under ABS as currently published by MMP.
From the ABS "rules" published in Action Pack #6:

"With the ABS, each scenario has four levels of bidding for each side, 0-3, providing each player with 8 bidding options. Level 0 is the side as given with no changes."
 

BattleSchool

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From the ABS "rules" published in Action Pack #6:

"With the ABS, each scenario has four levels of bidding for each side, 0-3, providing each player with 8 bidding options. Level 0 is the side as given with no changes."
Correct, you may bid G0 or A0, for example, but not "00." As I read it, you must bid for one side or the other.

EX:
G0
G1
G2
G3
A0
A1
A2
A3

There are only eight (8) bidding options in total, not nine.
 
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