Lead directing double
Hey partner, lead this suit when you can !
When can you use Lead Directing Doubles ?
- after a control seeking cue bid
- after a coded 2 opening
- after Stayman 2
A double during the enemy's 'cue bidding for controls' sequence can be very useful. It tells your partner to lead this suit when he opens the play.
It can often result in getting the opponents down if you have a long strong suit, even if the enemy does have the controlling Ace. After all, they might also have a couple of other losers in this suit.
The deal below illustrates the power of this bid rather well, as there are two opportunities to make lead directing doubles.
Deal 1 | 10 9 8 6 | Deal: South Vuln: none |
South has 9 playing tricks and can open 2. West can now double to show his partner what to lead. |
||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Q 10 8 6 3 | |||||||
A 4 2 | |||||||
2 | |||||||
A 4 | N | 3 | |||||
9 7 2 | W E | J 5 4 | |||||
9 7 | K Q J 10 8 | ||||||
Q J 10 8 5 3 | S | 9 7 6 4 | |||||
K Q J 7 5 4 | |||||||
A K | |||||||
6 5 2 | |||||||
A K |
After South's opening 2 bid, the sequence goes like this:
2 - X - p - p (note 1)
2 - p - 3 - p (note 2)
4 - p - 4 - X (note 3)
4NT - p - 5 - p (note 4)
6 - all pass
- North passes after the double to indicate game interest after the double. A redouble shows 10 points with no help.
- North's hand is now much more valuable after South's 3. Game interest becomes Slam interest, so he bids slowly. A 4 bid would show no interest in Slam.
- The and bids are both cue bids, showing first round control. The double is the key to this defence. It tells West, who will be on lead in this Spade contract, to lead diamonds.
- South should have been worried by the double, "trouble in Diamonds from West". With his 3 losers in diamonds, instead of Blackwood 4NT, he might have considered another cue bid in Clubs to check on second round controls. The answer would not have been good, and he might have bailed out at 5 Spades. As it is, the 6 contract can be defeated, but only with a diamond lead.