This is aHand:

Bidding.

We open 2♥ as dealer and partner raises immediately to 4♥. That seems to be that and we wait patiently for East to complete the formalities by Passing. Nope, East has a problem, which he solves by Doubling.

What’s going on? Has partner done something foolish? Well, there’s nothing to be done now, and everybody Passes. 4♥ Doubled it is.

Play.

West leads the ♦J and we see that partner has raised on shape. 4♥ is a good call on his cards. Other things being equal he should be prepared to raise to the level of the known number of trumps. In this case, holding four Hearts, he should be prepared to compete to the ten-trick level as he can infer that we have ten Hearts between us.

[Note – the idea of bidding to the known number of trumps is a consequence of the Law of Total Tricks, which you may care to look up on the internet. It is not something you should do as a matter of strict routine – you need to moderate it with a little common sense. Had North been 3·4·3·3 with a heap of trash then raising to 4♥ would have been foolish.

Also, the LoTT does not say that you will make your contract – it merely says that bidding to the level of your trump length is the right thing to do. If your contract fails, goes the theory, then the opponents could have made a significant contract of their own. On this deal North is expecting East-West could make 4♠ or maybe 5♦].

Right – we need to Count and Plan. East takes the ♦K at trick one and flashes back a trump. Curse the guy – he is defending too well! Without this defense we could have counted six Hearts, three Diamond ruffs on table and the ♣A. If East is allowed to lead two rounds of trumps then we cannot trump our Diamond losers.

As it is, although there are only three evident losers (a Spade, a Diamond and a Club), there aren’t ten tricks without three ruffs on table. Still, we have to keep playing. We lead a Club at trick three (trick two having been won, amusingly, by the Five of trumps). East takes that and, predictably and accurately, leads another trump. Now, are we doomed to go one down?

Note that one off (on a combined point-count of 17) is not going to be the worst result in the world. East-West could make something, even if it’s just a part-score. -100 isn’t going to break the bank. However, we’d hate to give up without a fight. Could we ruff the Clubs out? Might the ♦A fall? Let’s see.

We ruff a Club in hand, ruff a Diamond on table, ruff a Club in hand and ruff a Diamond with the last trump. Had East started with ♦A K × the Ace would have fallen and the ♦Q would be good. Is it? Nope.

We ruff a Club in hand and – wondrously – the last Club on table is a winner. Did we once say “No five-card suit on table should ever be ignored�? We cross to that precious ♠A and dump a loser (a Spade for choice) on the ♣J. Contract made.

“Why did you Double, partner?� asks West. “Look at my hand!� exclaims East, “Wouldn’t you?� You keep your thoughts to yourself – but do you think one of the opponents was culpable for their poor result? Which one?