[kenberg]

Jlall, on Dec 11 2005, 07:02 PM, said:

DelfinoD, on Dec 11 2005, 05:23 PM, said:

kenberg, on Dec 10 2005, 04:50 PM, said:

In theory, the odds slightly favor the finesse, at the time you must choose,  on the grounds that you know lho has at has two spade spots and rho has one spade spot, making a little more room for the queen.

That's not true. Odds ar slightly against finesse.

The time when you choose doesn't make any difference, because you didn't get any usefull information.

Correct.

Right.

I meant right, spoke wrong

[FrancesHinden]

In general, I would tend not to draw too many inferences from the opening lead and stick with the percentage play (from the top), the only exception being if we have had an auction which screams for a trump lead (but then if it really screams for a trump lead I might play the opening leader for a void...)

There are exceptions, if you know your customers. I played a match recently against a (not very good) team, one of whom led a trump every time she was on lead against a suit contract. Every single time out of about 10 hands. Her I would play to hold a void or, if I can't pick up a void, play for the queen. Similarly, my regular partner doesn't often lead an unsupported ace, generally only does so from significant length (6+), and rarely leads trumps if it isn't clearly right. If he led an unsupported ace against me, I would assume it was from length and finesse against his partner. If it wasn't from length I would assume he had 3 unsupported aces!

Tom Townsend made a grand in a big junior championship (European or World, can't remember which) with a trump suit of AKxx opposite J109xx by finessing through the opening leader on the assumption they would have led a trump without the queen.

[FrancesHinden]

we just lead trumps anyway now, away from the queen if necessary. Good declarers just do what you did, so as you're going to be finessed anyway you might as well lead what you think is right.

Or to put it more briefly, if a trump lead is right, lead trumps.

[kgr]

FrancesHinden, on Dec 12 2005, 07:17 PM, said:

we just lead trumps anyway now, away from the queen if necessary. Good declarers just do what you did, so as you're going to be finessed anyway you might as well lead what you think is right.

Or to put it more briefly, if a trump lead is right, lead trumps.

Intersting...if you play opening leader for Q or for void depends on hom good he is and more importantly on how good he thinks you are...or on what he thinks that you think about him.
I would not lead a from Q against you..except if you think that I'm a medium player (not too good, not too bad)