Great lead and great story!

best bet here seems to be catching partner with a 4+card minor suit and heading towards 5 of a minor. 2N best start by far in my opinion although I have only 4-4 instead of the normal 5-5+…

Looks like I have to play East for something like:
1) KJ8xxxx, 10xxx, void, Ax
2) KJ8xxx, 10xxx, QJx, void (any three diamonds)

If 1) I have to play ♥ to the jack and club up. Eventually ruffing a spade in dummy and getting two club tricks.

If 2) I can just draw trumps and set up diamonds and enter dummy with club king.

There are of course more hands east hands with a void that lead to success - these are just two I came up with:)

No not H10, but he had 3D's and two hearts. Diamods 8-3-1-1

6D bidder had:
-
KQJ9x
AKQ10xxxx
-

Bidding 6S was a cheap sac (500)

3N was only making contract.

Partner had:
AK10x
J9xxx
Jxx
Q

I bid 3♥ at the table thinking that pard should be well placed now to evaluate hand - Any major suit honours plus the minor suit aces are good news. Any minor suit trash is easy to devaluate.

After all Kx of spades and AJxx of hearts gives a near to 50% vul game chance - thats 8 points with pard.

Bought pard with Kx, xx, K10xx, KQJxx…

Board was played at IMPs, so you can assume that.

Exactly!

I'm not saying 2N is a thing of beauty, just that I think it is the right matchpoint bid for reasons already stated…

As things have gone a pass to 1D would probably have worked out much better, but you didn't know that when u bid 1N.

In my view 2N has the same advantages as 2S in that p can still take out in 3C plus it would often (in my view) be the best contract if p has 4-4 or 5-4 in the majors (especially if we hit his 4 card suit or he is 4-4-(3-2)

I agree with the 1N overcall.

Of course this is not what we hoped for, but we have to do our best now to get out with a decent result.

Im voting for 2N (though not on the list)

2MA is a blind guess and I still risk a 4-2 fit whatever I do. Even if I hit our 5-2 fit 2N could easily be superior.
Think 2N is sensible. I have two sure side entries to develope my diamond suit - thats easily at least 6 tricks on this hand even if partner is completely broke. If he has 4-6 scattered values it could be a make.

No-one seems to question the 3S bid.

Anyone for 4H on 3H?
This is extremely aggressive I know, but if not interpreted as a direct slam try it seems like a pretty good bid to me.

I think you should bid ´something´ in the given problem at this vul when partner is not doubling - what you should bid is less clear.

My bids at the table were as shown followed by a pass to 4H.