[lamford]

gnasher, on 2014-August-17, 05:14, said:

Aren't I North?

You are, but it is South who led against East's Four Spades. It is South who may have have six or seven diamonds, and North who made the takeout double of spades and who has the defensive problem at trick one, which it seems that only jallerton solved.

If you mean that North will think South would have bid Four Diamonds with Jxxxxxx, then he might well. Even more reason for him to play South for six, unless the lead has to be systemically from seven.

[gnasher]

lamford, on 2014-August-18, 07:31, said:

You are, but it is South who led against East's Four Spades. It is South who may have have six or seven diamonds, and North who made the takeout double of spades and who has the defensive problem at trick one, which it seems that only jallerton solved.

If you mean that North will think South would have bid Four Diamonds with Jxxxxxx, then he might well. Even more reason for him to play South for six, unless the lead has to be systemically from seven.

Suppose that NS play a method where South's lead shows how many diamonds South has. If South shows an odd number of diamonds, North will play South for five diamonds, not seven. Which is where I came in.

[jallerton]

gnasher, on 2014-August-18, 14:46, said:

Suppose that NS play a method where South's lead shows how many diamonds South has. If South shows an odd number of diamonds, North will play South for five diamonds, not seven. Which is where I came in.

That depends on whether North judges South to have the gnasher bidding style or the rhm bidding style.

[lamford]

jallerton, on 2014-August-18, 15:37, said:

That depends on whether North judges South to have the gnasher bidding style or the rhm bidding style.

Right. But the solution might be to be able to distinguish between 5, 6 or 7, although your good points about the possible need to retain the lead and to tell partner where the queen is means that I would lead the jack in a similar situation, as I would be at sixes and sevens in working out these count leads anyway. And I don't think South would jump after the redouble with only five diamonds and a bad hand, facing a passed partner.