Jennbridge: The Power of Tens (and Nines)

I played today in a pairs game at the Terra Linda Bridge Club, a nice venue in Marin County, with Dave Neuman, my other regular partner.  I picked up, in fourth seat, both sides vulnerable:

♠  A972
♥  A972
♦  AJ5
♣  J6

LHO opened 1 Heart.  Dave bid 2NT, showing the minors.  What to do?

I thought that he had to have decent suits to come in vulnerable, and I had protection in the majors, so I raised to 3NT, which ended the bidding.  I didn't realize it at the time, but the two nines in the majors were precious.  My LHO led a low heart.  Dave looked at:


♠  A972
♥  A972
♦   AJ5 
♣  J6

♠ T
♥ T8
♦  QT874 
♣ AQT52


He ducked this to the jack.  The contract was cold, as the full hand was:

           ♠  A972
          ♥  A972
          ♦  AJ5
          ♣  J6


♠ KJ863           Q54
♥ 43                 KQJ65
♦ 93                  K62
♣ 8743              K9


         ♠ T
         ♥ T8
         ♦  QT874
         ♣ AQT52

RHO actually played the heart queen, but had he shifted to a spade, the result would have been the same.  In either case, win dummy's ace and lead the diamond jack to force out the king.  The combinations of nine and ten in each major produces a second stopper, so you have time to score 4 diamonds, 3 clubs and two major suit aces.  Dave's four tens and my nines were the key to the hand.  The major suit tens and nines played defense, while the minor suit tens provided the offense.  The diamond ten solidified that suit, and the club ten was the ninth trick. 

10.5 out of 12 matchpoints, on our way to a 60% game that was worth second out of 16 pairs. 

Good luck!