Posted 2014-March-12, 18:18
West surely has a spade control for his leap to slam, with no heart control. Thus a spade lead can't be right.
West will always get the diamonds right, so he is going to pitch any spade loser he has on dummy's diamonds, so a passive club lead can't be right.
I was surprised to learn here, some months ago, that some pretty good players do not take the forcing pass of 6♥ as promising a first round control, so there is some merit in leading a heart, in case East belongs to that school, or is Zia.
The alternative is a diamond, hoping for a ruff. If one was leading a diamond, it would be the 9, in a futile attempt to deny the Q. Partner wouldn't be doubling the only contract he can beat. I do have an awful lot of clubs for this, but so far I am placing partner with a working 4 count, so maybe he has the freak that warrants his action: Jxxxxx Jxxxxx void x.
That's what I am going to play for....if the heart was cashing, well done opps. If a black suit was right, well, I'm not good enough to work it out.
'one of the great markers of the advance of human kindness is the howls you will hear from the Men of God' Johann Hari
You may or may not agree with your earlier bidding. What is your lead against 7♣?