Don’t stay within the lines

I am not a point count kind of gal.  When I evaluate the hand I do count my points but that is not always the major consideration in choosing my bid.  For example, how good a hand is this?

It is not a bad hand starting out.  I like aces and ace kings and kings in long suits.  I have as they say prime cards.  But a lot depends on finding a fit.  I opened 1C and Francine bid 1H.  Now my hand got a lot better.  I made the strongest raise we have I bid 3S, as splinter which shows game values, a control in the fourth suit and a four card heart raise.  Do you think I have overstated my hand?  I was wondering if I had fallen for a handsome guy who would have been much better looking with some club spots.

Francine bid 4♦ which showed serious slam interest and I just blackwooded our way to 6♥ .  Do you think I overbid?  Francine didn’t when she saw dummy.  Here was the whole hand.

North ♠ 7 ♥ KJ83 ♦ A75 ♣ AK743

South ♠ K108 ♥ AQ1052 ♦ K98 ♣ 62

I can always count on Francine to give every hand a good play and she duly made 6♥ when clubs broke, even with the ♠ A offside and a 3-1 heart split.

We both thought it was a pretty good slam to get to.

Now here is some negative evaluation.  I held this hand

Francine opened a strong notrump and I have a 10 count.  There is an argument for just bidding 4♥ .  But then again I don’t really like this 10 count at all.  On the positive side I have a six card suit.  On the negative side I have a bunch of quacks.  I invited in hearts.  Francine accepted with a 15 count but with AKx of hearts and a ruffing value.  It was on the heart hook which lost.  So it was right to be there vulnerable at imps but I think I was right not to like the hand and not to treat it as 10.  What do you think?  Do the 10’s and the 6 card suit make up for the general quack like nature of the hand?

When I complained a bit and suggested that I didn’t even want to invite (after we went down in 4♥). Francine just said; ” Ah come on you have 10 points.”  She’s right of course.  But I really don’t like jacks in short suits.