[Stephen Tu]

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Partner leads HK. Declarer plays ace from dummy. Encourage or discourage, and why?

[robert2734]

encourage because you want partner to please continue hearts if/when he gets in. Lead didn't cost a trick; they're entitled to two hearts anywayz.

[akwoo]

I'm assuming your partner knows what he or she is doing.

The reason for making this lead is that partner is trying to hit your long suit, AND partner is worried that a low card would block the suit. For example, partner might have KT9 hoping to hit Jxxxx in your hand, or Kx hoping to hit JTxxx.

The big danger in a heart continuation later is if hearts are 4333 with declarer having 4 small; then it helps set up the 13th heart for declarer.

At IMPs, I would definitely discourage; partner needs to be trying to set up some other suit. At MPs, you might want to consider if all the other leads are more dangerous. Here, I think whichever black suit partner leads will be safe, so you should discourage.

[alok c]

Discourage,as stated by #3.Club switch appears to be best.

[gszes]

try imagining partners hand type/power and a possible reason for an unusual lead will usually reveal itself. It looks like partner had around 9/10 hcp let say they began life with the following:

Q
KTxxx
Kxxx
Qxx

Is leading the heart K really so horrible? South might easily be short in hearts (they bypassed hearts to show spades stopped). Laying down the K might be a way of not only starting on your longest and strongest suit but also possibly smothering a stiff Q/J for good measure. Rather tan assume p has gone off the deep end and randomly selected a card from hand see if there can be a good reason (there will not always be one sigh).

ENCOURAGE

[Phil]

Definitely encourage.

[helene_t]

Declarer is likely to have shortness. Partner was apparently speculating on ♠Q sec by declarer.