Menu Vu-Bridge | Play like a Champion!

 Lead-Directing Doubles (Part 2) by Matthias Huberschwiller

If your partner has doubled an artificial bid made by the opponents, he asks for the lead in that specific suit!

If your partner has doubled the final contract bid by your opponents, it means that he thinks that there are chances that they will go down. If he has the setting tricks in his hand, there will be no problem, but often by doubling he asks his partner for a specific lead - That’s what we call a Lightner double!

It’s your lead!

Question 1

  Your Hand
 7 2
 A 6 3
 10 5 4
 K J 8 3 2
 
Q: 1 - As West, what do you lead?
SouthWestNorthEast
1Pass2Pass
2Pass4Dble
PassPassPass


 Your choice:
A: 8 – Your partner has doubled Four Spades to ask for a special lead, which is often dummy’s suit.

Here, he asks us to lead a club.

You need to show suit preference with the card that you lead in order to indicate partner which suit to return. Here, you want him to play back a Heart, so you lead a high card, the eight.


Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 2

  Your Hand
 K 10 7 2
 J 7 6 2
 7 5
 8 6 3
 
Q: 2 - As West, what do you lead?
SouthWestNorthEast
1Pass2Dble
2 NTPass3 NTPass
PassPass


 Your choice:
A: 2 – Careful! Here, partner’s double is not a lead directing double because North has announced a real club suit. Your partner has made a take-out double with shortness in Clubs, so he has Hearts and Diamonds.
Therefore, you need to lead a Heart following the principle of fourth best.


Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 3

  Your Hand
 A 6 2
 6 4 3 2
 K Q J 9 2
 2
 
Q: 3 - As West, what do you lead?
SouthWestNorthEast
1 NTPass2Dble
2Pass3 NTPass
PassPass


 Your choice:
A: K – Your partner has doubled the Stayman inquiry to ask for a Club lead. But will he have the means to get back on lead? It is not very probable because you have a very strong hand. Count: He has not more than four or five points!

On the other hand, it is easy to establish your diamond suit – you just have to lose to the A and then wait to get in with the A in order to cash your diamond tricks!


Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 4

  Your Hand
 9 6 3
 7 3
 K 9 4 3 2
 J 10 4
 
Q: 4 - As West, what do you lead?
SouthWestNorthEast
--1Pass
1NTPass3NTDble
PassPassPass


 Your choice:
A: 7 – Why did your partner double?
He does not want you to lead from your length, but to lead an “impossible” suit!
He wants you to lead dummy’s suit, Hearts!


Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 5

  Your Hand
 7
 J 9 6 3 2
 Q 6 4 2
 10 9 3
 
Q: 5 - As West, what do you lead?
SouthWestNorthEast
1NTPass3NTDble
PassPassPass


 Your choice:
A: 7 – We have seen that usually partner’s double asks for the lead to be in dummy’s suit.
But what should you do when dummy has not bid a suit?
By convention, in that case, the double asks for a spade lead!


Your result so far:
Open Question

Overall Results

Your results:   out of    Average: 

What next? You may enjoy playing our prepared hands series.
More informations on our website: www.VuBridge.com

Rate yourself:

0 - 40% We applaud your effort.
Review the subject and try again. You'll be surprised how much better you'll do.
We're here for you!!
41 - 50% Buy your mentor a cuppa and ask for clarification on the ones you got wrong.
No mentor? Make finding one a priority!
51 - 60% Nice improvement! One more review and you'll have this down solid!
61 - 80% What a good job! All that's left is some fine tuning
Over 80% Wow! It's time for you to become a mentor. Find someone who needs help and share your knowledge!