A double that may be costly

I have mentioned before in this column that, at rubber bridge, Chicago or international match point scoring, if you double an opponent for penalty, you should be expecting to get the contract at least down two. Warned that the trumps aren’t dividing evenly, a competent declarer will usually play the cards (at least) one trick better than if he isn’t doubled. Remember that down one doubled is the same as down two undoubled, but down one undoubled is much better than contract made doubled.

Today’s deal is a classic example — although a good declarer would make this contract doubled or undoubled. How should South play in six spades doubled after West leads a low diamond, taken with dummy’s ace?

Two clubs was strong and artificial; two diamonds was a “waiting” response, probably made with 0-7 points, but maybe more with no good suit to show. After spades were agreed, South used Roman Key Card Blackwood. North’s response showed two key cards (either one ace and the trump king or two aces) but denied the trump queen. West, thinking he had two trump tricks, doubled.

Declarer embarked on a plan to reduce his trump length. At trick two, he ruffed a diamond, the pivotal play. After a spade to the king confirmed the bad news, South continued with his plan, trumping another diamond. He cashed the heart ace-king, ruffed the heart queen on the board, trumped a third diamond and cashed the club ace-king, reducing West to three trumps. When declarer led his last club, West had to ruff and lead into South’s spade ace-jack: 12 tricks made.