The questions posed as are twofold:
--1) Do you double an opening bid of 7NT by east who is the dealer at love all.
--2) What do you lead?
This is one of those inferential defensive problems that require farsighted imagination of what could constitute east's holding in the suits to make him bid an opening bid of 7NT?
A logical thinking on the bid made suggests that east could only be making this bid knowing for sure that the bid would succeed as east has all 13 tricks up his sleeve - or thinks he has.
Well how do you go about analyzing what could be east's possible holding looking to the fact that you hold an honour in each of the 4 suits and that too with due protection? Let us dig deep and think what could best be east's holding:
--3 possible holdings readily spring to mind
a) A
A
A K
A K Q 10 9 8 7 5 2
East or for that matter anyone with that holding would go for the maximum.
b) A
A K
A
A K Q 10 9 8 7 5 2
Almost the same hand with the Red Kings switched.
c) A
A
A K J 10 9 8 7 6 4 3
A
This one is a mind blowing hand. Every bidder would count almost 99% for the QD to fall and so bid 7NT.
Now that we have given you the possible holdings, can you make the killing lead in each of the possible holdings? One thing is common in all 3 holdings that the declarer cannot make his contract, if you lead a heart or a spade irrespective of the fact whether holds hand (a), (b) or (c). Amongst the two alternatives, although both sink the contract, which in your opinion is the better option for you? Looking at your hand and the declarer's possible holdings of (a), a heart lead would make him go 1 down only. But as you can see the one common ingredient in all 3 holdings is the cent percent possibility of declarer holding the singleton spade ace. Therefore, reverting back to the 2 questions posed, in the light of above what should be your bid after east opens 7NT in the first seat and next, what should be your best opening lead to cause the maximum damage to declarer's contract of the grand slam bid. It may look preposterously dangerous or foolish but the logic of Bridge clearly calls for a spade lead. The question is which of the 2 cards will bring the maximum game for you? A small spade lead will give you a result of 2 down for which you need to double confidently as an answer to our first question posed to get a score with bonus. But if the low spade is a beautiful defense why not be bold and beautiful and lay down the KS as your opening lead. Imagine the result if declares holds hand (A). He can at the most cash AS, AH, AK of diamonds and AKQ of clubs. 7 tricks in all for the moment you get your JC, you let partner in with your low spade for the remaining tricks making declarer go 6 down doubled for -1400: with hand (b), declarer would manage the same 7 tricks. In hand (c) declarer only makes 5 tricks going 8 down for-2000 so much for the deep inferential thinking on the part of defenders. Let us test you in play now on your 6H contract after west leads 3S to the following dummy and your hand as NS.
On your QS, east plays the 4S while you win with AS? What next is your planning? Looks simple doesn't it? For there is apparently only the trump ace that is a loser, but careless play can make you tumble down in a cold contract. The immediate instinct to knock out the AH needs to be weighed carefully in the light of the opening lead of 3S that is almost a certainty of being a singleton. Now do you see the danger if you play a heart towards dummy and east takes his singleton ace of trumps to promote partner's 10 of hearts by leading back a spade, which you have to ruff high promoting west's 10H and going down in 6H. Your answer to the problem is simple. Just cross to dummy with a diamond and lead a small heart from dummy. Now you can afford to ruff high the spade return meeting challenge with challenge!
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K 6
Q 10 8 6
Q 5 2
J 6 4 3
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North
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Q J 10 9 6 5 2
K 6 4
A
A Q
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South
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A
Q J 9 7 5 2
K J
K J 10 4
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