My hand: ♠ J 9 8 4 3 ♥ J 7 ♦ 5 3 2 ♣ T 3 2
East opens 1 club. I pass, West responds 1 diamond and partner passes. East bids 1 heart, West goes to 4. I lead the 7 of hearts.
| WEST ♠ 7 ♥ A Q T 2 ♦ K T 9 7 4 ♣ K 9 7 | ||
| SOUTH ♠ J 9 8 4 3 ♥ J 7 ♦ 5 3 2 ♣ T 3 2 |
| West | North | East | South |
| 1♣ | Pass | ||
| 1♦ | Pass | 1♥ | Pass |
| 4♥ | Pass | Pass | Pass |
7-T-6-9. Declarer finishes what I started and draws more trump. Q-4-3-J. Then he shifts to a spade. 7-2-A-3. He cashes the K of spades. K-4-7 of clubs-5.
Declarer switches to the Q of diamonds. Q-2-4-8. Then another. 6-3-K-A.
Partner draws more trump. 5-8-8 of spades-A. Declarer ruffs out partner's J of diamonds and then shifts to a club. 5-2-K-A. Partner cashes the Q of clubs. Q-6-3-9. Dummy is up. Making 4.
| NORTH ♠ Q 5 2 ♥ 6 5 4 ♦ A J 8 ♣ A Q J 4 | ||
| WEST ♠ 7 ♥ A Q T 2 ♦ K T 9 7 4 ♣ K 9 7 | EAST ♠ A K T 6 ♥ K 9 8 3 ♦ Q 6 ♣ 8 6 5 | |
| SOUTH ♠ J 9 8 4 3 ♥ J 7 ♦ 5 3 2 ♣ T 3 2 |
Professor Jack disagrees with my heart lead... But he suggests the 4 of spades.
On the replay the auction is the same. South leads the 4 of spades. Declarer cashes a second spade pitching a club. Making 4.
Nick: -420
Jack: -420
IMPs: 0 (1 total)
This is the situation that I really wouldn't know what to lead. With a very weak hand and no bidding from partner, how do you choose which bad suit to lead out of? I don't really understand why hearts is a good lead in this case (is it just that it's unlikely to be giving anything up?) or why Jack prefers the 4 of spades. It looks to me like the only way to find the setting lead is psychic powers, but is there any argument to be made in favour of it on the bidding?
ReplyDeleteThe only arguement I've heard which might apply here is to lead through strength and up to weakness and therefore if I wasn't drawing trump on the lead I should lead a diamond since that's the suit West bid.
ReplyDeleteWhich doesn't work on this deal anyway.