[Phil]

Matchpoints

1♠ - 1N - 3N

T3, J86432, 43, Q98

Your lead. Thanks

[hrothgar]

Phil, on 2011-June-01, 18:21, said:

Matchpoints

1♠ - 1N - 3N

T3, J86432, 43, Q98

Your lead. Thanks

9 of clubs

[BunnyGo]

hrothgar, on 2011-June-01, 18:26, said:

9 of clubs

ditto.

[whereagles]

Systemic heart. I generally stay away from speculative leads unless the situation clearly calls for it.

[Hanoi5]

whereagles, on 2011-June-02, 05:24, said:

Systemic heart. I generally stay away from speculative leads unless the situation clearly calls for it.

Doesn't 3 HCP's in your hand and at least 7 but maybe 13 in your partner's hand call for it? I also thought of a heart first but it was just automatic. A club seems reasonable, though, not neccessarily speculative.

[gwnn]

heart. any time

[mfa1010]

♥

[whereagles]

Hanoi5, on 2011-June-02, 05:30, said:

1. Doesn't 3 HCP's in your hand and at least 7 but maybe 13 in your partner's hand call for it?

2. I also thought of a heart first but it was just automatic. A club seems reasonable, though, not neccessarily speculative.

1. Of course not. 3NT might have been a stretch. There's nothing desperate about the situation. If I had, say ♠Kx, then I might be worried of spades running. Besides, it's not a lock that I'll be unable to run the hearts... pard can have 3, declarer might need a club finesse, etc.

2. It may work wonders, but I'd still think it is a bit speculative.

[pooltuna]

Hanoi5, on 2011-June-02, 05:30, said:

Doesn't 3 HCP's in your hand and at least 7 but maybe 13 in your partner's hand call for it? I also thought of a heart first but it was just automatic. A club seems reasonable, though, not neccessarily speculative.

no reason the opps ♥s can't be divided 22. The only information you have is that LHO did not allow for the possiblity of his partner holding 5♥ otherwise he might have called 2NT so he rates to hold 2. A ♥ lead is also unlikely to give away much in a situation where either minor could be right. Nevertheless ♥>♣>♦>♠

[Phil]

pooltuna, on 2011-June-02, 10:20, said:

no reason the opps ♥s can't be divided 22. The only information you have is that LHO did not allow for the possiblity of his partner holding 5♥ otherwise he might have called 2NT so he rates to hold 2. A ♥ lead is also unlikely to give away much in a situation where either minor could be right. Nevertheless ♥>♣>♦>♠

Are 2-2 hearts really likely? Presumably 3N shows long spades, and if RHO is 2=2+?=? she might pull to 4♠. With 1=2=(6-4), I'm not sure I'd sit knowing we have a good / great fit in a minor, but I might.

Anyway, lets say you lead the ♣8 (we normally only lead 2nd from 4+). Here's what you see:

---

1. ♣8, 3, A, 4.

2. ♣2, K, ?

[hrothgar]

Phil, on 2011-June-02, 10:54, said:

1. ♣8, 3, A, 4.

2. ♣2, K, ?

Life has just gotten very complicated....

I originally though that unblocking the Queen of Clubs was the best course of action.
However, I suddenly had a horrible vision that declarer would cash the AK of Diamonds and then cross back to dummy with a club to the Jack.

I think that I need to play a low club and plan to lock declarer in dummy.

[gnasher]

It's inconceivable that declarer has ♣KJx. He doesn't have second sight. Why would he play the king when he is expecting that ♣Q is on his right?

♣KJxx is unlikely for the same reason, but in any case I assume that it's ruled out by partner's return of ♣2.

It's possible that declarer has ♣KJ1064. He would know that ♣8 was from either Q98 or a singleton. He might reason that we'd never lead a singleton, and therefore play the king in the hope of inducing an unblock. That would be a good play.

Anyway, I unblock the queen, playing partner for AJxx. This doesn't lessen my dislike of the lead.

[Fluffy]

partner returns the ♣2, I think unblock is clear taking clubs in isolation however 3 club tricks and another won't beat 3NT, we need partner to make 2 side tricks. This means 2 entries to partner and that we are better winning ♣Q and crossing something later on.

Ok that was very nice before I found it was MPs, then I unblock.


About the lead, I can't forget the last time I led a club on similar hoding and partner had 4 hearts!, I always lead my longest suit since.

[Phil]

Thanks. This hand flabbergasted me. Declarer held KJTxx and played the K really fast. KTx looked so obvious to me.I mean, there wasn't even a hitch!

Partner chuckled at my pwnage.

[gnasher]

Maybe we can work this out? For declarer to take the king from K10x, he must be worried about hearts, and also expecting to have to lose the lead. Something like xx xxx QJxxx K10x? He might not play the king quickly from that holding either.

Think how much easier it would have been if you'd led you longest suit.

[BunnyGo]

Out of curiosity, would a heart lead have worked out better?

[Phil]

As I recall declarer was something like x KTx QJxx KJTxx. -490 was obviously a zero.