A crazy deal has instructive points

Henny Youngman said, “How to drive a guy crazy: Send him a telegram and on the top put ‘page 2’.”

How to drive an opening leader crazy: Give him a wild auction like this one. What should West lead against seven spades undoubled? Would West’s choice of card change if East had doubled the final contract?

South opened four no-trump, hoping partner had the heart ace, so that he could play in seven no-trump. But when North denied that card, South confidently leapt to seven spades.

Against seven spades undoubled, a naive West would lead the heart ace, but South would ruff, draw trumps and claim. A more rational West would lead a trump, hoping South had a two-suiter and eventually would lose a trick in the side suit because his ruffing power had been critically reduced.

In this deal, though, East must double seven spades — which means what? There is little point in doubling a grand slam because you think it is going down one. You increase the penalty by a very small amount (50 or 100 points), but if they make it, they get even more points (from 190 to 260); and perhaps they will redouble. Also, they might run from the doubled grand slam that was going down into another grand slam that makes.

Against a grand slam, double should show a void and a desire to get a ruff at trick one. Now West ought to find the killing diamond lead.