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 Lead-directing Doubles by David Bird

In this quiz, we will look at lead-directing doubles. These arise when you are able to double an artificial bid by an opponent, to show strength in the suit conventionally bid.

The intention is not generally to encourage your partner to compete in that suit if he has a fit. Rather, you are hoping to suggest a good opening lead.

Question 1

  Your Hand
♠ 9 5 2
♥ A 3
♦ 8 5 2
♣ K Q 10 8 4 		 
Q: 1 - Your LHO opens with a 15-17 point 1NT. What action will you take at your first turn?
SouthWestNorthEast
-1NTPass2♣
?


 Your choice:
A: Double. If your partner ends up on lead, you would like him to choose a club. This applies whether they end in a suit contract or in no-trump.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 2

  Your Hand
♠ 7 2
♥ J 8 6 3
♦ K Q J 8
♣ 10 9 7 		 
Q: 2 - West is heading for a possible slam. What are your thoughts over the 5♦ Blackwood response?
SouthWestNorthEast
-1♠Pass4♠
Pass4NTPass5♦
?


 Your choice:
A: Double. You must take this opportunity to show good diamonds to your partner. He is then very likely to choose a diamond lead, whether the opponents play at the slam-level or not.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 3

  Your Hand
♠ 9 2
♥ 9 7 6 2
♦ J 7 6
♣ A Q 9 8 		 
Q: 3 - The opponents find a good spade fit and East's 4♣ is then a control bid (previously known as a cue-bid). It shows a club control - the ace or king of clubs, or sometimes a club shortage.

What action will you take?
SouthWestNorthEast
-1♦Pass1♠
Pass3♠Pass4♣
?


 Your choice:
A: Pass. If your partner was going to be on lead against a spade contract, you would indeed double for a club lead (thinking that your ♣A Q may lie over East's ♣K). However, you will be on lead against any spade contract, so there would be no lead-directing benefit from such a double. It would merely give information to the opponents.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 4

  Your Hand
♠ Q 8 2
♥ 7
♦ Q 9 7 6 4 2
♣ K 7 5 		 
Q: 4 - East's 2♦ is a transfer response, showing at least five hearts. What action will you take?
SouthWestNorthEast
-1NTPass2♦
?


 Your choice:
A: Pass. You have no reason to want a diamond lead on this auction. If partner's natural choice against a heart contract would be to lead one of the black suits, you would be able to help him.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 5

  Your Hand
♠ J 9 8 6 4
♥ 9 7 3
♦ 
♣ A 10 8 7 2 		 
Q: 5 - The opponents are heading for a possible heart slam. What will you do now?
SouthWestNorthEast
---1♠
Pass2♥Pass4♥
Pass4NTPass5♦
?


 Your choice:
A: Double. Your partner will be on lead against a heart contract and you would like him to lead a diamond, which you will be able to ruff. If they are in 6♥, you will then be able to cash the ♣A for one down.

Suppose instead that the RKCB response had been 5♣. You would not double that, despite holding the ♣A, because you want partner to lead a diamond instead.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 6

  Your Hand
♠ J 7 6 5 3
♥ 8 6
♦ 
♣ 10 9 7 5 4 2 		 
Q: 6 - We end with a slightly different situation. The opponents have bid freely to a small slam. Do you and your partner play any particular convention that may help you here?
SouthWestNorthEast
-1♥Pass2♦
Pass3♥Pass4NT
Pass5♥Pass6♥
?


 Your choice:
A: Double. We have left the very best until last - the famous Lightner Double. When the opponents bid freely to a slam, a double is not for penalties (to increase 50 to 100, or 100 to 200 is fairly worthless). It has the special meaning: 'Please make an unexpected lead'. Most frequently, this will be because you are void in a side-suit and will be able to take a ruff there.

Often, the desired lead will be in the first suit bid by the dummy. Here, you want a diamond lead and indicate this with a (yes!) Lightner Double.

(For more information, look up 'Lightner Double' on your favored search engine.)

Your result so far:
Open Question

Play this Hand

Now that you've bid five hands, let's see how your play goes.

Overall Results

Your results:   out of    Average: 

What next? You may enjoy playing our prepared hands series.
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