The spades jinx

Playing a team-match with a pickup partner and very good opponents, we ran into a spades jinx.

First hand:

South opened 1D, and partner overcalled 1NT (15-18). I transferred to spades and we played in 2S making four. At the other table, where South didn't open, our opponents had an easy route to 4S.

Second hand:

After I opened a weak 2, partner bid 2NT. Undiscussed, I took this to ask about an outside A/K and showed my King of clubs at which point, partner bid 4S.  This went down 1, although I can make after the heart lead if I finesse the Jack of spades.

Third hand of the spade jinx:

4S went off one. At the other table, they played in 2S.

Fourth hand of the same series:

Here, they played in 3S and went off one.  At the other table, our teammates let EW play in 2D, making 5.

Our first imp gains occurred on this hand, the fifth hand of the match when they didn't find the game at the other table:

As you can see, it was touch-and-go for a moment. We might have ended up in spades!