Your lead

[1eyedjack]

[hv=v=b&s=s765hkj94daq72ck8]133|100|Scoring: IMP

Uncontested auction

RHO deals and opens 1NT (12-14)

LHO signs out in 3NT (usual gamut of options available)

Your lead?[/hv]

[helene_t]

Have I missed something? A heart seems obvious. At matchpoints, there's always a case for a passive lead, of course. But at IMPs, I have no second thoughts. Besides, even a spade could give a trick away if partner has Qx, and declarer and dummy both have tenancies.

[skjaeran]

At IMP's this is an easy low ♥ lead (don't tell my partner :) ). The best chance to beat it is finding partner with the queen.

 

At MP's it's harder. I'd not lead a ♥ then - I'll blow a trick far too often. A passive ♠ seems to be normal, but I don't like that much - basically I'm an active opening leader, and I'd pick up partner's potential Qxx (or JTxx).

 

I'd probably lead a ♦, a compromise between going passive and really active. And I might strike gold and set it. Besides, I'd make my partner happy. :D

[nik1998]

I lead a♥! :)

[whereagles]

Did anyone look at his hand? A heart has like a 95% chance to blow a trick. Spade for me.

[Free]

Easy ♥ imo, the rest is awful

[1eyedjack]

Thanks for the comments and votes. I was responder (West). I put partner into 4♠ which failed when North was able to use ♦K entry to lead ♥ through declarer. I was thinking all the time in the auction that I should just bid 3NT in response to 1NT, but chickened out. Whether South would have just bashed out 4th highest of longest and strongest I will never know. But I feel a bit sick.

 

[hv=d=e&v=b&n=s3ht853dk8643cqt7&w=sakqjt98h72dtc953&e=s42haq6dj95caj642&s=s765hkj94daq72ck8]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

[jdonn]

Would you still feel sick if the opponents' hands were reversed, and south had an automatic diamond lead with 4♠ cold? Bidding 4♠ is normal, sometimes stuff happens.

[1eyedjack]

Would you still feel sick if the opponents' hands were reversed, and south had an automatic diamond lead with 4♠ cold? Bidding 4♠ is normal, sometimes stuff happens.

I always feel sick when my instinct tells me to do something, I go against it and fail when my instinct would have worked.

 

Don't get me wrong, I can easily construct hands where 4♠ is the better spot. Reversing N/S is just one example. I can also easily construct other opposing hands where a direct 3N is the winner. As to which is the long term better strategy I really do not know. The purpose of the poll was to determine whether on this particular occasion my fears were likely to be illfounded. But like I said we shall never know what South would really have led.

[whereagles]

I always feel sick when my instinct tells me to do something, I go against it and fail when my instinct would have worked.

After many years playing this game, I learned to trust my instinct more than my reasoning... I've been gaining more than losing this way.