Palo Alto 5/6

I've been playing, just haven't been blogging.

Nothing terribly interesting to report, just some really dumb mistakes by me.

1. I opened 1D with Axx AQxx ATxx AT, partner bid 1H, and I just blasted 4. 4H has no play, I should just make the value bid of 3H.

2. This one is really dumb. They have the auction 1H - 2S (weak) - 4S.

Partner leads a small club, you get

AQ
AKxxx
AQTxx
x
--------Jx
--------QJx
--------xxx
--------AKxxx

I won the top club and led back... 4th best! I know a red suit pitch off dummy does declarer no good if he has the CQ, so why didn't I just continue the CA and hope to promote a spade trick? I may never know.

3. Need some input on this one. w/w partner opens 3C in second, you have AKx JTxx AKQ9x x. I passed smoothly, hoping for a balance, but no good. 9 pairs in 3N, 4 pairs in 3C. Partner has Jx xx JTx KQJ98x. Clubs go 3-3, partner crucially has the JT of diamonds, and hearts are 4-3. Is this just unlucky?