Last night Neil and I sat down for a practice game, trying out 2/1 game force for the first time. Neil hadn't read over the system notes in any great detail, other than noticing a "forcing 1NT response". This lead to the following auction on the following cards:

The auction was fairly rubbish, with Neil deciding that he had to make a bid because 1NT was forcing (it wasn't) and decided to show 18-19 balanced after a long think. This gets us to the dreadful contract of 3NT after I decide to not take advantage of the UI.

Lead was the Q, which I won. Looking at the full hands, can you see any way of making nine tricks?

Anyway I started by leading the 9, which held the trick. I then played a second one, and LHO stuck the J in (great defence there). I cleared the spades, LHO winning the Ace and switching to a diamond.

Now, LHO has butchered the defence, can RHO do any better? Well, he has three defensive tricks to cash, so this contract still doesn't look like it's making. However, cashing them would be completely not in the spirit of the event, and so plays the K, 10 and.... the 8! Whoops. LHO kindly pitches clubs on these tricks, so I decide that LHO doesn't have the Q, and play a small one to the table, LHO showing out. I can now claim 9 tricks for +400. And I don't think that one will trouble the scorers....