107 7432 10963 J42
	J942 AJ10 82 AK93

1

1

1

The opening lead is the 9, obviously from shortness, to his partner's Q. That brings me down to three tricks, since my second heart trick is getting ruffed. There's nothing to do but to draw trumps, so I lead a small spade, inserting the 7. It works, losing to the Q. I'm up to four tricks.

RHO cashes the other high heart, then returns the 8 to give his partner a ruff with the 8. That's a suit preference signal, but evidentally, LHO is unwilling to underlead his AQ. He continues with a small club to his partner's 10 and my K. I exit with a trump to LHO's K. He thinks for awhile and cashes the A, drawing his partner's last trump, then continues with another club. RHO puts up the Q! I win, cross to the J, and discard a diamond on the good 7. I have two good black cards left in my hand and I've already taken five tricks, so I make 1!

I suggest to partner after the match that I might have passed 1. He replies, "what would you have led against 3NT?" "Probably the K." "That's their 9th trick. If you led a spade, I could finesse the seven. That'd probably beat it." "Doesn't look like it. What should I pitch on four rounds of diamonds?" Our teammates arrive and are +400 on the board, having duly bid and made 3NT. I'm still not sure I'd respond to 1, but partner was certainly right this time.