This was our most costly error, a chance for an outright top converted into a near bottom. If I had started with ace and another heart it would have been almost impossible to mess things up, but I chose to lead a spade. Declarer won in hand and tried the ten of clubs, covered by the queen and ace. Now declarer led a low club off dummy; this was our last chance for two down but Ann ducked and declarer escaped for one off and a top as the room was scoring 450 in hearts. Perhaps Ann should have got this right as I should have the king of diamonds and ace of hearts for my double, but I could have made things easier by not covering with the queen of clubs.
I thought that I had misplayed the next hand, but subsequent analysis showed that I was given no chance by a devilish opening lead.
Ann's 2♦ showed a good three card heart raise. 3♥ was unlawful but survived unscathed when East surprisingly failed to double. West led the jack of diamonds to East's king, and a club was returned. I ducked this and East now got two club ruffs for three down and an equal bottom. East-West can make 11 tricks in diamonds, but only one declarer had managed that, and most North-South pairs playing in hearts had made seven tricks.
After the hand I thought that I should have gone up with the ace of clubs and drawn three rounds of trumps, but a closer look showed that would have been no better. If I do that and play a club up, West wins and plays a diamond. I ruff and play a club to the 10, but East can ruff that and force me with another diamond. Now I have no more trumps and never make a spade trick.
Winning the ace of clubs at trick 2 and playing a spade is no better - East throws a spade on the king of clubs and gets a club ruff and a spade ruff, but only because of the crafty underlead of the ace of diamonds at trick 1.
This was a better board for us, though I'm not sure whether it was down to good luck or good bidding.
I was reluctant to play 3NT opposite a likely small doubleton diamond, so we ended in a dubious 4♠. I won the heart lead and ran the ten of spades to South's queen. Another heart came back and both opponents showed an even number. I now needed North to have a singleton or doubleton honour in clubs - the jack of clubs was covered by the king and ace, then I drew trumps and led the 10 of clubs. South took this and cashed the ace of diamonds but I had 10 tricks for a 90% board.
Despite the diamond weakness 3NT is quite a reasonable contract - I make it about 52%, probably better odds than 4♠ - but looks to have no chance on the actual layout after a diamond lead. A normal line of play - test the hearts and run the ten of spades when the hearts do not break - should lead to two down. 3NT by East was the contract at 13 other tables and a diamond was always, but somehow it was made eleven times and only defeated twice.
