THE LEAD-DIRECTING DOUBLE

North-South vulnerable, North deals One of the most abused conventions in bridge is the “lead-directing double.” This is the double of an artificial bid to request a lead in that suit should partner be on lead. Also, you must be good enough to defeat that contract should the opponents elect to play there. You must be certain that you want that lead. The literature is full of examples of such doubles that have back-fired.

North in today’s deal perpetrated one of the most aggressive auctions we have ever seen. North felt that he was too good to simply bid four spades, so he kept bidding side suits, fetching a lead-directing double from East along the way. Who can blame South for bidding a slam?

West was Subhash Gupta, long considered the guru of Indian bridge. The slam has no play, but chances came alive when Gupta led the queen of clubs. A diamond was discarded from dummy as East won with his ace. South won the trump shift and led the nine of clubs, discarding a diamond from dummy when Gupta played low. Another diamond was shed on the king of clubs, followed by the ace of diamonds and a diamond ruff. Declarer came to hand with the ace of hearts and ruffed his last club with the queen of spades. A heart ruff brought him back to his hand to draw trumps and claim his slam, leaving East with egg on his face. Gupta, a class act, eased his partner’s pain by assuring East that Gupta would have led a club anyway.