[paulg]

Scoring: IMP

(3♠) - Pass - (4♠) Double
(Pass) - 4NT - (5♠) - Double
All pass

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You are South and have to lead against this contract. Which suit?

[Echognome]

I hate leading a stiff trump, but this sounds like a big fit, so I'm going to try to cut down on the cross-ruffs. I've found this to (usually) be the right thing to do against sacrifices (which I believe this hand to be).

[awm]

The opponents probably have a huge spade fit. I think they can pull trumps and have plenty of spades left to ruff.

I'm more concerned that they have a couple quick losers which are about to be pitched away. A likely situation is that each hand has a singleton, and then there's some side suit with like 3 opposite 3. The problem that comes up a lot is that their outside strength is opposite one of the singletons, so if we cash the 3-opposite-3 suit fast we set them a bunch, but if we make a passive lead they will ditch the 3-opposite-3 suit from one hand by cashing winners opposite the shortage.

For this reason I lead a club here, the suit where opponents are most likely to both hold moderate length.

[Halo]

Spade

Abstain if I have read the post properly.

I bid 4NT? Might as well continue as I started and lead the closest to my thumb.

[the hog]

Halo, on Jul 14 2007, 05:46 AM, said:

Spade

Abstain if I have read the post properly.

I bid 4NT? Might as well continue as I started and lead the closest to my thumb.

From your post it would seem that you disaprove of the 4NT bid. 4NT here would indicate 2 places to play; if partner bids 5C you can bid 5D showing that suit and H. Surely you wouldn't bid 5H with that tatty suit? Imo pass is not right here with this hand.

Re the problem: I lead a S.

[Halo]

The_Hog, on Jul 13 2007, 06:14 PM, said:

Halo, on Jul 14 2007, 05:46 AM, said:

Spade

Abstain if I have read the post properly.

I bid 4NT?  Might as well  continue as I started and lead the closest to my thumb.

From your post it would seem that you disaprove of the 4NT bid. 4NT here would indicate 2 places to play; if partner bids 5C you can bid 5D showing that suit and H. Surely you wouldn't bid 5H with that tatty suit? Imo pass is not right here with this hand.

Re the problem: I lead a S.

Glad you agree with the spade lead.

Yes I would pass with my hand. Nobody, IMO, doubles 4S on the assumption of my hand opposite. We are taking it off.

[Fluffy]

when dummy ahs a long suit it is better to lead a diamond, but if dummy only has spades and probably a shortness a passive heart can be a bit better.

I'd go with a diamond.

[the hog]

Halo, on Jul 14 2007, 06:22 AM, said:

The_Hog, on Jul 13 2007, 06:14 PM, said:

Halo, on Jul 14 2007, 05:46 AM, said:

Spade

Abstain if I have read the post properly.

I bid 4NT?  Might as well  continue as I started and lead the closest to my thumb.

From your post it would seem that you disaprove of the 4NT bid. 4NT here would indicate 2 places to play; if partner bids 5C you can bid 5D showing that suit and H. Surely you wouldn't bid 5H with that tatty suit? Imo pass is not right here with this hand.

Re the problem: I lead a S.

Glad you agree with the spade lead.

Yes I would pass with my hand. Nobody, IMO, doubles 4S on the assumption of my hand opposite. We are taking it off.

Everyone would double with
x
AKxx
Qxxx
AKxx

(Perhaps even less, I would with a void S eg).

You may well not take this contract off.

[mike777]

Jlall, on Jul 13 2007, 09:29 PM, said:

I think a diamond is clear, it's the most aggressive lead and that's what we're going for. Nothing else makes sense to me. Good luck to the black suit leaders when the opps run the first 13.

Amen finally some sanity

[paulg]

Scoring: IMP

---

They led a spade in the other room (same auction), we led a diamond ... -14 IMPs.

Glad to see we have some support.

Paul

[Free]

Woops, misread the auction and voted a ♥ (which seems to work out ok) LOL

I would NEVER lead a ♦ on this auction, but I'd normally lead ♠ to be honest.

[skjaeran]

I agree with the bidding and with leading a diamond.
Anything else makes no sense to me at all.

[pclayton]

I'm trying the ♦K to look at the dummy.

I see it works out spectacularly wrong.

[Edmunte1]

I think ♠ lead is the worst. If there's going to be a 'surprise' ( a promoting suit in dummy), ♠ lead will deliver the contract every time. And usually won't do any harm (they have a huge fit), just lose a tempo. So my mark for ♠ lead is 2.
About other 3 choices:
-club - most dangerous from other 3 suits, lacking length and honour, can be easy the surprise suit - my mark is 5
-diamond - dangerous if AQxxx, or Axxxx on dummy and void in declarer's hand- my mark is 8
-heart - dangerous if HQJx on dummy and void in declarer's hand or so - my mark is 8

[Halo]

An alternative view is that our aggressive bidding has worked very well (even if I would not personally have bid 4NT), the opponents are too high, and that we avoid risk rather than catering for surprises.

Of course this is only one hand, but it is not clear to me on this auction that I need to take emergency action to justify partner's double.

[han]

I voted for a diamond. I didn't understand the arguments against this.

[Halo]

Hannie, on Jul 16 2007, 01:08 PM, said:

I voted for a diamond. I didn't understand the arguments against this.

Well this hand is one of them.