[lowerline]

Bidding goes (1♣)-p-(1♠)-p-(1NT)-all pass.
Opponents play Dutch Acol (4crd majors with strong NT), so declarer has shown at least 4crd clubs and at most 14hcp. The game is matchpoints. You are on lead:

♠JTxx
♥A9xx
♦Jx
♣JTx

The "obvious" small ♥ or something else?

Steven

[han]

I would lead the heart, but I could be persuaded that this is very wrong. I often hear people say that leading from ace-empty fourth is really bad, but here I see no attractive alternative

[Fluffy]

first tiem I hear that elading from Axxx is wrong, partner leading the suit is probably worse

[Free]

I would lead ♦J

[hotShot]

I expect opener to hold 4♣ and 4♥ usually with a 2434 or 3424 shape.
I expect my partner to have 5♦ and since my ♥s won't make much tricks I'll try to develop partners ♦ by leading the J♦.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

as already was stated: what are your
alternatives?

With kind regards
Marlowe

[nige1]

lowerline, on Jun 27 2007, 07:32 AM, said:

Bidding goes (1♣)-p-(1♠)-p-(1NT)-all pass.
Opponents play Dutch Acol (4crd majors with strong NT), so declarer has shown at least 4crd clubs and at most 14hcp. The game is matchpoints. You are on lead:

♠JTxx
♥A9xx
♦Jx
♣JTx

The "obvious" small ♥ or something else?

Steven

IMO ♥ x = 10, ♠ x = 7, ♦ J = 5, ♥ A = 3, ♠ J = 2, ♣ J = 1

[lowerline]

Scoring: MP

---

I lead the ♣J...

I know my partner as someone who likes to compete over low level contracts in MPs. He was in the passout seat and didn't even hesitate to pass, while he must have at least 10hcp. Therefor a ♦ lead was off, but it also made me reluctant to lead a ♥ because he hadn't doubled. I came to the conclusion he was opposing at least one of their (black) suits. Had I listened more carefully to the bidding, I would have found the ♠J lead. As you can see, a small ♥ still allows the defense to take their 6 tricks.
Oh well, was I masterminding too much?

Steven

[P_Marlowe]

lowerline, on Jun 28 2007, 03:07 AM, said:

<snip>
I know my partner as someone who likes to compete over low level contracts in MPs. He was in the passout seat and didn't even hesitate to pass, while he must have at least 10hcp.
<snip>

I hope for you, that you try hard to avoid making
interferences from the speed your partner makes
or does not make a bid, it is hard I know, but try
hard.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[han]

Hahaha

[lowerline]

P_Marlowe, on Jun 28 2007, 04:26 AM, said:

lowerline, on Jun 28 2007, 03:07 AM, said:

<snip>
I know my partner as someone who likes to compete over low level contracts in MPs. He was in the passout seat and didn't even hesitate to pass, while he must have at least 10hcp.
<snip>

I hope for you, that you try hard to avoid making
interferences from the speed your partner makes
or does not make a bid, it is hard I know, but try
hard.

With kind regards
Marlowe

As long as there are humans around the table (F2F game), this can't be avoided.
I was surprised the bidding ended in 1NT because I only had 7hcp. So there is a bridge technical reason to lead the ♠J i.s.o. the ♦J... isn't there? BTW I tanked before leading the ♣J...

Steven

[SoTired]

Jlall, on Jun 28 2007, 05:29 AM, said:

lowerline, on Jun 28 2007, 03:07 AM, said:

He was in the passout seat and didn't even hesitate to pass

Oh, well if he didnt even hesitate then a diamond is clearly out. Tougher problem had partner hesitated, a diamond is stand out but can we get away with it? If the opps are inexperienced then yes, if they are experienced then the key is for us to hesitate for like 10 times longer than partner did. So if partner tanked for 20 seconds and passed, we need to think for about 3 and a half minutes before leading the DJ. The opps will then be remembering only our tank AND partners tank won't seem like one since ours was 10x longer. And it will really look like we were constructing something. Nice problem.

Good advice. Seems poster is incorporating that strategy in his/her technique.

[Apollo81]

I think a heart is an extremely obvious lead on this deal