Your lead?
Your everyday lead
#1
Posted 2006-February-14, 19:59
Your lead?
#2 Guest_Jlall_*
Posted 2006-February-14, 22:45
#3
Posted 2006-February-14, 22:52
Hearts and clubs are pretty similar, but opener might have some shape. If opener has a short suit, then I'd much rather not lead it. The reasoning is that if responder's strength is opposite opener's length it may not matter all that much what I lead, whereas if responder's strength is opposite opener's short suit we need to take our tricks before they are pitched away on dummy's strength. Opener is more likely to be short in clubs than hearts (since we have more clubs) so I rate a heart lead as slightly more likely to work out.
a.k.a. Appeal Without Merit
#4 Guest_Jlall_*
Posted 2006-February-14, 22:57
#5
Posted 2006-February-15, 04:14
#6
Posted 2006-February-15, 06:32
#8
Posted 2006-February-15, 07:26
I'd lead a low heart based on the T8...
#9
Posted 2006-February-15, 10:41
foole me twice, shame on me....!!
#10
Posted 2006-February-15, 10:48
Winston
#11
Posted 2006-February-15, 11:11
I would not dream of leading trump here: I have NO reason to expect ♦ shortness on my left (nor, if it exists, to be able to meaningfully prevent a ruff) and a trump lead may do one or both of two bad things: cost a tempo and/or blow a possible trump trick (give partner Jx as a simple example).
A ♦ is almost as silly a lead: it won't likely blow a trick but it sure will blow a tempo. I see no reason to make a deceptive lead suchas the J from QJx.
I generally dislike leading from Jxx or 10xx. Such leads rarely seem to work and could easily blow a trick in the suit. Give dummy a holding such as KJ9x opposite Axx. Now, any lead in any suit cold blow a trick, but your lead choice should be influenced by a balancing of risk v benefit. I prefer to lead my length in these situations, since my possession of length (slightly) reduces the risk that I will be giving away a trick. Of course, it also slightly reduces the chances that we will be taking multiple tricks in the suit.
I might (but probably would not) lead a ♥ if I were desperate, but I rate my defensive holding here as equivalent to 2+ (2.25) tricks so am comfortable being conservative.
#12
Posted 2006-February-15, 11:28
So I can easily construct many hands consistent with the auction when any suit is right.
Where does that leave us?
I don't see the point of a diamond, deceptive Jack or not, because we know it's declarer's long suit (although in some 2/1 styles declarer could be 5332 and a diamond is then more attractive). While we might need to attack diamonds before dummy's suit is set up, it's more likely just to be helping declarer.
If I had a decent honour holding in clubs or hearts I would lead it, as I tend to make aggressive leads.
I also don't like a trump from this holding. Again, it could be right, but it seems likely to blow a trick too often when there's no strong indication we need to lead trumps.
That leaves me with the boring club.
#13
Posted 2006-February-15, 12:42
FrancesHinden, on Feb 15 2006, 07:28 PM, said:
Yes declarer could be 5332.
#14
Posted 2006-February-15, 13:16
#15
Posted 2006-February-15, 13:52
#16
Posted 2006-February-15, 22:13
Atul

Help

Your side silent, the bidding went:
1♠-1NT
2♦-3♠
4♠
in a standard 2/1 system (forcing 1NT).