LV: Wednesday, Day 3

I don't like playing Swiss Teams.  In fact, awhile ago I had decided not to play in them anymore but somehow I still end up at the table with teammates. This time I was playing with my new best friend Steve and two sisters from California (originally from New York) that Steve had picked up at the partnership desk.  We quickly discovered that we all liked each other and started having fun.  With a team salute I was elected Captain (Steve didn't want the honors and the sisters were somewhat new to Swiss) and the games were on.

We played 8 rounds of 6 boards each.  We started out strong, way ahead of the pack.  Of course that put us up against increasingly tougher teams, and we started to slide.  In the end we won half of the rounds and got a pittance of MPs.  However, we did have fun and there were some interesting hands.  Here's how the bidding went on one memorable board:

I had nothing, so I passed.  East bid 1 heart and my partner overcalled 1 spade.  Hmm, I thought, I guess I could bid 2 spades; my hand wasn't quite worth the bid, but we weren't vulnerable and the opponents were.  Then West bid 2 spades, effectively stealing my bid and communicating support for her partner's hearts.  I passed and to my utter delight and amazement, East bid 4 spades.  My partner calmly passed, as did West.  Just then East noticed what had happened.

"Oh no!  That's not what I meant to bid!  Obviously I meant 4 hearts!  Can I take it back?"

"I didn't even look at what you had bid!!" West chimed in. "Oh my God."

Steve and I remained calm.  "It's too late," we both said.  "But you can ask a director."  East did call the director, who confirmed that since her partner had bid, her bid of 4 spades had to stand.  Everyone started to gather up their bidding cards.

"Wait a minute, folks," I admonished.  "I still have a bid."  With a murmur, everyone put their bidding cards back on the table.  Yes, I was thinking of doubling but wondering if that would be too cruel.  What the heck, I decided, starting to reach for the X.   Later Steve confessed that at this point his heart stopped and he silently shouted "No No NO!" I must have heard him, because somehow I suddenly realized that my double would give the opponents another bid and allow them to switch back to hearts.  I smoothly reached for the green pass card instead and the bidding was over.

Our opponents went down seven, vulnerable, while our partners made game for 620; this won us the round. I guess there are some parts of Swiss Teams that I do like.