[sceptic]

Scoring: IMP

---

West North East South

 -     -     -     Pass
 1♣    3♥    4♦    Pass
 4♥    Pass  5♦    Pass
 6♦    Pass  Pass  Pass
 

I am interested in opinions about my lead, can you tell me whether it is correct lead from that holding and what I should have led if if is not correct.

Thanks all for your input

[the hog]

I would lead a H
Partner bid the suit, presumably for a reason.
A S lead away from KJx is nuts, (even though it is a great lead here).
Partner did not make a lightner double and therefore cannot ruff a club.
Why lead a trump? Might even pick up Qxx in partner's hand.

The other thing I'd suggest is that you discuss partner's possible holdings for a 3H pre empt. This is not a 3H bid imo.

Here it doesn't matter of couse, as 6D is off on any lead.

[jtfanclub]

The_Hog, on Aug 27 2004, 08:02 PM, said:

Partner did not make a lightner double and therefore cannot ruff a club.

Hearts seems out because of the opponent's bidding. If that 4H bid was supposed to keep me from leading hearts, it sure succeeded.
Diamonds are clearly out.
So, I lead a club...EXCEPT if was supposed to lead a club, I'd have heard a Lightner double, right?

So if we play Lightner doubles and partner didn't double, he must want a spade lead. So if I trust partner, I lead a spade.

So I'll probably lead a heart.

[EricK]

You need two tricks to beat 6♦. Obviosuly, you are not to know that partner has two Aces, and opps have bid a slam without any sort of control in ♠. So what is the best chance of 2 tricks?

I expect it is either a club ruff plus a heart or spade, or a heart and a spade. If partner had a void club, he might have made a lightner double of 6♦, so I would go for a heart and spade. It is likely that the ♥ trick needs setting up ready to cash when we get in with a spade, so I would lead a ♥.

Eric

[luke warm]

i'd lead a heart also... spade looks too dangerous, i might be giving up trick 12... like ron said, this one is down no matter what, but i'd still lead partner's suit (especially since no double)

[Free]

Imo it's a clear ♦ or ♠ lead, according to standard bidding agreements.

Partner didn't Dbl 4♥ (so doesn't want a ♥ lead).
He didn't Dbl 6♦, so no void ♣.
So choice is between ♦ and ♠. ♠ is too risky, since you might lead to Qx in RHO's hand, and Ax in LHO's hand.

Elimination showed me to lead ♦...

Btw, does it really matter??? 6♦ always goes down imo, unless I'm missing something

[pclayton]

Free, on Aug 28 2004, 07:02 AM, said:

Imo it's a clear ♦ or ♠ lead, according to standard bidding agreements.

Partner didn't Dbl 4♥ (so doesn't want a ♥ lead).
He didn't Dbl 6♦, so no void ♣.
So choice is between ♦ and ♠.  ♠ is too risky, since you might lead to Qx in RHO's hand, and Ax in LHO's hand.

Elimination showed me to lead ♦...

Btw, does it really matter???  6♦ always goes down imo, unless I'm missing something 

This is why I play a dbl of a cue bid of a suit we've bid says: "Consider another lead than my suit partner". C.P., you'll normally want your suit led, so the double becomes redundant as it gives the opponents two or three extra calls.

This isn't the perfect hand for it, but on other layouts, it might be essential to cash the spade trick before it goes Maytag.

[EricK]

Free, on Aug 28 2004, 03:02 PM, said:

Partner didn't Dbl 4♥ (so doesn't want a ♥ lead).

I don't like this agreement. Doubling 4♥ simply gives them more room to explore for slam. I'm not sure that sending the message "the suit I bid at the 3 level is a good one to lead" is worth enough to handicap oneself in this way.

Eric

[Free]

GRMBL, that's why I said "according to standard bidding agreements". I also don't like this agreement, but most people still play it that way for some reason...