[pmacfar]

pclayton, on Jun 14 2005, 11:53 AM, said:

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 agree with pclayton. 3♠ against NT partial game to get the 'Tempo' of setting up my four card suit. 10♣ against NT game, make user work for the tricks. You don't know if declarer has a four card major, or which one it is. In partial game, not leading the spade you run the risk of giving declarer overtricks he doesn't deserve because he is able to run a 5 card minor suit and squeeze you to discard before your trick has been established. If partner is lucky enough to hold A or K ♠, setting up your Q unless declarer holds up his winner, it will make selecting discards a little easier.

[luis]

Heart Ten unblocking the suit, the spade suit seems to be the best way to blow a trick a close decision between a heart and a club.

[fifee]

Low ♠

You have 7 hcp. Opener has max 17. Dummy probably 7 or less, so that leaves partner with minimum 6 pts and could have up to 18 although highly unlikely since he did not take an action. Partner probably has 6-14. If he was nearer the top of his range with a suit, he would have overcalled, so I am betting he is in the 10-13 HCP range and has help in several of the suits so why not try to hit him

No problem with any other lead or reasoning. Certainly none clear cut. BTW, why are we asking this question?

[Trumpace]

fifee, on Jun 15 2005, 02:04 PM, said:

No problem with any other lead or reasoning. Certainly none clear cut. BTW, why are we asking this question?

This hand had come up in f2f bridge sometime back. On the actual hand, I led the club Ten and declarer made overtricks. The others then said that a spade lead was obviously better. I didn't see any reason for that, and one hand is certainly not proof. I just wanted to know the experts' opinion on this forum, hence the question.

Also, thanks everyone, for the replies. I am now even more confused

[rigour6]

When your partner gets in, how are you going to feel when they return a club?

Stick with the low spade.

I can see the argument that it makes a difference at IMPs, but generally at NT you are going to get your high card tricks, it's your length tricks that will depend on the lead.

Since opps didn't try stayman, that argues for a major lead as well.

Note this does not mean the club lead is bad, sometimes you have no lead.

The most important thing at a time like this is to have a sympathetic and supportive partner.

[luis]

Jlall, on Jun 15 2005, 08:58 PM, said:

luis, on Jun 15 2005, 01:35 PM, said:

Heart Ten unblocking the suit, the spade suit seems to be the best way to blow a trick a close decision between a heart and a club.

funny you think a lead from Qxxx is more likely to blow a trick than from KTx?

Probably but it certainly will be more difficult to understand for pd.

[reisig]

I'm confused. Why is this hand in here?

[luke warm]

rigour6, on Jun 15 2005, 04:03 PM, said:

When your partner gets in, how are you going to feel when they return a club?.

maybe it's true that the club 10 tells a different story to partner than, say, the club 8 but still i expect partner to figure out that i'm not leading from length and, after seeing dummy and seeing declarer's 1st trick, that i'm not leading from strength

i'd still rather not blow a trick vs. 1nt out, or 1nt : 3nt ... the fact that the ♣10 didn't work out this time only means that it didn't work out this time

[JSilver]

pclayton, on Jun 14 2005, 03:53 PM, said:

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. 

My sense is that passive defense is more likely to set 1nt than 3nt. In 3nt, declarer usually has a source of tricks and the defense needs to establish theirs first. In 1nt, declarer tends to have to scrounge tricks wherever he can find them. Entries to dummy will be scarce, so underleading honors into the strong hand is riskier.

Nevertheless, I'd probably lead a spade at IMPs. But I agree it's not clearcut.