Slam

Julie and I played bridge last Friday, which can be a tough game.  We did all right, though, coming in first in C.  There was one snafu (well, one that I want to focus on) that comes to mind:  we missed bidding a slam.  Here's what happened.

I opened 1 spade, even though I only had 10 or 11 HCPs.  My suit was solid and my hand met the "rule of 20" guideline.  I don't remember the exact sequence of bidding anymore, but at one point very early on Julie bid 4N.  Oh oh, I thought.  She thinks I have more than I do.  Nothing for it but to tell her that I had only one key card.  She signed off in 5 spades but I made slam.

"Did you bid slam?" an A player asked us later.

"No," we replied.

"Why not?  You were only missing one key card."

"I was chicken," Julie admitted.  "We were on the right track, we just didn't get into the station."

This scenario stayed on Julie's mind and was almost the first thing she referred to when we met up earlier today for a Sunday afternoon of bridge.

"I'm bidding slam today!" She was determined to not let that bid get away from her again.

"If it's there or not!" I joked.

These turned out to be prophetic words.  Julie bid and made 2 slams.  I think before my next game I'm going to try that strategy and say something like, "I'm going to bid game if it's there, not bid it if it isn't (unless it would be a good sacrifice), and bid and make slam."  The power of positive thinking.