[pstansbu]

Playing MP pairs

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Partner leads the A♦. Firstly I wasn't expecting an unsupported Ace lead after this auction so it seemed reasonable to encourage the continuation, but playing the 10 with the Jack trapped didn't feel great. Since we only likely had 3 rounds to win before needing to switch (or if partner had 5 diamonds declarer would be forced to ruff) this didn't feel bad. Playing the 2 would surely lead to a club switch and I'd rather keep the Queen covered and not have partner broach a frozen suit - though, on the bidding it might not be frozen and he could have AJ10♣ to lead.

Such was my thinking at the table and I elected to play 10♦, partner followed with 4♦ and I was briefly optimistic he wanted to be on lead for the 3rd round

Partner's view was that I should have discouraged in diamonds as the Queen is a slow winner we'd probably get anyway and we clearly needed to force declarer in clubs. I'm not convinced by the logic of either statement (from what I could see) so would like some further views. Thus said, I can see that the extra club length does suggest this is the better suit to force declarer with, also wondering whether clubs could be frozen give that declarer holds at most 2 of them?

[wank]

well your partner's lead is terrible. a trump is entirely obvious. however, he could reasonably have aqxx - axxxx ajxx or aqxx - axxx ajxxx.

[Tramticket]

South's bidding is pretty weird too. Why not give preference and play in the known 8-card fit?

But I think you have to play the 2♦.

[barmar]

Go back in time and switch to upside-down attitude.

[NickRW]

You have to play bridge before worrying about what partner may or may not construe about your signals. Playing the 10 is not playing bridge.

[aawk]

Trump lead against a doubled part score is most likely the best action, because partner didn't and lead the ace of ♦ it looks he also holds the king of ♦ and a 5-5 pattern in north is most likely. So a positive signal in ♦ is called for.

For giving signals a golden rule is that it cannot cost a trick and if partner only holds the ace playing the ten (which you already felt) would be wrong. The choice you have to make is another example why playing low as positive will solve problems like these.

Best argument for playing low as positive is that with high cards you can make tricks so why waste them giving a positive signal.

[msjennifer]

As already pointed out by others a trump lead was a must.The lead of DA was atrocious and the play of D10 was totally unacceptable if not silly.I too,would be happy if you switch to upside down signals.However,if P notices that 234567 are visible and the 8 appears from the declarer he should draw the right inference if you had played the D2..

[Joe_Old]

Since you're playing MPs, South is obviously shooting for a top by passing rather than playing safely in their 8 card fit. Meaning: North/South has taken an anti-field position. This means that beating the contract one (+200) will net you a very good score. You can see that South isn't about to supply many tricks (one), and partner has announced that he's sitting over declarer in three suits, so whether you set it 1, 2, or 3 probably isn't going to affect your score much. Play safe by playing the ♦2.

[RD350LC]

Tramticket, on 2017-June-26, 08:21, said:

South's bidding is pretty weird too. Why not give preference and play in the known 8-card fit?

But I think you have to play the 2♦.

I very much wonder about South's bidding, especially after a business double. But I agree and would play the 2♦.

[Joe_Old]

wank, on 2017-June-26, 07:26, said:

well your partner's lead is terrible. a trump is entirely obvious. however, he could reasonably have aqxx - axxxx ajxx or aqxx - axxx ajxxx.

Agree with the trump lead. However, the "RULE" is to never lead a singleton trump. East may be a believer, so that may explain the ♦A. So much for rules.

I couldn't find any thread about the opening lead of a singleton trump. Did I miss one?

[Kaitlyn S]

Joe_Old, on 2017-June-27, 10:24, said:

Agree with the trump lead. However, the "RULE" is to never lead a singleton trump. East may be a believer, so that may explain the ♦A. So much for rules.

I couldn't find any thread about the opening lead of a singleton trump. Did I miss one?

That's overridden by the rule that says that when your opponent leaves in a takeout double of a part score, you lead a trump if you are fortunate enough to have one.

I remember one National event pairs session where my partner left my takeout double of a part score in THREE TIMES. In each case I held a singleton trump honor and led it. Every one was a top, and had I not led the trump, they had play to make every one of them. Still, even with three tops, we were barely average

[rmnka447]

I agree that a trump lead is called for when partner leaves a take out double in to convert to a penalty double. There's a good reason for doing so. When partner is advertising trumps as good and usually better than declarer, it's important to lead a trump to try to keep the declaring side from score their trumps individually by ruffing.

But opening leader didn't do that and lead the ♦ A. The question is what card should third hand play. OP thought he should encourage and that didn't work out. But there is a caveat to all signaling -- you signal if you can afford to do so. So third hand has to consider if signaling might potentially give away something in play. If partner has led A from AK probably not, but third hand should be aware that partner could also lead A from Axx(...). Because of that possibility the ♦ 2 is correct play to the first trick because retaining the Q10 retains a tenace over dummy's J and insures another ♦ trick when declarer holds the ♦ K.

[miamijd]

You can't risk kicking tricks in order to give the proper signal. Partner might well have led an unsupported Ace on this auction, especially if he had A-high tenace positions in spades and clubs. So you just have to follow with the 2 and hope partner can work things out.

Cheers,
mike

[neilkaz]

msjennifer, on 2017-June-27, 08:55, said:

As already pointed out by others a trump lead was a must.The lead of DA was atrocious and the play of D10 was totally unacceptable if not silly.I too,would be happy if you switch to upside down signals.However,if P notices that 234567 are visible and the 8 appears from the declarer he should draw the right inference if you had played the D2..

Yes, all this!