[han]

Scoring: MP

p - p - 1S - (dbl)
p - (1NT) - p (3NT)
all pass

---

Partner leads the diamond 2 (fourth best) to your ace, which suit do you return?

More difficult: can you guess the layout?

[Codo]

A spade.
1. He may had open 1 Spade in thir seat for a lead
2. He may even have 5 spades, so we can build up a length trick or two.
3. He may have a holding he does not like to lead from: KJxxx or so..

[kenrexford]

This is a situation where I believe strongly in attitude leads. Opener ends up on lead against 3NT. He will have the bulk of the points, but I might have something. He leads a card in a suit other than the one he opened. If that card is small, I trust him that he likes the suit and wants it back (all things being equal). If that pip is high, I expect that he is passively avoiding leading his own suit himself and thus needs it sent back for him.

This situation gives no cause for an override. I partner has a mundane KJ7x in diamonds, my 9 will likely yield honor-honor, partner in. If he passively exits his probable stiff heart, I may get in to lead a second diamond for him.

The spade suit will do its work for us even if I do not lead it, when partner has real diamond interest.

[FrancesHinden]

Partner has opened fairly light (or LHO's 1NT is dodgy on high cards).

Partner is 3rd in at red, doesn't have full HCP, and yet doesnt have a lead-diretional spade suit.

Either partner is 5242 with declarer 3244, or partner is 4243/4324, or partner is something strange such as 3244 - but 3rd in a red? really?

I would play a diamond back. Partner might even have 5 of them....

[han]

FrancesHinden, on Jun 27 2007, 07:13 AM, said:

..or partner is something strange such as 3244 - but 3rd in a red? really?

I was partner and I'm not an out-and-out rebel like you Frances.

[Fluffy]

partner can have

Declarer has

Q(10)x
xx
K10xx
Q10xx

Or

Q(10)x
xx
Q(10)xx
K10xx

OR

KJx
xx
J10xx
Q10xx

I am too lazy to think on best continuation on every possible lay out, I would return a diamond

[P_Marlowe]

Diamonds, partner believed he has a surprise
for declarer, I am not in the position to doubt
that.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[mike777]

Diamond

Even playing 4th best leads partner is allowed to lead 5th best.

[jtfanclub]

Codo, on Jun 27 2007, 06:48 AM, said:

3. He may have a holding he does not like to lead from: KJxxx or so..

Hmmm...there must be a way to trap partner into leading a spade. It must be a hand like

KJxxx
xx
QJ6x
Qx

with declarer having

QTx
xx
KT7x
KT8x

Now declarer can play the ten on the second diamond, play the hearts, and play ace and another club, finessing as low as you let him. Partner will be forced to give him his ninth trick.

Newspaper hand: If it's in the newspaper, I lead a spade back. If it's in real life, I lead back a diamond.

I don't know why I'm doing this, hopefully somebody thinks it's amusing.

(edited for accuracy)

[nige1]

Hannie, on Jun 27 2007, 06:27 AM, said:

Scoring: MP

p - p - 1S - (dbl)
p - (1NT) - p (3NT)
all pass

---

Partner leads the diamond 2 (fourth best) to your ace, which suit do you return?

More difficult: can you guess the layout?

IMO ♦ x = 10. ♠ x=9, ♦ 9 = 6
perhaps declarer has ♠ Q T 9 ♥ x x x ♦ Q J 7 x ♣ K x x when a small diamond seems to work