[mikl_plkcc]

I have enough of horror stories when my AKQ is led into a void when I have shown it long in my bidding, but I gave away dozens of IMPs by not leading it here, where my side A was led directly into a void.

I bid my AKQxxx twice with the intention to compete, so I suspect my opponents might be short, but it turned out that the shortness was in my partner, so -1 became +2.

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Another hand I held AKQxx, and the shortness was in one of the opponents. The contract was cold.

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Should I always stick to the textbook and lead from AKQ-long against suit contract under any circumstances, even if I suspect there may be a shortness? Is it always the best lead?

[helene_t]

It is not always right, but usually. The main exception is when you need partner on lead quickly. People have been known to underlead akq, hoping partner has the jack.

[awm]

It's usually right to lead from AKQ, because they might cash and if they don't you are usually not giving anything away. If even the first one holds you get to see dummy and partner's signal which can help you at trick two. It's fairly rare that you actually do better to lead something else, and you can sometimes tell when this is a possibility (partner raising your suit to indicate they may not cash, you have a singleton or void and can see how getting a ruff would set the contract, etc).

However, I wouldn't double on the assumption that my AKQ will cash!

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

#1 you should not change strategy due to bad results on one board. If you do this, you will get bad results
most of the time.

#2 the difference between the given boards is, that in the first boards did not support your suit, i.e.
this begs the question, why did you assume, shortness with oppenents, length with partner, in the other board,
partner did support you, so why dwere you suprised, that they had the shortage, and your AKQ did not cash?

Also, why did you double in the last board, you have at best 3 tricks, partner is dead, partner wont even have length
in their suit, which may be a nasty suprise for them.

With kind regards
Marlowe