Bridge

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 notrump, 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.

This is the so-called Lightner Slam Double, named for the late Theodore Lightner.