Hand of the Week #94 ♠

East opens 1♦, South passes and West replies with a jump to 3♦ showing 10-12 with a diamond fit and no major suit. North passes, leaving it as an East-West only auction and now East probes for game with a bid of 3♠. Given that West’s response of 3♦ denied a 4 card major, this bid by East is not looking a major fit but is actually looking for 3NT, often the desired game when no major fit is present. This East-West pair are playing that a new suit over a minor agreement bid (in this case East’s 3♠ over West’s jump raise to 3♦) is a stopper showing bid and is looking for 3NT. West has the other suits stopped so bids 3NT which ends the bidding. North leads the ♠K (top of a sequence) – what is your plan to try and make 9 tricks here?

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