Myxomatosis Two Bids - Allowed?

[jdulmage]

I want to try a variation of Myxomatosis Two Bids and want to know if it's allowed at club level/general convention chart.

 

To make this short, basically opening 2 diamonds shows hearts, 2 hearts shows spades and spades shows clubs.

 

Thanks for your help.

[awm]

The ACBL General Chart basically disallows preempts that don't show the suit bid. In essence any opening which could be less than 10 hcp must be natural. The only exception is a 2NT opening showing the minors.

 

There is some dispute about whether an opening which shows a weak (less than 10 hcp) hand with the bid suit and another suit is allowed. I've seen conflicted answers from ACBL on this.

 

But it is clear that a "transfer preempt" -- a bid which shows (or could show) a weak hand in a specific suit not the bid suit -- is a mid-chart convention.

 

I suspect that in most other parts of the world outside ACBL jurisdiction, a bid that shows a weak hand with 5+ in a known suit would be allowed.

[pclayton]

These are mid-chart.

 

Transfer preempts were in vogue a few years ago, until people figured out that they could make a penalty double and a takeout double.

 

I don't know of anyone that still plays them.

[skjaeran]

The ACBL General Chart basically disallows preempts that don't show the suit bid. In essence any opening which could be less than 10 hcp must be natural. The only exception is a 2NT opening showing the minors.

 

There is some dispute about whether an opening which shows a weak (less than 10 hcp) hand with the bid suit and another suit is allowed. I've seen conflicted answers from ACBL on this.

 

But it is clear that a "transfer preempt" -- a bid which shows (or could show) a weak hand in a specific suit not the bid suit -- is a mid-chart convention.

 

I suspect that in most other parts of the world outside ACBL jurisdiction, a bid that shows a weak hand with 5+ in a known suit would be allowed.

Not only allowed - I would just love to see anyone playing them. ;)

I'd never ever consider playing transfer preempts myself. I think it's the most stupid convention I've ever run into - see Phil's post above.

[DrTodd13]

I used to play Purple Two's which is like Myxo on steroids. I played them with a few people but mainly on OKb. I don't play much with Gerard anymore and I think he's the only other one that plays them who is on BBO regularly. The notes for them are on my bridge webpage.

[jdulmage]

Ok, thanks all for your help.

 

I know they are quote/unquote "stupid", we are just trying out a bunch of different things to see what happens. Fortunately, it's months before the next major event and so I have time to mess around.

[the hog]

You have your teminology incorrect. Myxomatosis 2 bids were invented in Australia by Bob Sebesfi, an acquaintance of mine and the partner of an occasional poster on these forums, Impact, and are as follows:

 

2C = GF or weak 2D or 5/5 / 5-10 Ms

2D = Strong 2D or Weak 2H or 5/5 /blacks 5-10 or 21-22 balanced

2H = Strong 2H or Weak 2S or 5/5 /ms 5-10

2S = Strong 2H or Weak 3C in or 5/5 / reds 5-10

2NT = 5/5 / or / 5-10 rounded or pointed

 

As you see they are NOTHING like transfer 2 openings alone. The transfer is only one option. I have played these and they are huge fun. I suspect the above is totally outlawed in the US.

BTW myxomatosis is a disease which kills rabbits.

[nickf]

...and like many conventions that the hog has commented upon in the past, myxamtosis 2s are quite common even at club level in Australia and you would hardly look twice if your lol opponents were playing them.

 

Requires between 10-15 seconds to formulate a defense.

 

nickf

sydney

[Free]

I don't know of anyone that still plays them.

Ben hasn't abandoned his MisIry stuff has he? :)

[cherdano]

...and like many conventions that the hog has commented upon in the past, myxamtosis 2s are quite common even at club level in Australia and you would hardly look twice if your lol opponents were playing them.

 

Requires between 10-15 seconds to formulate a defense.

I would like to see this 10-15 seconds defense.

[jtfanclub]

...and like many conventions that the hog has commented upon in the past, myxamtosis 2s are quite common even at club level in Australia and you would hardly look twice if your lol opponents were playing them.

 

Requires between 10-15 seconds to formulate a defense.

I would like to see this 10-15 seconds defense.

Here's what I came up with in less than a minute...

 

2nd hand

X= takeout of the suit up. If 1 suit up is a minor, it's a takeout for both majors.

Pass then X= Penalty.

