sfi, on 2016-August-07, 05:08, said:
Indeed. One of my personal rules is that I never complain about a choice of opening lead if there was a reason behind it. It's one area where partners almost always get a free pass if they get it wrong.
I think this is an excellent rule. The general concept applies broadly.
As to leading from xx: I once read a book. The author presented a hand where a spot was lead against a suit contract and third hand hand, with not quick side entries, had the familiar problem: If the spot is stiff he needs to rise with his A and give partner the ruff. If the spot is from xx then probably the opening leader has a high trump he is hoping to take, after which he will lead the other x and get his ruff. Which is it?
It's not easy. The author mentioned that players are dealt more doubletons than singletons. True enough. Otoh, if partner would Never lead from a doubleton, then it's a singleton. (I am assuming that from the whole hand, the auction, and the size of the spot that it cannot be from xxx).
Myself, with everyone I play with, it could be from x or xx. And this will sometimes give me a guess when I am third hand. That's ok. He tries, I try, sometimes we get it right, sometimes we don't. But if it is from xx and I get it right, that's a success unavailable to those who never lead from xx.
I try to avoid playing with people who, when something goes wrong, begin the discussion with "Any good player would...". Sometimes I will later realize I should have gotten something right. Other times I figure it was a close call that I got wrong. It is worth the effort to think through which is which, but a free lecture from partner based on little more than the fact things went wrong is not helpful.