Email Quiz from Austin

While technically, Senshu may be correct that it is a penalty double...given that partner will already know our likely lead (a diamond), he would have absolutely no reason to X (unless he is just the greedy type) should he be holding strictly a penalty oriented double only. So to me the X specifically says, dont lead a diamond and find try to find another lead.

So a heart is out (dont want to help declarer in trumps), and a diamond is out as far as I am concerned.

It would be my expectation that opener might be considering that 4H could be a splinter agreeing clubs, given his attempt to settle in 6C, so it is unlikely that partner is holding a club void. (If the 6H bidder had any sort of a club fit, he is likely to pass 6C.)

So, right or wrong, I lead a spade.

Here is some of the email banter/discussion on this cute, funny hand.

"This is turning out to be quite a good quiz with several insightful responses to weave into the story....We have mystery, intrigue, suspense.The QUIZ:
vul vs not, IMPS
Qxxx
x
Qxxx
Qxxx

1S P 1NT P
3C P 4H P
4NT P 5D P
6C P 6H P
P X All pass
1 NT was forcing. Nothing was alerted. Your LHO hesitated a very, very long time over 4H, and again for a little while over 5D, while your RHO bid pretty much in tempo. You choose to ask no questions. (Had you done that, the opp's would say they haven't discussed this auction). The opps do play Kickback, and do not play 1430. What is your opening lead?
The DISCUSSION:
This is really a two part quiz...For those that didn't say, I followed up with asking what you'd lead without the double. Lefty's behavior could be that he isn't entirely sure what was going on -- that he was having difficulty interpretting his partner's 4 heart bid, for after all if responder has long hearts he could always have bid 3H over 3C and then rebid 4H. So maybe he's thinking 4H is a club splinter. The 5D bid over 4NT sure looks like a (possibly unwanted) blackwood response, and could 6C have been bid off of 2 aces, as he couldn't bid 5C over 5D. Then again, lefty could also have a very long black 2-suiter of some sort....maybe your partner is void in one of them, but if he is, why isn't THAT suit trumps? What is really going on?....hmmmm
In any event, if partner has a heart stack, they are headed for disaster regardless and this would not be a quiz, so you must think your lead could make or break the contract. First, without the double, let's see what some of you think.
Johnson: I would lead a D if no X.
Kolesnik: Without the double, it is a tossup between a diamond and a trump. If LHO is short in diamonds and has a trump or 2, it may be important to lead a trump. On the other hand, LHO should have 4 tricks in the blacks for pitches. I lead a diamond.
Martel: (who was chosing a non-diamond lead with the double). If pard wanted a Diamond lead, he just had to pass.
Turner: [Without the double], Probably diamond
Williams: My normal lead is a low diamond.
You would, Hugh. You spent many many years in Normal.(Normal Il, is a town close to where we lived, Urbana, Normal is home to a rival Univ.).
Without the double, the diamond lead is most logical...On an auction like this, there is too great a chance that partner's defensive trick(s) in the unbid suit could go away if you don't get one on the track.
But I don't think we are in Normal anymore, Toto. What now? Again, in alphabetical order: Francis: Is that a lightner double? Looks like it. Dummy has six spades, 2 nice hearts, 4 clubs, and a singleton diamond. Declarer has 7-8 hearts, 3 spades, and is short in diamonds and clubs. Lead a high spot in spades. Partner will ruff and play an ace to set the contract.
That's a logical choice, Jay. The double does call for an unusual lead, and a spade certianly qualifies for that. Although if responder had 3 card support, you'd think he might have shown it at some point, or if opener has 7 spades, you'd think he'd rebid them.
Kolesnik: RHO has very few clubs and spades (should have no more than 1-2 of each), and lots of hearts (7-9) and a few diamonds. Partner should not be doubling on cashing tricks, as he is not sure if any tricks are cashing in clubs or spades. If partner has a void, it is almost certainly in clubs. Lho may be 5-6, or 6-6, or even 7-6 either way, but more likely the opponents have 9 clubs than 9 spades. I'll lead a club.

So like Jay Francis, Alex is assuming partner has a VOID. He reasons that it's more likely to be in clubs. But Alex, why can't partner be doubling on cashing tricks? Especially cashing tricks that will go away if you don't find the right lead? If the contract is cold no matter what, the extra cost of them making a doubled contract isn't all that much especially if the slam is not reached at the other table -- especially when you consider how shakey the auction has been.
Martel: certainly a black suit (if pard wanted a D lead, just had to pass). Likely partner has a void, and not clear whether its spades (LHO is 7-5, RHO has 2 spades), or clubs (LHO is 6-6, RHO has 3 clubs). Its also possible partner has a black ace, but seems unlikely, and then its pretty much a tossup which to lead. I'd lean towards a club (maybe LHO is even one of those maniacs who open 1S with 5-7.)Ok. Just as Howard K. Stern so dramatically revealed last night on Larry King that he's the Father of Anna Nicole's baby, I will now reveal that it WAS I who was the MANIAC LHO on this deal.....Clearly I had done something pretty darn goofy -- and it is your job to figure out what it is....Slayton, Johnson, Williams: small spade, spade, fourth best spade...
Turner: Don't they say double and lead trumps? Well my partner doubled so I'm leading trumps. What was the hand?
Whoever they are, I think they were talking about sacrifices or when you are doubling a part-score or something.... Doubles of freely bid slams don't call for trumps...But you luck out this time Barry!

The full deal.....
...................KJTxx.....KJx..........K.......AKJT
Qxxx.............................................................Axx
x..................................................................A
Qxxx............................................................JTxxx
Qxxx............................................................xxxx
...................x..........QT98xxxx...Axx.....x
1S P 1NT P
3C P 4H P
4NT P 5D P
6C P 6H P
P X All pass

Yes, I was the opening bidder, and I misinterpreted my partner's (Mark Bumgardner) 4H bid. Mark and I have done quite well playing together in the past -- For example, go to http://www.d16acbl.o...recard/0501.pdf and read about us on PAGE 9, lower right corner. But we are very infrequent partners....with all sorts of the more obscure auctions undiscussed. And we took separate vehicles to this tournament.

......
With such great heart support, I thought for sure that 4H was a splinter, so I bid 4NT as a sign-off. When he called 5 diamonds, I still thought clubs were trumps. I thought about trying 5H over 5D in case he might have hearts, but was afraid he'd take that as a grand slam try and get us to SEVEN clubs off two aces....So I parked it in 6 clubs, knowing it was likely down 1. when he corrected that to 6H, I belatedly realized he did have hearts. I was slightly encouraged by the double because that meant that the opening leader didn't have any aces -- it was a ray of hope.
Now, I'd like to say the opening leader was a very intelligent player such as Alex and Chip here, who reasoned that a club void was more likely than a spade void, but the truth of the matter is the leader teed up a diamond like the double never occurred. Mark scooped in 12 easy tricks.
So, did T. O. really try to kill himself last night or not? Everything is such a mystery these days..... -Kimmel-"

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