Nice Defence by Paula

[OliverC]

Paula and I found a nice defence on this hand when Opps overstretched themselves:

You are North, Game All, Dealer West:

North
  Q96
  QJ975
  K108
  K10

Bidding
West     North     East     South
1        1         1       No
1NT       No           2       No
3NT       All Pass

Paula led the Queen and Dummy went down:

East (Dummy)
  KJ1074
  106
  AJ2
   985
                North
                Q96
                QJ975
                K108
                K10

Partner (me) played the 2 and Declarer won with the King, cashed the Ace and then led a small Diamond to Dummy's Jack, which held.The King and Jack of Spades followed, Declarer discarding small Hearts and Partner following with the 2 and then the 5.

What now?

Paula did well to switch to the King (Clubs were what I'd been asking for with the 2 at trick 1) and we took the next 5 tricks (I had AQxxx) to defeat 3NT by 2 tricks. Clearly lots of Norths didn't, because NT contracts were often making 8 or 9 tricks. The Heart position was totally clear  and clearly the Diamonds and Spades give no prospect of tricks so the only immediate chance of taking the contract off was in Clubs.