[jdonn]

KJT8x xx QJ8 KTx, LHO deals, imps

P P 2NT, P P P. What do you lead?

Would your answer changed if partner doubled 2NT? (not conventional, just penalty and speculative)

[hrothgar]

I'd lead the Queen of Diamonds

[Blofeld]

♠J in either case.

[whereagles]

yeah, the 'correct' spade from this holding seems fine in either case

[jdonn]

I presume that means the jack, ok. I should have also mentioned 4th best leads just to cover all bases, since there are layouts where the 5th is necessary not to blow a trick from this holding. I wouldn't lead that, but who knows maybe someone is tempted.

[mikeh]

I would lead the ♠J: take away the 8 and the choice is more difficult. Now I'd have to seriously think about a low ♠...in fact I think that would be the 'correct' lead.

It seems to me that the choice is the aggressive ♠ or the conservative ♦. Clearly the ♦ gives away less immediately when it is wrong, but it also accomplishes less most of the time...I have had very bad luck when I go conservative on this kind of problem: the loss of the tempo is more costly than the loss of the trick that I might yield on a ♠ lead.

I have not had sufficient experience with speculative balancing doubles to have a feel for how and if that should change my thinking...if it were to do so, it would, I think, tend to reinforce my choice of a ♠... btw, I have heard for 30+ years that this auction (2N pp) cries for a double.... but I have never doubled nor ever been doubled in this sequence

[Walddk]

♠10, but only because I lead 3rd/5th. 10 = none or two higher (denies the jack). I'll be happy to lead the jack if that's our agreement from an interior sequence.

Roland

[pclayton]

Middle spade if there's a double; otherwise a diamond.

I might have this backwards.

[flytoox]

LHO passed 2N. He must have nothing, I think conservative D lead is better.

[FrancesHinden]

Whatever my systemic spade honour is.

There's no real evidence that going passive against this auction is the best way to beat it, though obviously it might be right: it's quite common that declarer can get to 8 tricks if you give him enough time to set them all up.

[Mr. Dodgy]

Walddk, on Jun 1 2006, 11:25 AM, said:

♠10, but only because I lead 3rd/5th. 10 = none or two higher (denies the jack). I'll be happy to lead the jack if that's our agreement from an interior sequence.

Roland

denies the J?

[Walddk]

Mr. Dodgy, on Jun 2 2006, 09:51 PM, said:

Walddk, on Jun 1 2006, 11:25 AM, said:

♠10, but only because I lead 3rd/5th. 10 = none or two higher (denies the jack). I'll be happy to lead the jack if that's our agreement from an interior sequence.

Roland

denies the J?

Typo, sorry. None or two higher. If two higher, the jack will almost always be there. The only exception would be AQ109 if you decide to lead from that holding.

Roland

[jdonn]

Out of my memory, the full hand was approximately this

---

A spade lead still beats the hand, but a diamond beats it several tricks more. Anyway the reason I'm posting it is that I led a diamond, which I thought was normal to make sure not to lead into declarer when dummy is broke, but a couple of my friends who were watching thought it was really weird not to lead a spade.

I guess a spade is majority, but at least enough people lead a diamond so it isn't TOO weird.

If partner had doubled 2NT (he said he almost did, and I think his hand is ideal) then I think it would be even easier to avoid a spade lead. It would suggest he knows suits are not breaking well, so the danger of a singleton spade is high.

[bid_em_up]

I think after the double (if one occured) the diamond lead should stand out by a mile. You are looking at 10 hcp, there should approximately be 20-21 in openers hand, and partner is looking at 8-9 and doubling because opener's partner could not scrape up a response. Leading the diamond Q is the lead least likely to give up an immediate trick, and gives you the benefit of seeing dummy as you plan the rest of your defense.

I am just as inclined to lead the diamond Q for the same reasons even if 2N is not doubled. You are only scoring 1 diamond trick in your hand, no matter what declarer's holding may be.

[Free]

I'm a pessimist when I have to lead, and the ♠ didn't seem attractive at all. However after some posts, it looks like a ♠ lead won't be that bad after all.

[toothbrush]

I know that I can be influenced by knowing all hands, but I don't see why you should lead agressive (♠) against this 2NT. Declarer will have to develop his tricks without any entry in dummy, so that makes a passive ♦-lead the best choice imo.