[Trumpace]

You hold Q743, KT7, Q92, T98.

RHO opens 1NT (15-17). You pass. LHO passes. Partner also passes.

What would you lead? Is it obvious?
Assume everyone is intermediate. (If that helps...)

[Walddk]

♠3. Fourth best from my longest and strongest. Nu guarantee of success; there is no obvious lead. As the Swedish author and expert player, Jan Wohlin, said many years ago:

"Don't ever lead"!

There is a lot of truth to that statement. Many contracts hinge on the opening lead.

Roland

[helene_t]

Walddk, on Jun 14 2005, 07:37 AM, said:

As the Swedish author and expert player, Jan Wohlin, said many years ago:

"Don't ever lead"!

I used to think it was a joke but maybe it's meant as a case for agresive bidding?

Especially when RHO opens 1NT and opps play uncontested transfers but natural in competition.

[joker_gib]

♠

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

spade.

I think club is better, at least when playing MP, because
it seems to be the safest lead, but even then, I would lead
a spade, if it is wrong, it is simpler to explain, why you lead
spade: it is your longest suit, it is a mayor.

It would probably help a bit, if you would know, if the opponents
play garbage stayman, i.e. if they would use stayman with 4-4
and zero points, but probably not very much.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[kgr]

P_Marlowe, on Jun 14 2005, 11:34 AM, said:

Hi,

spade.

I think club is better, at least when playing MP, because
it seems to be the safest lead, but even then, I would lead
a spade, if it is wrong, it is simpler to explain, why you lead
spade: it is your longest suit, it is a mayor. 

It would probably help a bit, if you would know, if the opponents
play garbage stayman, i.e. if they would use stayman with 4-4
and zero points, but probably not very much.

With kind regards
Marlowe

Also small ♠ for me and I also wondered if it would be better to start ♣ at MP's.
But at the other hand:
It looks like declarer will have to play for his 7 tricks. I don't expect that there will be long suits around (dummy didn't transfer, partner didn't bid). Giving away a trick will cost the same in IMP's as in MP's. So I'm not sure if you would have to lead different in MP's and IMP's on this hand. This also make some argument for ♣ T.
...don't know. I will either play small ♠ or ♣ T.

[luke warm]

♣10 for the obvious reasons

[Gerben42]

So Luke, tell me the obvious reasons. There is no "obvious" lead.

I'll go for ♠3, fourth best of longest and strongest. A flexible and positive lead.

[han]

P_Marlowe, on Jun 14 2005, 04:34 AM, said:

I think club is better. I would lead
a spade, if it is wrong, it is simpler to explain.

I can't tell you how much I hate this argument!

[P_Marlowe]

Hannie, on Jun 14 2005, 06:56 AM, said:

P_Marlowe, on Jun 14 2005, 04:34 AM, said:

I think club is better. I would lead
a spade, if it is wrong, it is simpler to explain.

I can't tell you how much I hate this argument!

Hi,

I agree, that this is no real argument , but then
I cant tell you, how much I hate it to argue about spilled wine.

My regular partner is nice and accepts a decision, may the decision
be successful or not, especially if not, but sometimes I play with
complementairs , who cant stop arguing.
And if I kill all pairs, with such behaviour, I would need to increase
my search radius in case I want to play f2f IMP's.

But there is another arguement in favor of the spade lead, it will
probbaly be the choice of the majority.
Hopefully you can you accept this argument?

With kind regards
Marlowe

[ochinko]

Gerben42, on Jun 14 2005, 06:32 AM, said:

So Luke, tell me the obvious reasons. There is no "obvious" lead.

I'll go for ♠3, fourth best of longest and strongest. A flexible and positive lead.

I don't know Luke's reasons, but I'd lead the C10 too

My reason is that partner obviously has more points than me, so chosing a lead that could benefit him makes more sense. C10 is less likely to give away a trick than a small spade.

In NT middle cards count, especially at the lower levels, and my best middle cards are in clubs.

If the NT was from LHO, then the small spade would be more appropriate, but then the lead would not be my problem but CHO's.

Petko

[inquiry]

♠ at imps, ♣Ten at matchpoints.

♠ gives you a chance to develop a long trick and saves a tempo by starting "your suit" such as it is. Thus the spade lead gives us the best chance to set the contract should partner have some useful cards.

Leading blind from the queen also gives you a chance to give up an extra overtrick. At matchpoints, I am more worried about giving them an unwarrented trick as I am about setting them. Here, I will look for the "safe" field lead and plan to outplay the field due to my partners superior defense later on the hand.

[pclayton]

I think I'd lead the 10♣ against 3N, but vs 1N, I want to try to get the spades going at the risk of revealing my Q or blowing a trick in the suit.

I don't know if I've ever beaten 1N playing passive.

[Fluffy]

♠3, and I think it is pretty clear.

[luke warm]

Jlall, on Jun 14 2005, 08:56 AM, said:

Gerben42, on Jun 14 2005, 06:32 AM, said:

So Luke, tell me the obvious reasons. There is no "obvious" lead.

I'll go for ♠3, fourth best of longest and strongest. A flexible and positive lead.

Just because the reasons for leading the club ten are obvious does not mean there is an obvious lead. There could be obvious reasons for 2 leads but it is a very close call, such is the case here.

justin is right, i didn't say there was an obvious lead, only that the reasons for leading the ♣10 were obvious... and i agree with ben that the club would be better at matchpoints, though i'd lead it at both

the 'obvious' reasons all revolve around not giving up a trick (or three)... it's possible i have 2 or 3 tricks in my hand if i don't give any away by my lead... and btw, i'd lead the same vs. 3nt

[Winstonm]

Quote

spade...many will try the club ten and it may be right but its just not me

Only because you hold the 4 and 3. I know how you think; if it were 32 you'd lead a club just like the rest of us.

[Winstonm]

There are only 4 ways that I know to determine exactly which lead is superior:
1) The direction in which your pard's pencil is pointed. 2) How many times and with which foot did partner accidentally tap your toes. 3) How many fingers is partner holding on the backside of his cards. 4) Who physically dealt the cards.

Without these sophisticated (and totally illegal) methods, it's a guess. A lot for me would depend on the tempo of the 1N bidder....did he have a problem deciding what to open?

WinstonM

[luke warm]

it's only a guess inasmuch as any lead could work out well on any one specific deal, even a lead that would be considered inferior (in theory)

especially at matchpoints, i think it's important to let declarer do his own work... that's why passive leads (given no hints from the bidding) tend to work out better in the long run (or so i've been told )