[Cascade]

Scoring: IMP

1♣ Pass 1♠ Pass
2♦ Pass 3♣ Pass
3NT All Pass

assume 3♣ is weak

---

[Free]

♥J

[ASkolnick]

I'm sure on this hand it is something strange, but there is no reason not to lead a low heart. Normally, you want to lead the Jack from JT9 or JT8 or even JT7. Why can't declarer have only 2 hearts and partner some club stuff. If partner has Axx, its fine, even if he has Hx or stiff honor, it works very well.

[gnasher]

I'd have overcalled 2♥ over 1♣. I'd lead a low heart.

[P_Marlowe]

low heart.

4th of your best suit.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[mikeh]

The normal lead on this auction is a low heart. The sexy lead is the spade K, but the available evidence suggests that LHO will often hold 5 spades, and that reduces the chances of success. A 2♥ overcall had some appeal... not sure if I would always do it at this heat.. would surely do it at favourable... tought to be objective now that I know how the auction developed after my pass. In any event, I make the normal lead... sexy leads rarely work.

[peachy]

I don't think you will find many people who think 3C in this auctiuon is weak.

[Cascade]

peachy, on Nov 1 2008, 04:32 PM, said:

I don't think you will find many people who think 3C in this auctiuon is weak.

That doesnt matter.

What matters is what the agreement was for the opponents when the hand came up.

[whereagles]

Cascade, on Nov 1 2008, 03:45 AM, said:

peachy, on Nov 1 2008, 04:32 PM, said:

I don't think you will find many people who think 3C in this auctiuon is weak.

That doesnt matter.

What matters is what the agreement was for the opponents when the hand came up.

No. Sometimes opps mess up and you should count on that. This can very well be one such case.

However, 3♣ must definitely be weak: if it's strong, you're not gonna beat this anyway, so it wouldn't be a problem.

BUT maybe RHO thought 3♣ was strong when in fact it was weak. Then the heart seems normal.

In fact, the heart is normal anyway...

[pclayton]

mikeh, on Oct 31 2008, 07:46 AM, said:

The sexy lead is the spade K, but the available evidence suggests that LHO will often hold 5 spades, and that reduces the chances of success.

Won't LHO frequently rebid 2♠ with 5?

I like a spade lead because:

1. RHO will usually have a double heart stopper. RHO could have bid 3♥ with Axx / Kxx.

2. Pard's clubs are in the slot and the opps have a known trick source.

3. Our spade spots are pretty nice.

The King pays off when we catch a singleton Q or J (although there is still a risk of blocking the suit if dummy's spades are as good as A8xx). The 10 pays off when LHO has Qxxx (again, blockage issues with Q8xx).

I'll lead the 'sexy' K.

[mikeh]

pclayton, on Nov 1 2008, 12:08 PM, said:

mikeh, on Oct 31 2008, 07:46 AM, said:

The sexy lead is the spade K, but the available evidence suggests that LHO will often hold 5 spades, and that reduces the chances of success.

Won't LHO frequently rebid 2♠ with 5?

I like a spade lead because:

1. RHO will usually have a double heart stopper. RHO could have bid 3♥ with Axx / Kxx.

2. Pard's clubs are in the slot and the opps have a known trick source.

3. Our spade spots are pretty nice.

The King pays off when we catch a singleton Q or J (although there is still a risk of blocking the suit if dummy's spades are as good as A8xx). The 10 pays off when LHO has Qxxx (again, blockage issues with Q8xx).

I'll lead the 'sexy' K.

If 3♣ is weak (which is a weird treatment), I'd guess that he would tend to rebid 3♣, hoping to hear pass, rather than 2♠, which, whatever it means, has to be forcing... now, over 2N, his 3♣ might be forcing. So with Q8xxx xxx xx Kxx, as an example, I'd bid 3♣ if forced to fill in for LHO on the second round.

I agree that the inference that LHO has 5 spades is non-existent on normal methods, at least from the bidding, but unless responder is precisely 4=3=3=3 or 4(32)4 he will have 5♠s. In a method that does not bypass diamonds, a 1♠ response to 1♣ will have 5 spades more often than 4, and combine that with the usage of 3♣ as the weakness bid, and I still think that LHO rates to have 5 spades.

[kenrexford]

I think the spade lead stands out, but I'm not sure if the sexy King works best, or the sexy 10.

The King is very non-sexy when you catch dummy with AJxx. Declarer rises Ace, causing partner to be unable to attack the suit if he gets in first. The spade 10, on the other hand, leaves the suit more fluid. I like the 9 next, not that it really matters.

The King gains when Declerer has stiff Queen or stiff Jack.

The 10 gains when Declarer has the stiff Ace.

I think I like the spade 10 lead, in the end.