Another opening lead

[Hanoi5]

You hold:

 

♠Txx

♥9876

♦Qx

♣AJxx

 

It's MP's; they're white, you're red; after this bidding sequence:

 

1♦-1♥

2NT-3NT

 

(you and your partner always passed, your partner dealt) What do you lead? Do you choose a different lead if playing Teams/IMP's?

[hrothgar]

Mark me down for a heart lead

 

1. The Heart lead is (hopefully) leading through strength

2. I can make a discouraging lead which will discourage partner from returning them

3. Underleading my clubs isn't at all attractive

 

I suppose a claim could be made for leading a Spade instead of a heart

(More likely to catch partner with length)

[mike777]

I will try the ten of spades on the long shot pard has 5 spades.

[Siegmund]

Safe heart here. The spade seems like a very long shot indeed; I might even rate it slightly behind the club, especially if declarer is the sort of person who jumps to 2NT with any balanced 18 even if it includes 4 spades.

[Phil]

♥9 for the same reasons Hrothgar said.

[nige1]

You hold: ♠ Txx ♥ 9876 ♦ Qx ♣ AJxx

It's MP's; they're white, you're red; after this bidding sequence:

1♦-1♥

2NT-3NT

(you and your partner always passed, your partner dealt) What do you lead? Do you choose a different lead if playing Teams/IMP's?

IMO, At MP, ♠ = 10, ♥ = 9, ♣ = 5, ♦ = 1. A ♠ is clearer at imps.

[whereagles]

Heart. This seems to be a passive game.

 

The alternative to me isn't a spade, but a club.