There is Nothing like a Fit

9 6 5 3
K 4 3
2
A Q 9 3 2
7 4 K J 8 2
Q 10 9 5 2 8
7 6 5 3 A K Q J 8
7 6 8 5 4
A Q 10
A J 7 6
10 9 4
K J 10 Vul: Both

Bidding Box
EastSouthWestNorth
1 NT Pass 2
2 2 3 4
Pass 4 All pass

Okay, this was a computer bidding the South hand, I confess, and I do prefer live hands. But I'll trot out my double argument on computer bidding, namely that the bidding was programmed by a live bridge player and secondly, that I've seen much the same in real life. In any event, I was holding the North cards above.
A no trump opening. I stab at a spade fit and not only don't find it, but the opponents push the bidding to the 3 diamond level. Dare I say four clubs? It could turn out badly -- and did, but not for the reasons I was running through my mind. My "partner", feeling assured that I must have 4 spades, ventured boldly into a Moysian fit.
Opening lead a diamond, a diamond was continued, ruffed in dummy. It does no good to hold up. A spade to the 10 holds, and the prospects are somewhat brighter. A heart to the king and another spade to the queen. When this doesn't draw the jack, my hopes are dashed (yes, on the computer game, I play all my partner's bids). I cash the ace of spades and run as many clubs as I can, which is three, after which East ruffs and runs diamonds. Down 2.
Five clubs will make on very careful play because of the luck of two spade honors being onsides and because the hand short in spades is also short in clubs. Ruff the second round of diamonds, 10 of spades, top club, low club back. Hm-mm. That leaves you only two clubs. Finesse queen of spades, cash the ace, come to the king of hearts and ruff your last spade, ruff a diamond, draw the last trump and concede a heart.
Heady stuff, and yes, I could live with a partner who didn't bid five and live with a partner who did bid five but didn't see the winning line. Hey, they're all a little easier to play afterwards. But I would not want for a partner one who looked at a known superb fit in clubs and decided -- without a diamond stopper -- to go for the inferior 4-3 spade fit. "Without a diamond stopper" means that the the long spade holding is soon going to get dinked.
Now, the Moysian fit is often playable, certainly. This is especially so when you have a pretty good trump holding and the principal shortage guarded by trump is in the short hand. Neither was the case here. The bidding also illustrates the common tendency to Sneer at the minors. Hey fellas. Game is only one more trick in a minor, while a fit, a healthy fit will be worth at least that, by and large, in comparison to a meagre fit. (Yes, if spades had been 3-3 with the honors in the same place, spades would have worked out better. But they weren't. And they didn't turn out better.)