Take the lead

Leads are a complicated area. You have:
AT
Jx
KT9xxx
A9x

1H on your right and 2D overcall by you, negative X from LHO, partner passes and LHO bids 2H, all pass. Imps, what's your lead?

Magnus Lindkvist used to say "I ask myself 2 questions: Can I get a ruff? Can partner get a ruff? If the answer is no, then lead trumps!" It's a bit simplisticly put, but it is certainly good advice.

Frederic led the ace of spades, looking for a ruff, and the Austrian former star player, Franz Terraneo, slipped on this innocent looking partscore in the Swiss A-final:

KQJxx
543
xx
QJT

xx
AQT986
AJx
xx

Ace of spades lead and continuation, suggesting the suit breaking 2-4. He tried another high spade, discarding a club from hand, ruffed with the 7. Frederic underled the ace of clubs to my K and another spade saw a missguess when the T of hearts of over-ruffed with J and LHO got out with the club ace.

Franz now had to concede a trick in both red suits for 1 down when RHO had 4-2-2-5 distribution. Would Freddan really have led a spade from the actual holding with Kx in hearts?

Everybody makes mistakes. Make sure the opponents' don't go unpunished.