IMPS opening lead problem

[rduran1216]

[hv=pc=n&e=sj53hq984daq62c85&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=1sp3n(13-15%204333)ppp]133|200[/hv]

[dave_w]

Heart is obvious. I suppose it's right to lead the 9 in order to unblock when partner has 5 or in case the suit is laid out like this:

 

      Txx

 

Q98x    Jxx

 

      AKx

 

but I'm a simple soul and would lead the 4.

[gnasher]

In most layouts where ♥9 is necessary double-dummy, it's not necessary in practice because declarer will play the 10 anyway. That applies to dave_w's example, and also to

         A10x

Q98x          Jxx

         K7x

I don't think it will ever be necessary to lead high in order to unblock - opener would have bid 4♠ if he had a singleton. The nine can be expensive if declarer has four hearts, so I'd definitely lead a low one.

[SteveMoe]

♥8 to protect against partner's possible Hxxxx. S/he won't have another entry.

[twoshy]

♥8 to protect against partner's possible Hxxxx. S/he won't have another entry.

 

Impossible, opener would have corrected to 4♠ with a singleton ♥.

[awm]

I'll try a club. It's partner's longest suit given the bidding. While obviously a heart could win, it actually needs a fairly specific layout. The problem is that if partner has ♥A or ♥K, he is unlikely to have much else (since he is marked with about 4-5 hcp) and declarer can normally make via five spades, one heart, and three clubs. So if we lead a heart, we are hoping partner has ♥J and another entry, but this gives declarer two heart controls so he can potentially take two hearts, four spades, three clubs (if partner has say ♠K) or two hearts, five spades, two clubs (if partner has say ♣A).

 

There are a number of layouts where club lead wins; if partner has club values (which seems likely given his shape) then it's not totally clear where declarer's tricks are. He has five spades, two hearts, and a club (partner's clubs can't be that good) but this could easily be all. A heart lead in this situation could give trick nine.

[ByChechi]

In essence the question is active (♥) or passive attack(♣)!

If I think that my opponent have more (14)15 HPC , my lead is ♥...else ♣!

[gnasher]

The problem is that if partner has ♥A or ♥K, he is unlikely to have much else (since he is marked with about 4-5 hcp)

Even if we assume that they don't open balanced 11-counts, partner's minimum is 6, not 5 (40 - 13 - 12 - 9). That just allows room for partner to have a top heart plus a spade entry.

[Fluffy]

and what is his maximum then? :P

[gszes]

i dont see the rush to lead a heart-it requires quite a bit from p to be right

and there is a fair risk it just gives up a heart trick for no good reason. I

 

IMO lead a low dia since all I need from p is the J to get us 3 dia tricks

or possibly get dia going so we can get 3 dia tricks any time rho has Kxx

or KJx and p gets in to return the suit. A dia will rarey give up both a

trick and tempo while a heart will do both a fair % of the time.

[SteveMoe]

Impossible, opener would have corrected to 4♠ with a singleton ♥.

So ♥ can't split 2-2 between north and south??

[kayin801]

So ♥ can't split 2-2 between north and south??

 

Not when declarer promises 3.

 

We have to lead aggressively since declarer is setting up spades for 4/5 tricks pretty quickly. A diamond seems to give us the best shot of 3/4 tricks in that suit plus something outside, while a heart needs more help from partner and looks more likely to set up a slow 9th trick. We aren't going to be able to run diamonds anyway if declarer has K9x or K10x. A low diamond doesn't seem that likely to cost unless it immediately grants a 9th trick they were never getting (AKQxx, xx, Jxx, Qxx vs. xxx, AJxx, Kxx, AJx)

 

Hmm maybe I talked myself into a heart, in which case the layout will be AQ10xx, Axx, xx, Qxx vs xxx, KJx, Jxxx, AKx

 

FWIW I think a club is as dangerous as the other 2 for the same reasons, but I like it less because it's rarely going to set up tricks for our side.