I did learn something

Just a week ago I posted this hand:

♠	6
♥	Q J 6 4 3
♦	K J 9 8 7 2
♣	A

I suggested that the best opening was 1♥ because otherwise you'll never get your heart suit across. As the comments on that post helpfully suggested it isn't a general rule for 6m5M hands. Changing only the suits around to give:

♠	Q J 6 4 3
♥	6
♦	A
♣	K J 9 8 7 2

You'd always open 1♣ because you know you can bid your spades out cheaply, an auction like 1♣ - 1♥ - 1♠ - 1N - 2♠ might be nice. With diamonds and spades or clubs and hearts I'm planning to fake a vomiting bug to escape a decision. This week though I picked up a very similar hand to the first one:

♠	9 7
♥	K T 9 6 4
♦	K Q 8 4 3 2
♣	-

Now of course I didn't open this at the one level. That would have brought the director over as it wasn't my turn. My partner in first chair opened 1♣. Isn't this the same situation as last weeks hand? The shape is the same, the fear of the spade suit is the same and the lack of sufficient high cards to force game is the same.

I responded 1♥ which was doubled. My partner bid 1♠ and I'd like to say I bid a quiet 2♥. Unfortunately my optimism got the better of me and I bid a forcing 2♦, partner bid 2NT. Ignoring the double and therefore failing to work out that of course the diamonds weren't breaking I bid 3NT.

Dealer: South Vul: Nill	♠ 9 7 ♥ K T 9 6 4 ♦ K Q 8 4 3 2 ♣ -
♠ T 8 3 ♥ 3 2 ♦ J ♣ K Q J T 8 4 2		♠ A Q 4 2 ♥ A J 8 5 ♦ T 9 7 5 ♣ 5
	♠ K J 6 5 ♥ Q 7 ♦ A 6 ♣ A 9 7 6 3

South	West	North	East
1♣	Pass	1♥	Double
1♠	Pass	2♦	Pass
2NT	Pass	3NT	(end)

The patient died two tricks short. -100.