Day 3: Wednesday

I hate distributional hands.  Yesterday evening I had three of those nasty things in one session.

#1:  I had 5 hearts and 5 spades with 14 high card points.  Not bad, I thought.  I opened a spade, my partner supported me.  The opponents interfered; should I rebid 3 or 4?  I was feeling frisky so went to 4.  Please understand that I know I shouldn’t base a bid on whether I “feel” like it, but I have a hard time evaluating hands like these.  How much are they worth?  More than point count, certainly.  Well, I was down 2 for a bad board.

#2:  Just a couple of boards later I looked at my hand and saw 5 hearts and 6 diamonds with 12 high card points.  Oh no, I thought.  Not again.  This time it was even more distributional but with fewer points.  I sighed to myself and dutifully opened a heart.  My partner said 1 NT, I rebid 2 diamonds and she said 3 diamonds.  Not again, I said to myself (again) and I passed.  I made 5, but at least this time it was an average board.

#3:  Then came the most horrible hand of the series.  I had 6 hearts headed by the king/queen and 4 clubs (ace/jack) with 16 points.  I know you are thinking that you would love to have this hand, but remember, it all depends on what everyone else is holding.  And what they were holding and bidding was not good for me.  The opponent in front of me opened a heart. What??? I passed.  His partner said 1 spade, pass, pass, back to me.  I couldn’t let them play it in 1 spade, my hand would have been worthless.  My only other possible bid was 2 clubs so I boldly made it.  I went down 3 for a bottom board.  Here’s the kicker…when I checked the hand record, my opponent had opened 1 heart with 4 hearts and 7 points.

We ended the game at 55% and won .54 red.