[CSGibson]

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E-W are playing attitude leads, and W (A former partner of yours) is known to frequently lead high honors from KQ9xx sequences, as well as traditional KQT(xxxxx) sequences. He might or might not lead high from KQ9x. As far as bidding inferences, E-W are playing a fantunes-style system (forcing 1 level bids, constructive 2 level bids).

W leads the ♠3.

Plan the play. I'll give follow-ups when you ask for them.

[Hanoi5]

What happens if you play small spade on the lead?

[CSGibson]

Small ♠ on opening lead gets the T from RHO, followed by the K.

[han]

I would play the ace of spades and play diamond ace-diamond.

I don't give too much weight to your remark about LHO frequently leading high from KQ9xx. However, LHO passed white against red in third seat so KQ9xx seems unlikely anyway. Blocking the suit by hopping with the ace seems far more likely, and I also want to avoid a club switch at trick 2, as unlikely as it may seem.

Playing a low spade at trick 1 seems like a zero-play.

[CSGibson]

han, on 2013-February-11, 05:07, said:

I would play the ace of spades and play diamond ace-diamond.

I don't give too much weight to your remark about LHO frequently leading high from KQ9xx. However, LHO passed white against red in third seat so KQ9xx seems unlikely anyway. Blocking the suit by hopping with the ace seems far more likely, and I also want to avoid a club switch at trick 2, as unlikely as it may seem.

Playing a low spade at trick 1 seems like a zero-play.

Righty follows with the T of spades on the first round of the suit, and on Ace of diamonds-diamond pauses briefly before following small twice, LHO also following twice.

[gszes]

CSGibson, on 2013-February-11, 09:59, said:

Righty follows with the T of spades on the first round of the suit, and on Ace of diamonds-diamond pauses briefly before following small twice, LHO also following twice.

i also agree with han the spade A followed by dia is best. If rho ducked the dia K (as seems likely)
it is hugely interesting. If rho is looking at the heart Q they can virtually assure 3n will go down via 3 spades
dia K and heart Q (when there is any chance to set it at all). The duck is probably more to gather information
on how to continue the defense afterr seeing p pitch on the 3rd round of diamonds or a depsparate hope
their p has Jx and we misguess how to play the dia. In either of those cases it is highly unlikely rho has the
heart Q.

I don't feel rising with the spade A had any great chance of blocking the suit and I fear rho still has a
high spade honor so going after hearts now instead of diamonds would appear to be a lost cause because
even if the finesse works only a 33 heart split helps since we cannot afford to cash all 3 top hearts w/o further
risking our contract (ie 1h 1d 3s losers).

IMO best is to just knock out the dia K (assuming rho wins) and rise with the club A if they switch to a club
and let the contract hopes lie with the heart finesse.