[Deanrover]

♠ KQ
♥ KT9742
♦ J9
♣ A64

You open 1 ♥ at IMPs, all white. You rebid 2 ♥ or partners 1 ♠ only to hear LHO overcall 3♦ and RHO bid 3NT.

What now?

Edit: Your partner is a BBO Champion ("Star").

[hrothgar]

Its probably disastrously wrong, but I'm banging the Ace of clubs to get a look see...

[Free]

looks like they can handle a ♥ or ♠ lead, so lets lead ♣. Only problem left: which one? I'll lead small, because I suppose if an opponent has the ♣Q, it's probably RHO.

[mike777]

Free, on Aug 8 2005, 07:16 PM, said:

looks like they can handle a ♥ or ♠ lead, so lets lead ♣. Only problem left: which one? I'll lead small, because I suppose if an opponent has the ♣Q, it's probably RHO.

ditto

[beatrix45]

Sounds like RHO is hoping for six running diamonds plus is looking at a spade and heart stopper. That requires RHO to have one or two diamond honours plus the heart ace and the spade ace (or, less likely) four to the jack. I can see eight tricks - six diamonds plus two aces. RHO has enough strength in diamonds and the majors that she doesn't have much room for club honours. Any lead is a guess that may backfire. Here goes:

1. any heart - NO, too easy to go into the heart AQ for declarer's game going trick. Unlikely to win even when partner holds the queen.

2. any club - MAYBE, the suit may be wide open. If LHO has seven running diamonds, we gotta get our tricks now. It could also give declarer her ninth trick, though.

3. spade king - NOT TOO BAD, will not give up the ninth trick, and works out the best when partner has the club king and the J10xx(x) in spades.

4. spade queen - A LITTLE BETTER THAN #3 above, same chances as #3, plus if pard wins the ace and puts a heart through we have some extra chances.

With a 'good' partner (i.e. one who can take a joke) I would probably lead the spade Q. Nothing wrong with a club lead, except when it builds declarer's ninth trick.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

do you play lead directing doubles?

In any case I will lead the King of
spades.

Marlowe

[Fluffy]

IF this wasn't a problem I would automatically lead ♠K.

[Double !]

May I assume that my P didn't psyche? Are the opps playing sandwich NT?

What kind of hand can rho have that is consistent with the bidding (whereby rho was unable to take action over 1S)? Majors and a full opener, likely with a diamond card? If P dbls 3NT, does this tell you to lead hearts or spades? Heart lead doesn't seem right. Club lead makes some sense as does spade lead if P has the jack. I would lead a spade. If it's wrong, maybe I'll have time to switch before they run 9 tricks.

[luke warm]

i guess it can't be right but leading the ♠K seems automatic to me

[mikeh]

The ♠K looks automatic, although dull and predictable, and thus incorrect on the actual hand.

The Q has some merit. Not because partner may overtake to switch to ♥, but because he will duck the first round (if he has the A) and will know on the second round that we began with KQ tight. That will permit him to do the right thing, if it is at all possible. That right thing may be to overtake and lead the ♣Q through, or the ♣J from KJ10x or KJ9x, with the 10xx in dummy.

If I led a ♣ (a distant second choice) it would be the Ace, not low. There is little sense playing to pick up declarer's Qxx: if you lead low to partner's hypothetical KJ10x, declarer will duck the second round, blocking the suit... he knows you do not hold 4 cards in any side suit. So you may as well play for a magic holding if you lead that suit.

[FrancesHinden]

I agree a spade looks dull and automatic, so I assume the CA is the winning lead. But I doubt I woud find it at the table.

[Deanrover]

Credit to HedyG for finding the winning lead of a low ♣.

Scoring: IMP

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West North East South

1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass
2♥ 3♦ Pass 3NT
Pass Pass Pass