[tysen2k]

Scoring: MP

Our side never bids:

     1♥
1♠ 1NT
3NT All Pass

---

What's your lead? Do you have the same lead at IMPs?

[mike777]

tysen2k, on Feb 17 2006, 12:17 PM, said:

Scoring: MP

Our side never bids:

     1♥
1♠ 1NT
3NT All Pass

---

What's your lead? Do you have the same lead at IMPs?

Low Club
my longest suit but look forward to other possible answers.

[mikeh]

I lead the ♠K at mps. Who knows? Partner may hold Axx or 10xx. More realistically, I would be concerned that this is a power auction, in which LHO may well have extras. He will bid 3N with 16 counts, since his partner has limited his hand. Thus there is a real danger that a non ♠ lead will blow a tempo and the opps will take 11-12 tricks.

At mps, there is little percentage in getting cute with a low ♠ lead.

At imps, I'd still lead the K. It would be interesting if I held KQJxx, but of course I couldn't have that plus the ♥A anyway.

The only other lead I'd think of at imps would be a ♣, but I really don't think that this will lead to a plus: LHO rates to be 4=2=(43/34) since he did not check back for a ♠ fit, did not suggest a ♥ contract, and did not respond 2/1 in a 5 card minor while holding opening values. And RHO rates to be 2=5=3=3, altho of course he might be 3=5=3=2 or even 2=5=4=2 with a weak ♦ suit (and there are other, lesser, possibilities where a ♣ would work, especially if LHO is a poor player or a BBO 'expert'... when he might well have 4=2=5=2 with 13 points ). I only have one entry to the ♣ suit, which will be attacked early, and I simply do not expect partner to have long enough ♣ and/or enough red suit entries to warrant a ♣ attack.

[awm]

The opponents are going to play hearts and/or diamonds. Partner doesn't have very much (at most something like 4 points and quite possibly less). At MPs I think a spade lead is clear. This guarantees 3 tricks after opponents knock out the heart ace, and we may get 4 tricks if partner has the spade ten or some other trick.

At IMPs a club lead is more tempting, since a spade won't set the contract (well unless partner has the ace).

[mike777]

hmm with AKQx or KQJx and you know opp have a 4 card holding in the suit is not leading low the correct technical lead?

[MickyB]

Depends what your objectives are, Mike. Leading low here could easily cost the tempo to get to your spade tricks which would be disastrous at MPs, so I'd lead a top spade. At IMPs our aim is basically to get 5 tricks, so I'd probably try a low spade hoping for 3 spade tricks, the AH and another trick somewhere.

[mike777]

MickyB, on Feb 17 2006, 01:11 PM, said:

Depends what your objectives are, Mike. Leading low here could easily cost the tempo to get to your spade tricks which would be disastrous at MPs, so I'd lead a top spade. At IMPs our aim is basically to get 5 tricks, so I'd probably try a low spade hoping for 3 spade tricks, the AH and another trick somewhere.

Ya even at MP.....if we choose to lead a spade do we risk blowing a tempo or lead high? Do not see why leading high should be automatic at MP?

[joshs]

Well at mps, leading the SK is clear. At imps leading the spade 4 is tempting, but I am not up for it, since the opps might have been stretching and partner actually has a 5 count. But I could be convinced that I am wrong.

[tysen2k]

I actually chose the ♣9, which I think is the right lead at IMPs, but the wrong one here. I think I was a little optimistic about my chances to knock out the club honors with my entries. However, I think you have to try for that line at IMPs.

Declarer took 12 tricks when a high spade keeps declarer to 10.

[whereagles]

Small spade. Textbook lead to avoid blockages in case pard has Tx, Ax or 9x and declarer misguesses.

At matchpoints, spade king is a possibility.

[luke warm]

Jlall, on Feb 17 2006, 12:43 PM, said:

at MP... Spade Queen. ~~I lead the queen because I have most of my side's HCP so the risk of confusing parnter is negligible, and it may confuse the opp and make him try to block the suit if I lead the 4 next.

this is the kind of lead that gives me headaches.. you just *know* rho has the king, so it may be right to take the queen with the ace

[kgr]

This was interesting!
I'm convinced now that ♠K is the best lead at MP's. Before reading this I would doubt between ♠K and small ♣, now ♠K seems a lot better at MP's - not intending to defeat 3NT, but make the max. number of tricks.