[jahol]

Leading against slam is very responsible job with big consequences. Two boards from last Monday = approximately 50 IMPs in the air..

In the board, our opponents bid and played piecefull game contract, the bidding at some tables was like that (both nonvulnerable) :

RHO-------YOU---------LHO----------CHO
2C(1)------3D----------DBL----------PASS
5H---------PAS---------6H-----------PASS...

(1) strong

What do you lead, having
72---83---AQJ9653---K10?

Do you think about leading Ace of diamonds? Do you lead Ace of diamonds?


Okay, the first board was just for warming up. The next board is for the fans of hardcore (you vulnerable, your opponents not):

LHO----------CHO-----------RHO----------YOU
2D(1)--------PASS----------4S!?(2) ------PASS
6S!!----------PASS

(1) 9-15 PC, spades + minor suit, 4-6, 5-5, 6-4 or more cards in these two suits or seven+ spades
(2) preventive, no lower limit in strength

What do you lead , having
J92---K762---K108---AQ3?
(Your LHO is young, very skillful and even more aggressive player (as you can see), member of the team winning the first world junior championship this year in Turkey)

Do you think about leading Ace of clubs? Do you lead Ace of clubs?

By the way, if I can ask - What is your general strategy of the first lead against slam contract as soon as you have ace in some side suit? Do you use some general or more specific rules when to lead ace and when not? Do you always, never, sometimes lead ace in such situations?

[Codo]

Hand 1: Beliving in a takeo out double from lho, I would lead the ace. LHO is short in diamonds, but even if I will set up a diamond trick in openers hand, it hopefully is not the 12.
And the thread that the diamond loser will be thrown on running spades is high.

In the second example, I would lead a heart.

[Fluffy]

First hand partner didn't raise, RHO asked for diamond control, partner can easilly ruff the second trick and we aren't giving anything away.


Second one dummy has a 2 suiter, probably a 6-6 or 6-5. Leading the wrong suit will be awful. But worse of all is to lead dummy's singleton into declarer's AQ to get another singleton discard.

I would risk a ♣A lead.

[phil_20686]

i think the first one you have to lead the ace, it just sounds like they have many tricks and rho has promised a control in every suit but hearts i suspect. Could be tri k number twelve but feels likely they will need club tricks.

The second one i would just lead a spade. Feels hugely unlikely this can cost as they musth have many spades to bid like this. Whateve rho's minor is i have a reasonable chance to win a trick and cash the ace. I would not like giving up a second club trick when rho has 5 clubs opposite two in the dummy for example.

[jahol]

It was LHO, who had minor suit in addition to spades....

[aguahombre]

Now we know why Justin uses the monkers he uses. OP had taken the one he wanted. Jk, not trying to start a war.

Being a lousy opening leader, I just bang the bullet.

[weicc]

i would lead A in both cases

about case 2 , LHO is an aggressive bidder
he heard his partner bid 4s and then raised to 6s
, so i guessed LHO have not so solid spades( SAY KJxxx spades) and another solid minors suit such as Diamond Aqjxx) .
LHO thought his partner have some spades high cards (A is very likely) and also hoped his patner had an ace in heart and at least a king in clubs), so that he can get 12 tricks if the diamonds finnese was on. (His most likely shape is 5152).
The best way to defeat this contract is to lead clubs ace either to find partner to have clubs kings or to avoid the endplay.
If you lead passively, you are very likely to be endplayed.(a stripe squeeze )

[jahol]

First board:

Scoring: IMP

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Second board:

Scoring: IMP

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[aguahombre]

Banging the Ace failed once and worked once. Better than my usual opening lead average.