It is in front of your eyes

The robots at Bridge Base Online occasionally make quirky bids and plays. At other times, you wonder if they are allowed to peek at all 52 cards. To make things even more mysterious, you can have both feelings on the same deal.

In today’s deal, try to look at only the East hand. South opens one club, North responds one heart, and you pass (Yes, if you could intervene with one no-trump to show at least 5-5 in the pointed suits, you might do that.) South rebids two diamonds, and North jumps to six hearts. What would you lead?

Isn’t the auction bizarre? The one in the diagram is much more sensible. Why would South reverse, bidding clubs before diamonds? (Yes, I know his incorrect answer: He wanted to show his strength.) Also, why go for six hearts rather than six clubs? (I know: It was matchpoints, and the majors outscore the minors.)

However, this should have made it easy for East to defeat the contract. The obvious lead was the spade ace, even though North’s auction suggested that he could well have a spade void. However, after the spade ace lives, East sits back and awaits one more trick with his heart king. At the time, though, the robot West led the heart two.

Given my saner sequence, what should West lead this time?

Clearly, West needs to lead a spade to stop an overtrick, and that seems best. North shouldn’t have a void for his use of (Roman Key Card) Blackwood. Don’t assume that the opponents are being tricky, because normally they will not be. Go for the winners in front of your face!