1 suit up: 2 or 3 suited takeout. If it's 2 suited, includes the overcalled suit and the opening suit. If it's 3 suited, includes the overcalled suit. 11-15 hcp.

Pass then 1 suit up= Natural.

Jump bid 1 suit up= Either shortness or asking for double stop in 1 suit up.

2NT=15-18, includes stopper in 1 suit up.

Pass then 2NT (if possible) 12-15

All other bids= Natural 13-18

Pass then new suit= Natural 10-13

 

4th hand

X= Penalty

New suits are natural 13+, NF if partner has 0-7.

2NT= 15-18 (EDIT: in my second minute, realized 2NT=12-15 and Xing with a balanced 15-18 might be better. Gets us to game when we should be in 3NT).

Cue bid= 19+, forcing.

 

Dunno if it's any good, but it's what an Intermediate like me would play.

[nickf]

...and like many conventions that the hog has commented upon in the past, myxamtosis 2s are quite common even at club level in Australia and you would hardly look twice if your lol opponents were playing them.

 

Requires between 10-15 seconds to formulate a defense.

I would like to see this 10-15 seconds defense.

Considering most of the time the hand will have a weak 2 in the suit above, I've always played:

 

- bid next suit for takeout (like 2D over their 2C as takeout of D)

- all else natural including 2NT.

 

OK, given I'm not a touch typist that took 20 seconds.

 

nickf

sydney

[the hog]

What Arend is forgetting is that any reasonable pair who knows that even many Lols play methods like this will have meta agreements and so, "yes." Nick is correct, it does only tale 10-15 seconds to refresh your memory.

 

It is only if you are protected and swathed in cotton wool, that you panic when you see what for you is unusual.

[cherdano]

...and like many conventions that the hog has commented upon in the past, myxamtosis 2s are quite common even at club level in Australia and you would hardly look twice if your lol opponents were playing them.

 

Requires between 10-15 seconds to formulate a defense.

I would like to see this 10-15 seconds defense.

Considering most of the time the hand will have a weak 2 in the suit above, I've always played:

 

- bid next suit for takeout (like 2D over their 2C as takeout of D)

- all else natural including 2NT.

 

OK, given I'm not a touch typist that took 20 seconds.

Uhm. This doesn't use double, and you haven't said anything about 4th hand's actions, depending on the various rebids by responder. (2C P 2H (p/c) X etc.)

 

I am not saying this is particularly difficult to defend, but saying you can formulate a defense in 10-15 seconds is so close to being ridiculous that it doesn't help your likely cause that this should never be outlawed anywhere. (I am not arguing with that opinion, just with your statement above.)

[jdonn]

Uhm. This doesn't use double, and you haven't said anything about 4th hand's actions, depending on the various rebids by responder. (2C P 2H (p/c) X etc.)

 

I am not saying this is particularly difficult to defend, but saying you can formulate a defense in 10-15 seconds is so close to being ridiculous that it doesn't help your likely cause that this should never be outlawed anywhere. (I am not arguing with that opinion, just with your statement above.)

There is even more to it than that. If the bid has 2 or more weak options and partner overcalls what can we use as a cuebid, if anything? If partner bids the next suit up showing a takeout double, how do we handle a hand where a penalty pass of a takeout double looks like the normal option? What does it mean if partner passes then doubles? Pass then notrump? What if partner overcalls and responder holds the suit in which opener 'usually holds a weak 2 bid'?

 

Sure if you live somewhere where this or any particular bids are common you will be practiced dealing with it and it won't be such an issue. But then it's just a matter of recalling the defense you already use. You can't even come close to formulating anything reasonable from scratch in 10-15 seconds. Maybe in 30 minutes, if you are good at considering all the likely auctions, and even then it won't be nearly as good as it could be.

[mycroft]

I loved the quote from years ago (the author of which I cannot remember) that Myxomatosis 2 bids were called such because they kill rabbits. Now, the rabbits are playing them!

 

Unfortunately, our rabbits are less flexible, and some of them have several thousand masterpoints (and, what is probably more important, several hundred thousand green points to spend on travelling the country playing bridge).

 

(I also like the cricket term of ferret - someone so bad, they "go in after the rabbits").

 

Michael.

[the hog]

"I loved the quote from years ago (the author of which I cannot remember) that Myxomatosis 2 bids were called such because they kill rabbits. Now, the rabbits are playing them!"

 

As I stated earlier, this comes from the inventor, Bob Sebesfi. Why don't you try Leptosplerosis two bids, also commonly played in Oz.