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Opening lead problem Help settle a partnership argument
#1
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Posted 2010-June-01, 20:01
#2
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Posted 2010-June-01, 20:32
I would lead a diamond.
This is not because "partner is a notoriously aggressive bidder, including light overcalls", just that my guess is that perhaps we can run the diamonds, either immediately or after declarer's stopper is knocked out. Also this does not give declarer a spade trick he is not entitled to.
However, a spade lead is also reasonable, and I don't think this decision is worth having a partnership fight over. It is easy to construct hands where a spade lead is necessary (e.g. give partner HT9xx spade and a club card, the spade lead will set up partner's spades while he still has an entry).
I might well have doubled 3NT, on a good day partner has clubs well held and it will be a bloodbath.
This is not because "partner is a notoriously aggressive bidder, including light overcalls", just that my guess is that perhaps we can run the diamonds, either immediately or after declarer's stopper is knocked out. Also this does not give declarer a spade trick he is not entitled to.
However, a spade lead is also reasonable, and I don't think this decision is worth having a partnership fight over. It is easy to construct hands where a spade lead is necessary (e.g. give partner HT9xx spade and a club card, the spade lead will set up partner's spades while he still has an entry).
I might well have doubled 3NT, on a good day partner has clubs well held and it will be a bloodbath.
That's impossible. No one can give more than one hundred percent. By definition that is the most anyone can give.
#3
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Posted 2010-June-02, 05:10
♦. Since RHO didn't ask for a ♠ stopper, ♠s are not his problem...
"It may be rude to leave to go to the bathroom, but it's downright stupid to sit there and piss yourself" - blackshoe
#4
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Posted 2010-June-02, 08:31
4th best from my longest and strongest suit against NT.
OK
bed
bed
#5
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Posted 2010-June-02, 08:44
bd71, on Jun 1 2010, 09:01 PM, said:
Scoring: MP
1C (1S) 2H (P)
3C (P) 3N* PO
*Long huddle, and looked anguished when making final 3N bid
Your partner is a notoriously aggressive bidder, including light overcalls.
What's your lead?
1C (1S) 2H (P)
3C (P) 3N* PO
*Long huddle, and looked anguished when making final 3N bid
Your partner is a notoriously aggressive bidder, including light overcalls.
What's your lead?
just following orders, K♠
"Tell me of your home world, Usul"
the Freman, Chani from the move "Dune"
"I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it."
George Bernard Shaw
the Freman, Chani from the move "Dune"
"I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it."
George Bernard Shaw
#6
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Posted 2010-June-02, 08:47
655321, on Jun 2 2010, 04:32 AM, said:
I would lead a diamond.
This is not because "partner is a notoriously aggressive bidder, including light overcalls", just that my guess is that perhaps we can run the diamonds, either immediately or after declarer's stopper is knocked out. Also this does not give declarer a spade trick he is not entitled to.
However, a spade lead is also reasonable, and I don't think this decision is worth having a partnership fight over. It is easy to construct hands where a spade lead is necessary (e.g. give partner HT9xx spade and a club card, the spade lead will set up partner's spades while he still has an entry).
I might well have doubled 3NT, on a good day partner has clubs well held and it will be a bloodbath.
This is not because "partner is a notoriously aggressive bidder, including light overcalls", just that my guess is that perhaps we can run the diamonds, either immediately or after declarer's stopper is knocked out. Also this does not give declarer a spade trick he is not entitled to.
However, a spade lead is also reasonable, and I don't think this decision is worth having a partnership fight over. It is easy to construct hands where a spade lead is necessary (e.g. give partner HT9xx spade and a club card, the spade lead will set up partner's spades while he still has an entry).
I might well have doubled 3NT, on a good day partner has clubs well held and it will be a bloodbath.
Agree, except it is certain I would have doubled. Not saying I am right, but at least sligthly more adventurous.
_____________________________________
Do not underestimate the power of the dark side. Or the ninth trumph.
Best Regards Ole Berg
_____________________________________
We should always assume 2/1 unless otherwise stated, because:
- If the original poster didn't bother to state his system, that means that he thinks it's obvious what he's playing. The only people who think this are 2/1 players.
Gnasher
Do not underestimate the power of the dark side. Or the ninth trumph.
Best Regards Ole Berg
_____________________________________
We should always assume 2/1 unless otherwise stated, because:
- If the original poster didn't bother to state his system, that means that he thinks it's obvious what he's playing. The only people who think this are 2/1 players.
Gnasher
#7
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Posted 2010-June-02, 10:55
I don't care how aggressive partner is: he has either the A or the Q of spades, so I will lead the K. (if he lacks either, and the spade Q is not stiff in dummy, well....maybe this guy isn't the partner for me)
When he holds the A, he will tell me whether he wants me to continue (he will know I only have two spades, tho he won't know I have the J so he may not read the situation) and/or I will be able to tell from dummy if a low diamond is better.
When he holds the Q, he may well hold the 10, and/or declarer may choose to hold up anyway.
So leading the spade King will not always be fatal when it is wrong, while leading a low diamond will almost always be fatal when wrong.
Add to that the care and feeding of partner (you had TWO, count them TWO honours in my suit and you led DIAMONDS!!!! Would you have led spades if I'd overcalled in diamonds?????) and the spade K stands out, imo.
