Gambling on partner's lead?

[Echognome]

[hv=d=w&v=n&s=skthkq42d8ct9753]133|100|Scoring: IMP

1♠ - 2♥(1)

2♠(2) - 3♦

3NT - 4NT(3)

5♦(4) - 6NT[/hv]

(1)Natural, forcing to game

(2)Catch-all

(3)Simple Blackwood

(4)One Ace

 

You are playing a swiss teams match. Opponents have the following auction to 6NT. Do you double asking partner to lead a heart?

[cherdano]

No. Too likely to make anyway, and maybe declarer will take the double finesse in hearts instead of the spade finesse WITHOUT a double...

[asdfg2k]

No double from me.

[mcphee]

For me a no brainer to double. To not double to me is poor. No I am not sure the A of H is on the table, but I would rather ask for this lead than see myself get strip end played in the late game. I doubt they will send it back, and I have zero help for any other lead, which could easily cost the contract.

[Echognome]

Here was the full deal:

 

[hv=d=w&v=n&n=sj86h9653dt9654cj&w=sq97432hdak2ck642&e=sa5hajt87dqj73caq&s=skthkq42d8ct98753]399|300|Scoring: IMP

1♠ - 2♥

2♠ - 3♦

3NT - 4NT

5♦ - 6NT

All Pass[/hv]

 

Partner didn't double and I chose a diamond on lead. Of course I might have guessed a heart, but I didn't see anything obvious to suggest a lead with my hand.

 

Of course our teammates were very understanding that we didn't defeat the slam. It was just an interesting question over how risky the lightner double was.

 

What we came up with is that West has shown one ace. The lightner double gambles that the ace is NOT in spades. I.e. whenever East has the spade ace, you want a heart lead. I'm not sure if that the analysis is complete, as if West has the ♥A we can certainly come up with layouts where slam is cold as well. However, you risk about 5 imps if it makes (unless they rewind), where as you stand to gain much more than that.