Kalamazoo Sectional 2012

Julie and I played in the Friday games and in the Swiss Team event on Sunday.  We decided to play in the open pairs on Friday, and we did very well in the afternoon (not so great in the evening).  Swiss Teams became tiring, not only because we played 7 rounds of 7 boards each, but also because it was very warm.  If the air conditioning was on, we didn't feel it; the ninety degree heat crept in and made everyone sweaty and lethargic.

Most of the boards we played are now a blur, but I do somewhat remember one hand that Julie and I played early in the day on Sunday.  Julie opened a club and I had twelve points with four little hearts.  I dutifully bid 1 heart, thinking about where we might find a game contract.  Then Julie jump-shifted into spades, telling me she had 18 or 19 points.  Maybe we have slam, I thought, but how do I find out?  And where would we play it?  My hearts were poor and my spades were even worse.  Hmm, I thought.  I'll show Julie that I have good diamonds.  I bid 3 diamonds.

Julie bid 3NT.  

Now what?  Julie is counting on my hearts for a stopper, I thought.  Plus, I want to investigate slam but don't know how.  I have to get Julie to bid again so I can get more information and so I'll have more time to figure out what to do.  If I go beyond 3NT, I think, maybe Julie will realize that I have enough points to keep going and that I don't like no trump.  I bid 4 clubs.  

Julie thought for a moment and then pulled out the 4 no trump card.  Why is she insisting on no trump, I thought.  I am running out of options!  All right, I said to myself, here goes 5 clubs.  Since I bid diamonds first and have now bid clubs twice, Julie will see that these are my two good suits.  If she would rather be in diamonds, she can still bid 5 diamonds and then maybe I will go to 6.  I was undecided, but seriously considering it.

Julie shrugged and bid 6NT.  

Our teammates' opponents were also in no trump, but only in 3.  Julie made 6 and we won that round.

                            *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

Faulty thinking #1:  After this round, Mike asked me where all of my points were.  Diamonds and clubs, I answered.  "Then where are your partner's 18 points?" he asked.  Hmm, good question.  "Even if she has the ace, king, queen, and jack of spades," he continued, "that's only 10 points.  You have the majority of the points in the minors; she has to have something in hearts."  In fact Julie had the king and was not counting on my hearts for a stopper.  

Faulty thinking #2:  Julie had received my message about having points and was starting to investigate slam.  Her 4NT bid was not an insistence on playing in no trump, it was 1430.  She thought my response meant that I had the key cards she needed, which is why she went to slam.

If only I could remember all of the hands we played at the tournament; just think how much I could learn!