[billw55]

OleBerg, on Nov 30 2009, 10:46 AM, said:

Go directly to the "Beginners/intermidiates logic" -forum.

I checked there, but I didn't see anything applicable, at least not on the first page

Maybe you could enlighten me as to what you mean?

[jdonn]

billw55, on Nov 30 2009, 09:11 AM, said:

gnasher, on Nov 29 2009, 05:58 PM, said:

The hand which occasioned the question was x KJTxxxx xxx xx.  I didn't actually hold this hand - someone gave it to me as a problem.

I wonder what the actual holder was trying to accomplish by bidding 3♥ with that hand. Did he really think he was going to obstruct the 2♣ bidder? Or that he really wants a heart lead?

Of course he was going to obstruct the opponents! When opener bid 3NT did he show 22? 25? 29? Have you discussed it with your partner? What should responder do with 5 spades? Even if you are confident 4♥ is a transfer then if responder transfers and bids 4NT is that natural or keycard?

And of course he wants a heart lead! What in the world other lead would he want that partner isn't going to make anyway?

Do you want to start passing when you can make very obstructive bids just in case the opponents will bid slam and partner has a void in your suit?

[billw55]

jdonn, on Nov 30 2009, 11:43 AM, said:

Of course he was going to obstruct the opponents! When opener bid 3NT did he show 22? 25? 29? Have you discussed it with your partner? What should responder do with 5 spades? Even if you are confident 4♥ is a transfer then if responder transfers and bids 4NT is that natural or keycard?

And of course he wants a heart lead! What in the world other lead would he want that partner isn't going to make anyway?

Do you want to start passing when you can make very obstructive bids just in case the opponents will bid slam and partner has a void in your suit?

Thanks everyone for responding to my ill-informed nonsense. I am learning a lot here. So to continue the trend ..

In this case as opener I would just stick to my original plan - bid my suit or 3NT over 3♥. About the only thing it would stop me from doing is bidding 3NT with no heart stopper. It even gives me the extra option of passing it back to partner.

As for the heart lead, it might be right, but I would also worry that partner would feel obligated to lead a heart into declarer's AQ, instead of a normal lead like ♦JT8x or many others. I lack the ace or even touching honors, is that really enough for a lead director with clear strength on my left?

[gnasher]

jdonn, on Nov 30 2009, 05:43 PM, said:

Of course he was going to obstruct the opponents! When opener bid 3NT did he show 22? 25? 29?

I don't think he even promised a balanced hand. There are lots of hands with a solid minor and a heart stop that would bid 3NT. I could probably construct a hand with five spades and a small singleton in a minor where 3NT is an option.

[jdonn]

gnasher, on Nov 30 2009, 12:02 PM, said:

jdonn, on Nov 30 2009, 05:43 PM, said:

Of course he was going to obstruct the opponents! When opener bid 3NT did he show 22? 25? 29?

I don't think he even promised a balanced hand. There are lots of hands with a solid minor and a heart stop that would bid 3NT. I could probably construct a hand with five spades and a small singleton in a minor where 3NT is an option.

Good point, so even more what I said then.

[jdonn]

billw55, on Nov 30 2009, 11:59 AM, said:

As for the heart lead, it might be right, but I would also worry that partner would feel obligated to lead a heart into declarer's AQ, instead of a normal lead like ♦JT8x or many others. I lack the ace or even touching honors, is that really enough for a lead director with clear strength on my left?

The heart lead into declarer's AQ is fine, it was always onside for him anyway. And if either other player has either the ace or the queen then you have gotten partner off to a productive lead.

JT8x of diamond would probably be a harmless lead but you sure don't want him to lead JT8x of spades...

[billw55]

jdonn, on Nov 30 2009, 12:08 PM, said:

The heart lead into declarer's AQ is fine, it was always onside for him anyway.

Sure, but if dummy has a stiff then he wasn't taking the finesse. Or maybe he needs dummy's only entry for something else. etc .. why give it to him for free?

Of course, true that declarer is not guaranteed to have ♥AQ.