This week's poor bridge comes from the Portland Bowl second round match between Durham B and Leeds B. The match, having been tied over 32 boards, was in extra time when this curious hand popped up:

The Durham pair of Lucy Broomfield and Luke Porter sat North/South when the board was played the first time around, and produced the following auction:

North/South were vulnerable, so in seat two Luke opts for a conservative weak 2 opening. Lucy, feeling that her massive hand was not worth a game call, made the strictly non-forcing 3 bid — a continuation of the preempt. Needless to say, game was ice cold and Luke made (cashed) 11 tricks and a 12th on the memory squeeze. It was at this point that Lucy became somewhat stressed as she feared that her underbidding antics might have cost her side the match. Her fears lasted only as long as the stanza - about another 45 minutes — impressive, as this was already the 4th board played.

She needn't have worried, for at the other table the hand was altogether more bizarre. Dean Rivers sat East (partnering Rob) and the bidding proceded thus:

And that was it! All Pass, and Dean is left to play in 1NT on a combined 16 count. Now, to the naked eye there are only two good things about this contract:
(i) It isn't doubled.
(ii) There seems to be a heart game on the other way, which opposition couldn't be bothered to find. But, as we know, it hasn't been bid at the other table, so there is only one good thing about this contract.

If the defence get it right there are 11 cashing tricks but this is what actually happened: South kicks off with Ace, King and 6 of spades, so we get:

So Dean still has 11 tricks to lose, but at least he has two winning tricks, and the lead. He wisely puts through a club which South wins and Dean is once again at the defence's mercy. Sure enough we get a heart to the Ace and a heart return to the Queen and King. So:

South on lead: all that he has to do is play a heart to partner's Jack and the defence cash lots of tricks for five off. Instead, South leads the A and, having set up Dean's diamond suit to go with his club suit, plays? You guessed it, another diamond. 3 clubs, 2 diamonds and a spade to go with the spade already won. 1NT making on the nose.

This good score went with a string of other good scores to allow Durham B a comfortable win in the play-off. Thanks to Leeds for the match, but with this kind of bridge being played, why did it come to the extra time play-off at all?