Opening Lead?

[2Macchiato]

[hv=d=e&v=e&s=sj9h7542daj83ca43]133|100|Scoring: IMPs (Teams of 4)

 

1NT - X* - P** - P

XX+ - P - P++ - P

 

1NT - 12/14

* Hearts or Hearts and a Minor

** Demands Redouble

+ Perforce

++ Presumably some points and no reason to run from 1Nxx

[/hv]

 

Over to you!

 

Partner has chosen to pass (at favourable) and we know RHO has a weak NT 12-14 and LHO has a few points - one presumes - at red to green.

[Free]

You really Doubled with this hand against a weak NT? :blink: LOL

[fromageGB]

Deleted - misread it Edited October 1, 2010 by fromageGB

[2Macchiato]

You really Doubled with this hand against a weak NT? :blink: LOL

Sure, it's Hearts or Hearts and a Minor - and the partnership has no penalty double. Go peacefully into the night?

[TheoKole]

Quote: "Sure, it's Hearts or Hearts and a Minor - and the partnership has no penalty double. Go peacefully into the night?"

 

Yes.

 

Theo

[fromageGB]

Presumably partner would have bid hearts if he had them, and may have tried a minor but didn't, so I assume he has good spades. Equally, responder may have bid spades if he had them, and didn't, so I attack with the ♠J. When I get in again in a minor I play ♠9 and hopefully opener guesses a heart finesse into partner's hand so he takes a few spade tricks.

[2Macchiato]

Presumably partner would have bid hearts if he had them, and may have tried a minor but didn't, so I assume he has good spades.  Equally, responder may have bid spades if he had them, and didn't, so I attack with the ♠J.  When I get in again in a minor I play ♠9 and hopefully opener guesses a heart finesse into partner's hand so he takes a few spade tricks.

Well - since you are the first and only contributor you might as well take the acclaim. I did indeed lead the J of Spades and dummy hit with this:

 

Kxx

JTx

xxx

Kxxx

 

Partner encourages (small) as declarer wins with Q and advances Q of clubs. You naturally take this and continue with 9 of spades. Partner rapidly takes 4 spades tricks (ATxxx) and, after some thought (with you signalling count and (painlessly) throwing 3 of your 4 hearts - plays a diamond (Kxxx) - you wrap up 4 Spades, 4 Diamonds and the 2 aces for 2200 and 19 imps. As it happens there's no losing decision - declarer is one off at best on the wrong lead against our making 2D contract!

[bucky]

Sure, it's Hearts or Hearts and a Minor - and the partnership has no penalty double. Go peacefully into the night?

Definitely. Against weak NT, overcall needs to be sound, whichever method you choose.

 

This is doubtful overcall against strong NT, let alone weak.

[bucky]

Presumably partner would have bid hearts if he had them, and may have tried a minor but didn't, so I assume he has good spades.  Equally, responder may have bid spades if he had them, and didn't, so I attack with the ♠J.  When I get in again in a minor I play ♠9 and hopefully opener guesses a heart finesse into partner's hand so he takes a few spade tricks.

Well - since you are the first and only contributor you might as well take the acclaim. I did indeed lead the J of Spades and dummy hit with this:

 

Kxx

JTx

xxx

Kxxx

 

Partner encourages (small) as declarer wins with Q and advances Q of clubs. You naturally take this and continue with 9 of spades. Partner rapidly takes 4 spades tricks (ATxxx) and, after some thought (with you signalling count and (painlessly) throwing 3 of your 4 hearts - plays a diamond (Kxxx) - you wrap up 4 Spades, 4 Diamonds and the 2 aces for 2200 and 19 imps. As it happens there's no losing decision - declarer is one off at best on the wrong lead against our making 2D contract!

The success is due to two highly doubtful actions: one by your side and one by LHO (combined with opening 1NT with junky ♠Q/♥KQ/♦Q/♣QJ). That results in a high-stake contract with random winning side. The dice fell in your favor this time, congratulations on emerging as the winner.

[jdonn]

This thread should be about offense/defense ratio, not opening leads. That is the topic where there are serious gains to be made here.

[fromageGB]

Against weak NT, overcall needs to be sound, whichever method you choose.

This is doubtful overcall against strong NT, let alone weak.

Can you explain this ?  It sounds backwards to me. I would have thought overcalling a strong NT needed better values that over a weak NT. When opener is weak, partner is likely to have more.

[NickRW]

Against weak NT, overcall needs to be sound, whichever method you choose.

This is doubtful overcall against strong NT, let alone weak.

Can you explain this ?  It sounds backwards to me. I would have thought overcalling a strong NT needed better values that over a weak NT. When opener is weak, partner is likely to have more.

Against strong NT, you rarely have game your way - your tactics therefore are primarily destructive when overcalling. Against weak NT, with destructive tactics you will sometimes shoot yourself in the foot - especially at IMPs.

 

Nick

[whereagles]

It really doesn't matter what you lead. If you double with these hands, it's pretty normal they make it...

 

I'd try a heart though.

[Free]

You really Doubled with this hand against a weak NT?  :blink:  LOL

Sure, it's Hearts or Hearts and a Minor - and the partnership has no penalty double. Go peacefully into the night?

You need a more constructive hand against weak NT, because the chance is big that you have game on your side and you need possibilities to investigate properly. If you overcall all hands with 6-15HCP, it's impossible for responder to know what the limit of the hand is, if he can go to 3-level safely,...

[Phil]

This thread should be about offense/defense ratio, not opening leads. That is the topic where there are serious gains to be made here.

Obviously this thread is about making unbelievable bids and then following up with the golden stroke.

 

I wonder if the OP will continue to press their case instead of coming to the realization that competing over a weak NT with this collection is a very bad idea.

[Phil]

Against weak NT, overcall needs to be sound, whichever method you choose.

This is doubtful overcall against strong NT, let alone weak.

Can you explain this ?  It sounds backwards to me. I would have thought overcalling a strong NT needed better values that over a weak NT. When opener is weak, partner is likely to have more.

I will.

 

Over a strong NT we are in generally a destructive mode. We are trying to disrupt their auction, or we are trying to get valuable information from partner to help with our opening lead. However, frequently, we end up buying the contract. Bidding game our way is possible, but its unusual. With a strong hand, we might just pass and hope to double later on, or hope that our defensive values make defending more profitable than declaring.

 

Over a weak NT we have no reason to disrupt anything. It very well may be our hand and partner needs to understand that we have a reason to bid. You are right - partner is likely to have more, which is why games are very much in the picture.