Judi Marshall took animated exception to one of my bids against her on Thursday – it was a Diamond overcall of her partner’s 1 Diamond opener – saying, in effect, that I can’t bid like that. Holding six Diamonds in what was otherwise a rather pathetic hand, I remarked that I was only doing what the cards told me to. To which I added, “Sometimes you have to wear what’s in the closet.”
This must have resonated on more than one level. It cracked Judi up at length. We all laughed. Even her taciturn partner, Tom Fraas, gave a chuckle. On Friday, Judi gleefully threw the line back at me as we approached her table to play a round. If I say so myself, it’s a good one. Here’s the hand that inspired it:
Board 1. Nobody’s vulnerable. North is dealer.
North (Tom Fraas)
Spades: A-Q-6-4; Hearts: A-K-7-4
Diamonds: 10-8-5; Clubs: 10-3
East (me)
Spades: J-10-7; Hearts: Q-8-6
Diamonds: Q-J-9-6-4-2; Clubs: 7
South (Judi Marshall)
Spades: 9-8-5-2; Hearts: 5-3-2
Diamonds: None; Clubs: Q-9-8-5-4-2
West (Alicia Kolipinski)
Spades: K-3; Hearts: J-9
Diamonds: A-K-7-3; Clubs: A-K-J-6
Tom opened a Diamond, I passed and Judi bid 2 Clubs. Alicia also passed, as did Tom. So I bid 2 Diamonds, which I hoped would be understood as a real Diamond bid, albeit a weak one. Then Alicia broke her silence by going 2 No Trump. I passed. Alicia played it out and made 2 NT exactly for plus 120, which turned up to be just one step up from a bottom board.
At the first two tables to play the hand, the 1 Diamond opening bid was doubled and stayed doubled, down three, giving East-West plus 500. A two-way tie for top board. One table saw it played at 3 NT, making an overtrick. Plus 430. We were one of four tables to play it at 2 NT, but the others did better, making one or two overtricks. Another played it at 1 NT, making two overtricks. Worst idea was playing it at 2 Diamonds, making an overtrick for only plus 110.
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