[kgr]

You lead ♠2 - 4th best - against 3NT. Partner takes the Q which hold and returns ♠K.
Dummy has something like:
x=xxx=AQxxx=KQxx
 
What agreement do you have on signals on partner's return in your 4 card? Does a small ♠ ask a ♥ switch here?
PS:
Full hand was something like:

---

East playing 3NT made mistake of holding up ♠'s 3 times, but still we didn't find the ♥ switch

[skjaeran]

If he really held up three times, why didn't you overtake the ten with the jack and make the heart switch yourself?

Anyway, there's no such thing as suit preference at trick two here.

[kgr]

skaeran, on Oct 13 2007, 11:17 PM, said:

If he really held up three times, why didn't you overtake the ten with the jack and make the heart switch yourself?

Not sure. (I also wonder if partner really played QKT)

Quote

Anyway, there's no such thing as suit preference at trick two here.

But is there discouraging (3) and encouraging (8) and asking a switch by doing so?

[ralph23]

kgr, on Oct 13 2007, 05:22 PM, said:

But is there discouraging (3) and encouraging (8) and asking a switch by doing so?

It is an attitude situation. So you should, as opening leader, signal on the ♠King with the highest you can afford if your opinion is, continuing ♠ is Good.

If you can afford the 8, and do want ♠ continued, then by all means, play the ♠8.

If you cannot afford to signal with the ♠8, then do not play it.

If you do not want ♠ continued, play the ♠3. Partner will probably continue them anyway, as the declarer's ♠ ducking at trick 2 makes it clear that you have the ♠Jack. After all, your attitude signal is just your opinion; it is not a command.

As Harald noted, just win the 3rd round and play the ♥. There is no point in any more ♠.

[kgr]

skaeran, on Oct 13 2007, 11:17 PM, said:

If he really held up three times, why didn't you overtake the ten with the jack and make the heart switch yourself?

Actually this will not make me sleep better. I will ask my partner how the play really went. I hope he played: ♠QTKx

[Stephen Tu]

There's really no way for opening leader to signal attitude on the next round of the suit. It would be foolhardy for 3rd hand to try to interpret leader's spots as discouraging or encouraging, simply because opening leader will simply have to retain his both his highest cards for trick taking purposes way too often, so playing the 3rd lowest cd second round is practically automatic. I don't agree with ralph that this is an attitude situation. If you wanted to express negative attitude, you pretty much have to do it on the opening lead itself by leading top or near top from a weak holding.

For example, say opening leader held A9xx instead of Jxxx, and not the K of H. If he has to throw the 9 under the K to encourage, then he sets up declarer's j8xx as a stopper, no good. And if partner will switch because he played a low card, then again you've blown the contract.

As skaeran said if he really held up 3 times then you can force heart switch yourself.

Of course declarer should have made the whole point moot on this hand, you can consider it a Grosvenor I guess.