Three notrump.

Dlr: S Vul: All AJ1043 AK742 6 KQ KQ7 Q8 J32 107654 952 JT96 K10984 A 86 53 AQ75 J9832

After two passes, partner (ruido) opened 1H, preparing to reverse, I bid a forcing ONE NOTRUMP (planning to raise clubs), he bid TWO SPADES, he bid TWO NOTRUMP and I bid THREE anyway.

The lead, for the defence was unfortunate. Playing attitude leads, and not appreciating the value of the Club ten, West got off to CT, CK, CA, C3.
RHO shifts to DT, I decide to play the D7, D2, D6. When RHO continues D9, I put in the DQ, DJ(!), and I choose to throw the blocking club Q.
I play CJ,C4, pitch H4, RHO shows out (s5). C9 is master and is cashed, a heart from dummy, spade 2 from righty. I cash C8 , dummy pitches a spade, and RHO throws S9, and a plan is taking shape. Without cashing the DA and willing to be cut off from it for now, I advance the S8, S7, small! and RHO is out (H6).

So I have the lead in hand. I know west has a master club, two spades SKQ, and I think I can extract his hearts and diamonds. I cash DA now, pitching a heart from dummy (now down to S:AJT, H:AK) and when I cash HA, H:K, LHO follows to all red cards and I know the ending, and playoff SA, for my ninth trick. Lefty takes a spade and a master club.


The field mostly played in the 5-2 spade fit(!) and was off 1. 3NT was off a couple here and there, and some defenders allowed the overtrick.
For my efforts, I was +9.1 IMP on a cross-IMP pairs basis.