What you agree on isn't as important as having an agreement.

My friend Greg and I are trying to build a strong partnership. We're studying a couple of different precision systems (don't ask me why it can't be just one; oh, if only things were that simple) and playing 2 over 1 while we work on mastering all these complex relay structures. We really should be playing a barebones 2/1 card while we get our ducks in a row, but why would we do that?

We've been having a tug of war lately over whether to play minorwood or kickback. Greg had never played minorwood and I'd never played kickback, though I do see its advantages. Finally, last Wednesday before our club game, Greg whined enough to get me to agree on kickback. You see where this is going, don't you?

On the final board of the afternoon, we had the following auction:
Greg Meg
1D - 1H
2C - 2S (artificial, game force)
3C - 3D
3N - 4H
PASS

We played in our 4-1 fit, down 2, where slam is cold in either minor. Whoopsie.

So the moral of the story is that if you're going to insist on playing a convention, you should probably remember it when it comes up.

Thanks, Greg, for being a good sport as I continue to laugh at you five days later, and for letting me post this on my website.