What Would You Lead Here?

[inglewoodjack]

Sitting in 1st seat, I hold .
Dealer turns up .
I order dealer up.
I lead , dealer takes trick with .
I make a point, but partner disagreed with my lead and how I played it.

[knglenny]

Let me preface this with the fact that I am a newb. But I think you played it correctly based on your hand.

Play it out, worst case scenario, dealer has Js and now takes 1st street with As followed by Js. You still have Jc to trump in a can come home with heart heart.

Another tough play is seat 2 has Js+another spade, knowing dealer has As, if I was in this situation I would throw a lower trump and hold the Js.

Also bad is if seat 2 has Js and dealer has the ace protected, but you still have the left and throw after dealer so I think you are in good shape.

If you lead Jc it opens up some tough scenarios. Basically what I outlined above, but now you have the two lowest trump and an Ace to try to pull out a point.

Edit: Maybe this is the wrong thinking, but I believe most of the time you have to play for the point instead of taking a high risk play for 2. Sometimes that isn't the case, but without knowing the score I think this was the right play here

[inglewoodjack]

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[jspectre]

You made the correct lead here, with this hand you would only lead the left if you had a K instead of one of those low trumps. Then you're more likely to play around scenarios where 2nd is holding the right and a small trump. He has no choice but to use the right here, and you may also knock out the ace right along with it, promoting your K to boss status. Now, if my off suit was an AK here and not A9, then I'd be happy leading the left, and playing it alone.

[Wes (aka the legend)]

Sitting in 1st seat, I hold .
Dealer turns up .
I order dealer up.
I lead , dealer takes trick with .
I make a point, but partner disagreed with my lead and how I played it.

I play it the same as you.

[XaviRonaldo]

Without the right I think your hand is significantly weakened by not leading trump 1st trick. Especially holding an ace. Even if the dealer had the right as well there's still a decent chance both your hearts walk for the point. By leading offsuit you're probably forcing yourself to use a trump to take your first trick if your AH doesn't walk. Now you're left with only 2 trump with still potentially 2 killers out there. You could lose them both then have no way of getting the lead back for your 2nd heart lead.

Obviously if you had the right it's a no brainer to lead it with an offsuit ace. But if for example you had instead with the right you have the security of the power of the right if you lead 1st trick. Without the right you're potentially putting yourself in a spot of bother because it's risky to lead 1 of your 2 remaining trumps still needing 2 tricks.

A general rule I follow is the lower the trump the more important it is to lead trump. You have a pretty weak trump holding here especially considering you ordered up an ace. You did the right thing IMO

EDIT I now realise you weren't asking what suit to lead but what trump card.

I prefer to lead low trying to draw out the right. Leading the left is dangerous if S2 holds the right and the dealer has at least 2. They now have 2 guaranteed tricks and a guaranteed euchre if dealer holds 3. Even if they only hold 2 you're very likely relying on both hearts to walk. Whereas if you lead low and manage to draw out the right you're probably good for the point.

[Tbolt65]

You played it fine.


Tbolt65
Edward