LHO opens 1S, RHO responds 2D, and the opponents conduct a tortured auction wherein LHO shows long spades, minimum values, and possibly a club control (ambiguous), RHO shows a secondary heart suit and eventually blasts to 6NT without asking for aces/keycards. (I'm not including the actual auction because A. I don't fully remember it, and B. the opps freely admitted afterwards that they had no idea what they were doing, they lost their way after about the third round.) So: do you lead a high spade in the hopes that partner has an ace, or do you think that's more likely to blow a tempo and set up declarer's road suit? FWIW these are good opponents, this was just not their finest bidding hour.
Dispatch from he Front #3
#1
Posted 2012-February-24, 12:46
LHO opens 1S, RHO responds 2D, and the opponents conduct a tortured auction wherein LHO shows long spades, minimum values, and possibly a club control (ambiguous), RHO shows a secondary heart suit and eventually blasts to 6NT without asking for aces/keycards. (I'm not including the actual auction because A. I don't fully remember it, and B. the opps freely admitted afterwards that they had no idea what they were doing, they lost their way after about the third round.) So: do you lead a high spade in the hopes that partner has an ace, or do you think that's more likely to blow a tempo and set up declarer's road suit? FWIW these are good opponents, this was just not their finest bidding hour.
Dianne, I'm holding in my hand a small box of chocolate bunnies... --Agent Dale Cooper
#2
Posted 2012-February-24, 13:31
Never tell the same lie twice. - Elim Garek on the real moral of "The boy who cried wolf"
#3
Posted 2012-February-24, 13:37
"...we live off being battle-scarred veterans who manage to hate our opponents slightly more than we hate each other. -- Hamman, re: Wolff
#4
Posted 2012-February-24, 22:00
But my leads sux
"It's only when a mosquito lands on your testicles that you realize there is always a way to solve problems without using violence!"
"Well to be perfectly honest, in my humble opinion, of course without offending anyone who thinks differently from my point of view, but also by looking into this matter in a different perspective and without being condemning of one's view's and by trying to make it objectified, and by considering each and every one's valid opinion, I honestly believe that I completely forgot what I was going to say."
#5
Posted 2012-February-24, 22:23
Partner seems marked with heart length; I lead the passive ♥2.
#6
Posted 2012-February-25, 04:53
The downside of the spade lead is that it may blows a tempo, the upside is that it could be the only way to defeat the contract in case partner has a high card somewhere.
A diamond blows a tempo too without many upsides...
I guess I lead a high spade, second choice a club.
Roland
Sanity Check: Failure (Fluffy)
More system is not the answer...
#7
Posted 2012-February-25, 05:35
I reckon a ♦ might be the best passive lead. If pards has the Q we have a trick and if he is devoid of an honour, declarer likely has AKQxxx and we've probably not given up a trick. A club just feels likely to run to declarers KJ and give up a trick.
#8
Posted 2012-February-25, 12:56
The low diamond lead also seems terrible. RHO has primary diamonds and LHO didn't support them or cuebid them - he probably doesn't have an honor. Would it be a surprise to find diamonds are stiff opposite AKQ9x where the low diamond pickles partner's ten? If I were going to lead a diamond I would lead the jack.
I guard the spades to my left, partner guards the hearts to his left - this is starting to look like a double squeeze around the club suit. I think if I lead a heart declarer might be able to duck a diamond and squeeze us, so I will try a club lead and hope that partner has the jack.
#9
Posted 2012-February-25, 14:38
BunnyGo, on 2012-February-24, 13:31, said:
Me too. Granted I'm not at the table and there are a few gaps in the OP like the full auction but lho has shown an "ambiguous" club control and pard only needs the jack to survive this with no damage and every other suit could blow multiple tricks and/or tempo.
Maybe I should lead the Q♣ but the ambiguous club control could be the stiff A or K as opposed to the J.
What is baby oil made of?
#10
Posted 2012-March-08, 08:30
"...we live off being battle-scarred veterans who manage to hate our opponents slightly more than we hate each other. -- Hamman, re: Wolff
#11
Posted 2012-March-08, 09:42
wyman, on 2012-March-08, 08:30, said:
I led the ♣10 and declarer rolled up 12 tricks. South apologized, halfway sincerely, after the hand; he threw in a club bid to try and inhibit a club lead, I went ahead and led one anyway, and it's the only lead to hand the contract to declarer on a silver platter! There may be squeeze chances on other leads too, I haven't studied it very closely. Just wondered if there was a case to be made for a high spade here.
Dianne, I'm holding in my hand a small box of chocolate bunnies... --Agent Dale Cooper