[aunt percy]

The auction goes 2NT p 3NT all pass. Your hand is
K6
J98
J974
AQ87

On one hand, NT bidding like this usually has the minors. On
the other hand, it's amazing how often 4th best from longest
and strongest sets a NT contract.

What would you lead and what is your rational?

[neilkaz]

What type of scoring? MP or IMP? I ask because PD is very unlikely to hold the K♣ on this bidding and noting how few HCP he likely has on the bidding.

[HardVector]

In these kind of auctions, I'm usually inclined to lead a major. But you have 11 points, they presumably have at least 26, that gives your partner at most 3. Leading either major hoping to hit partner doesn't look promising, so I'd go for my suit, 4th best club. You are probably going to miss with the first trick, but if partner can get in and lead one through declarer, you have a shot at the next 3. Just looking at it, I'd say you have at most a 15% shot at beating the contract, so if it doesn't work, I wouldn't be too discouraged.

[apollo1201]

People tend to lead from the « weaker » suit when holding 2 4-cd suits, keeping the higher honor as an entry to set-up or cash the other suit, unless lots of intermediaries (Qxxx and Axxx I lead the 4th under Q, but Qxxx and KT9x, I’ll go for the T under K).

Here, I guess it is a close call between H9 and D4. C is almost surely giving a trick away and a tempo to declarer at the same time, without being sure of creating even 2 tricks. And S, no one is seriously considering it.

The presence of HJ and 8 make it less likely that H will blow a trick and is probably more neutral, especially for MP. H could be opener’s suit btw... D is a bit more aggressive and is probably the IMP lead if we catch partner with a small goodie there.

But again, it is not absolutely clear IMO.

[msjennifer]

Sir,partner can have only 3 HCP.The only possibility and wishful though is CK or SQJ If he has the latter he will have no entry to cash the winners.Leading from two unsupported Jacks may turn out harmful.That leaves only the club suit.So I shall lead a club.7.Even if he does not have the CK but if he gets the lead he can push a club through the declarer.The contract may thus be (hopefully) limited to minimum .Even if I don't lead clubs there may be a throw-in position.

[maartenxq]

This is a nasty problem. If the scoring is imps and responder is 7+ there will probably be 9+ tricks so no problem. If however mps and/or minimum by responder my lead matters a great deal. Ms are out of the question, if partner has length there i cannot reach him. Club king will be in the strong NT hand. So I will try ♦ and hope that partner has q10xx or even better.

Maarten Baltussen

[fourdad]

apollo1201, on 2019-April-18, 11:46, said:

People tend to lead from the « weaker » suit when holding 2 4-cd suits, keeping the higher honor as an entry to set-up or cash the other suit, unless lots of intermediaries (Qxxx and Axxx I lead the 4th under Q, but Qxxx and KT9x, I’ll go for the T under K).

Here, I guess it is a close call between H9 and D4. C is almost surely giving a trick away and a tempo to declarer at the same time, without being sure of creating even 2 tricks. And S, no one is seriously considering it.

The presence of HJ and 8 make it less likely that H will blow a trick and is probably more neutral, especially for MP. H could be opener’s suit btw... D is a bit more aggressive and is probably the IMP lead if we catch partner with a small goodie there.

But again, it is not absolutely clear IMO.

I agree with this logic and would unabashedly lead the 4th best diamond. The 2NT bid means dummy does not have a 4 card major, true? It also implies some minor suit strength. SO...not a major as the strength is odds on with declarer, not a club....not only may it give a trick, it may also take away a hard choice for declarer.
If pd has as little as Txx in diamonds the lead costs nothing.

[heart76]

Hm. Leading D or H needs the 10 not to be with declarer. Leading C needs to find partner with at least the J and no other card to get in. I think I'd lead a D.
What is the chance of getting endplayed this way? Sp K + 1 or 2 D + Cl A and then you lead again. Maybe leading the J to try to make partner get in with the 10 is right?

[fluffyh]

aunt percy, on 2019-April-18, 10:06, said:

The auction goes 2NT p 3NT all pass. Your hand is
K6
J98
J974
AQ87

On one hand, NT bidding like this usually has the minors. On
the other hand, it's amazing how often 4th best from longest
and strongest sets a NT contract.

What would you lead and what is your rational?

I would lead 6 of spades. Not that it is important but it does promise an honor. I lead my worst major here, hoping it is my partner’s best. We know declarer does not have a 5-card major and we also know the responder does not even have a 4-card major. They have the minors, one of which I can keep under control.

[nige1]

Aunt Percy asks 'What do you lead?'
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I rank
1. ♥. Nowadays, Good responders can't be relied on to explore with a 4/5 major. On the other hand many responders would trot out Muppet or Puppet with a 3 card major.
2. ♦. Least likely to concede a trick,
3. ♣.
4. ♠.

---

[PhilG007]

aunt percy, on 2019-April-18, 10:06, said:

The auction goes 2NT p 3NT all pass. Your hand is
K6
J98
J974
AQ87

On one hand, NT bidding like this usually has the minors. On
the other hand, it's amazing how often 4th best from longest
and strongest sets a NT contract.

What would you lead and what is your rational?

Club 7 as leading from the other suits is very risky. It's the lesser evil