I haven't been playing much this week so here's a quick and dirty hand from Saturday night's session (matchpoints).

You pick up in 2nd at favorable:

JT3 / A95 / A9653 / 73

Righty opens 3 Hearts, you pass, pass, Adam doubles, pass to you ...

Vulnerability argues for passing.  But the opps knew the vulnerability when they bid.  In this instance, I wish I knew more about this particular opp's style, but he's a stranger. 

I agonized for 15 seconds or so and then dropped a green card on the table. 

Now what to lead?

Ace of hearts and a heart is a possibility.  It's often right to lead trumps when the opps bid 'em up without significant values.  But nothing feels worse than crashing pard's stiff king of trumps.  A low heart is a possibility, but pard probably only has 1 trump and if he's the first one in, he won't be able to continue playing them.

I figured a spade lead was probably safest and led the Jack.

Dummy tracked and I was not a happy camper.

KQ9872 / 63 / JT87 / 8

At least I didn't pull to 3 Spades! (Not that I was seriously considering that, but it's not completely inconceivable.)

Dummy covered, Adam covered, and declarer ruffed.

Oh crap!  I just hope declarer didn't 'take a view' with KQJ 7th of hearts and the ace of clubs (not most people's idea of a 3-bid, but the spade void and unfavorable vulnerability again makes it at least somewhat conceivable as an alternative.)

Declarer led a club up (phew) and Adam won and played the long overdue trump.  I cleared trumps and +800 was ours.

Declarer held:

- / KQJT872 / 42 / T542

Which means Adam held:

A654 / 4 / KQ / AKQJ96

Left to our own devices we might have gone overboard (a 4-loser opposite 2 aces.)  Lucky hand.