[eagles123]

We are silent opps bidding is:

1d - 2c - 2n - 3n ap

opps are playing acol

QJ62
Kj65
T6
T92

is there a clear reason to lead one major rather than another or is this a guess? or should i lead a minor?

scoring is MP

many thanks,

Eagles

[gszes]

At IMPS (where setting the contract is a major objective) I would lead a spade.
At MP, where not giving away a trick can be just as important as setting them, I would
lead the heart Q on the theory that LHO has a long suit and is therefore less likely
to table an inconvenient H(T9)x holding or even Hxx).

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

the normal lead is an unbid suit, given say have bid the minors,
the normal lead is a major.
Spades is your better suit, you need less from partner to avoid
blowing a trick, basically the 10 is enough, if partner has the
Ace of hearts, your chances of getting 4 are really good, i.e.
if you want to set the contract quickly this is your best chance.

Most likely clubs are breaking either 33 or 32, i.e. they have a
source of tricks.

So from this ... at MP a spade, at IMPs a heart.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[gordontd]

The other responders seem to be looking at a different hand than the one I see! One of them wants to lead a card that isn't in the given hand, and the other thinks QJ62 is a better suit than KJ65. I would lead a heart.

[Cyberyeti]

gordontd, on 2015-February-13, 02:48, said:

The other responders seem to be looking at a different hand than the one I see! One of them wants to lead a card that isn't in the given hand, and the other thinks QJ62 is a better suit than KJ65. I would lead a heart.

I know the hand as I was sitting opposite eagles123, but is leading the better suit always right ? Here if partner has K♠, the K♥ might get you in to cash the 4th one, if partner has the Q♥, it's less likely the spades will be an entry. This is probably more of an IMPs argument than a MPs one, but I think it still applies to some extent.

[masonbarge]

eagles123, on 2015-February-12, 13:32, said:

We are silent opps bidding is:

1d - 2c - 2n - 3n ap

opps are playing acol

QJ62
Kj65
T6
T92

is there a clear reason to lead one major rather than another or is this a guess? or should i lead a minor?

scoring is MP

many thanks,

Eagles

Without doubt the ♠Q, even if the bidding were 1NT-3NT. Leading from KJ is extremely dangerous and results in loss of a trick way too often. QJxx without the 10 or 9 is also not optimal but a notch up, and just as likely to hurt them. Plus, heart K is a better potential entry.

Have you read David Bird's book?

[gszes]

gszes, on 2015-February-12, 15:42, said:

At IMPS (where setting the contract is a major objective) I would lead a spade.
At MP, where not giving away a trick can be just as important as setting them, I would
lead the heart Q on the theory that LHO has a long suit and is therefore less likely
to table an inconvenient H(T9)x holding or even Hxx).

Now if we can just get this gszes guy to actually READ the hand properly these ramblings might
begin to make some sort of sense. Mumble grumble AT IMPS our best shot is quick tricks on a hand
where the splits look favorable for the opps. I would lead a HEART.

At MP where giving up a trick can be just as disastrous as setting the contract can be positive, I would
choose the spade Q. Dummy is less likely to have an inconvenient holding like (A or K)[(T or 9) x or even
xx]. The spade suit still has chances of being the best lead and gives up a trick less often.

I think the commentary now matches the hand shown in the OP sorry about that.

[gordontd]

I question whether leading from QJxx is safer than from KJxx. In my experience it often seems to blow a trick when declarer has something like Kxx opposite ATx.

[Jinksy]

I agree with Mason re the spade lead. Obviously there are arrangements where it can go worse even with any given card, but in general leading from QJxx is safeish if P has the A, K or T, leading from KJxx is only safeish if P has the A or Q.

KJxx was almost the worst holding in bridge to lead from in (both) Bird and Anthias' books.

[gordontd]

Cyberyeti, on 2015-February-13, 06:10, said:

is leading the better suit always right ?

Possibly not, but I was responding to the post that said:

P_Marlowe, on 2015-February-13, 02:25, said:

Spades is your better suit

By all means choose to lead spades, but not for that reason.

[P_Marlowe]

gordontd, on 2015-February-15, 03:19, said:

Possibly not, but I was responding to the post that said:

By all means choose to lead spades, but not for that reason.

I wrote it, maybe I should have used "safer" instead of "better", but I also
explained why I thought spade the "better" suit.

[Free]

Leading either Major requires a top honor in partner's hand to be successful. I would lead a ♠ because I'm more likely to get an entry to my hand in ♥.

[BillPatch]

Updated to show Older commentary on same hand I simulated today on other thread.

[nige1]

eagles123, on 2015-February-12, 13:32, said:

scoring is MP you hold ♠ Q J 6 2 ♥ K J 6 5 ♦ T 6 ♣ T 9 2
Opps are playing acol. We are silent opps bidding is:
(1♦) - (2♣) -
(2N) - (3N) AP
Is there a clear reason to lead one major rather than another?
or is this a guess?
or should i lead a minor?

IMO ♠Q = 10. ♠2 = 9, ♥5 = 8, ♣T = 5, ♦T = 4.

[BillPatch]

nige1, on 2015-March-02, 09:38, said:

IMO ♠Q = 10. ♠2 = 9, ♥5 = 8, ♣T = 5, ♦T = 4.

Based on the simulation I posted on the other thread with this title:♠Q=10, ♠2=7.2, ♥5=7, ♣10=5, ♦10=2.

At IMPs: ♠Q=10, ♠2=8, ♣10=6, ♥5=5, ♦10=2