When he holds the A, he will tell me whether he wants me to continue (he will know I only have two spades, tho he won't know I have the J so he may not read the situation) and/or I will be able to tell from dummy if a low diamond is better.
When he holds the Q, he may well hold the 10, and/or declarer may choose to hold up anyway.
So leading the spade King will not always be fatal when it is wrong, while leading a low diamond will almost always be fatal when wrong.
Add to that the care and feeding of partner (you had TWO, count them TWO honours in my suit and you led DIAMONDS!!!! Would you have led spades if I'd overcalled in diamonds?????) and the spade K stands out, imo.
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#8
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Posted 2010-June-02, 11:41
Have to second Mikeh.
While I have seen many instances on these Fora of players advocating overcalls on 9 high suits, I (and, hopefully, my partners) have resisted doing this unless there is no choice. Here, it is clear that partner does not have the World's Fair as the opps have bid to 3NT in the face of his overcall and I have values. So he should have a reason for his overcall other than the fact that it was his turn to bid.
Perhaps the opps bid a very speculative 3NT and their spade holding is quite below par. If you don't lead a spade now, you may not get a second chance. On the other hand, if partner's spade holding is A empty, after the lead of the ♠K he may be able to win the spade continuation and play a red suit effectively, or he may be able to discourage a continuation and you may be able to switch to a red suit effectively.
While I have seen many instances on these Fora of players advocating overcalls on 9 high suits, I (and, hopefully, my partners) have resisted doing this unless there is no choice. Here, it is clear that partner does not have the World's Fair as the opps have bid to 3NT in the face of his overcall and I have values. So he should have a reason for his overcall other than the fact that it was his turn to bid.
Perhaps the opps bid a very speculative 3NT and their spade holding is quite below par. If you don't lead a spade now, you may not get a second chance. On the other hand, if partner's spade holding is A empty, after the lead of the ♠K he may be able to win the spade continuation and play a red suit effectively, or he may be able to discourage a continuation and you may be able to switch to a red suit effectively.
#9
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Posted 2010-June-02, 12:47
For what it's worth, on this hand the diamond lead wins. Declarer had AS, 7 running clubs, and 1-2 top hearts. Dummy had QJ-stiff in diamonds, my partner had Kx, and we could run 6 tricks in that suit.
My partner thought I should have respected declarer's implicit claim (by bidding 3N) that she had a spade stopper. I tend not to completely trust random opponents in club games and I thought her bidding indecision might be based on lack of a spade stopper.
This raises the question for me...especially if you know the opponent who has NOT bid is going to be on lead, how often do people "bluff" a stopper by bidding NT in order to engineer a lead in another suit? Is this at all common in advanced/expert play?
My partner thought I should have respected declarer's implicit claim (by bidding 3N) that she had a spade stopper. I tend not to completely trust random opponents in club games and I thought her bidding indecision might be based on lack of a spade stopper.
This raises the question for me...especially if you know the opponent who has NOT bid is going to be on lead, how often do people "bluff" a stopper by bidding NT in order to engineer a lead in another suit? Is this at all common in advanced/expert play?
#10
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Posted 2010-June-02, 12:56
bd71, on Jun 2 2010, 01:47 PM, said:
For what it's worth, on this hand the diamond lead wins. Declarer had AS, 7 running clubs, and 1-2 top hearts. Dummy had QJ-stiff in diamonds, my partner had Kx, and we could run 6 tricks in that suit.
My partner thought I should have respected declarer's implicit claim (by bidding 3N) that she had a spade stopper. I tend not to completely trust random opponents in club games and I thought her bidding indecision might be based on lack of a spade stopper.
This raises the question for me...especially if you know the opponent who has NOT bid is going to be on lead, how often do people "bluff" a stopper by bidding NT in order to engineer a lead in another suit? Is this at all common in advanced/expert play?
My partner thought I should have respected declarer's implicit claim (by bidding 3N) that she had a spade stopper. I tend not to completely trust random opponents in club games and I thought her bidding indecision might be based on lack of a spade stopper.
This raises the question for me...especially if you know the opponent who has NOT bid is going to be on lead, how often do people "bluff" a stopper by bidding NT in order to engineer a lead in another suit? Is this at all common in advanced/expert play?
Your partner is a result merchant! You are expected to believe they have ♠s stopped but don't have every other suit stopped. If she didn't think a ♠ lead was a good shot vs NT she shouldn't have overcalled the suit.
"Tell me of your home world, Usul"
the Freman, Chani from the move "Dune"
"I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it."
George Bernard Shaw
the Freman, Chani from the move "Dune"
"I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it."
George Bernard Shaw
#11
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Posted 2010-June-02, 14:02
bd71, on Jun 2 2010, 01:47 PM, said:
This raises the question for me...especially if you know the opponent who has NOT bid is going to be on lead, how often do people "bluff" a stopper by bidding NT in order to engineer a lead in another suit? Is this at all common in advanced/expert play?
Never in this auction when they could simply bid 3S as a stopper ask. Sometimes in other auctions, but it's still rare.
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1C (1S) 2H (P)
3C (P) 3N* PO
*Long huddle, and looked anguished when making final 3N bid
Your partner is a notoriously aggressive bidder, including light overcalls.
What's your lead?