Played a half set on BBO against Jeff and Paul with a guy named Dan (not Korbel.)  We should have won but I was less than solid and we got pipped by an IMP and change.

My first mistake was a bidding mistake:

A93 / J / AQJ976 / AK9

I opened 1 Diamond and partner bid the expected 1 Heart. ...

I'm definitely too good for 3 Diamonds.  That leaves 1 Spade, 2 Spades and 3 Clubs as possible bids.  I think 3 Clubs is right because even though it takes up a lot of space, manufacturing a Spade bid is just too risky.  If partner has 4 Spades it might be awfully hard to convince him that you don't really have them after all.

I should have decided what I was going to do before I even opened 1 Diamond.  I started to tank (7 or 8 seconds) and then I felt slimy about making any call after a tank on a 3-card suit and so I decided to bid 2NT.  Pard thought a bit and bid 3NT.  Sigh.  I, of course, passed.

Pard had the nightmare super-max.

K8 / AKT5 / K82 / 6532 

12 top tricks.  I'm pretty sure pard would drive to slam with this after a 3 Club bid.

My 2nd mistake was an easy declarer play problem where I lost a Heart spot and blew an uptrick (although when you're only in 3 Spades maybe taking every last trick so you can make 5 isn't always best if partner underbid.)

My 3rd mistake was an opening lead problem.

Jeff opened a Polish Club on my left, Paul bid 1 Spade on my right and Jeff bid 4 Spades.

754 / 97643 / 974 / Q4

I hate leading from nothing.  Pard has to have an openerish hand if we have any chance here.  Why didn't he bid?  Maybe he has Clubs.  With a great 4 card suit he might have overcalled.  Could this be the one time that my string of dozens of failed leads from honor-doubleton in an unbid suit comes to an end?

...

Nope.

I actually thought I was a hero when dummy tracked:

AKJ9 / A2 / KQ / T8752

Unfortunately, pard had

Q3 / QJT5 / AT32 / A63

and not only did my lead kill our 2nd defensive winner in the suit, but it let Paul pick off pard's Qx of Spades (presumably assuming that I wouldn't be trying for a ruff with Qxx of Spades.)

Ugh. 

My final lapse was a defensive one.

963 / KT87 / AKQJ / K9

I opened 1NT.  Jeff showed Clubs & Spades.  Paul bid 3 Spades and Jeff bid 4, smashed by partner.

I should probably lead a trump here, but I wanted to have a look (and was worried about Diamonds going away on Clubs.)  I led the Diamond Ace.

AQ82 / Q2 / 96 / AJ762

I cashed 2 Diamonds and then agonized about whether to switch to a Heart or not.  Could Paul have Qxx of Clubs and Kxxxx of Spades and cash 10 tricks if we don't take our 4 first?

I decided that partner wouldn't be doubling this with only the Ace of Hearts and out.  I switched to a trump.

Paul won in his hand with the Jack and now played a Heart up.

This is such an easy duck in hindsight (or if I had given it more than a modicum of thought at the time.)  Paul is marked with the KJ of Spades so partner has nothing there.  I had the AKQJ of Diamonds.  Did partner really double this with nothing but the Jack of Hearts and QT of Clubs (not to mention at most a doubleton Spade and probably just a stiff?)

Uh, no.  But I did my best Larry Lunchmeat impression and hopped right up with the King of Hearts. 

Paul was happy to escape for down 1.

AQ82 / Q2 / 96 / AJ762

KJT54 / J965 / T83 / 5

1: http://www.bridgebase.com/myhands/fetchlin.php?id=90850925&when_played=1223755219
2: http://www.bridgebase.com/myhands/fetchlin.php?id=90851799&when_played=1223755219
3: http://www.bridgebase.com/myhands/fetchlin.php?id=90851733&when_played=1223755219
4: http://www.bridgebase.com/myhands/fetchlin.php?id=90854585&when_played=1223755219