Monday, August 05, 2002 10:37 AM
Tactics Lead Directing Doubles
PITBULLS:
Long IMP matches favour the aggressive game and slam bidders. The mathematics of the IMP scale work in their favour . They lose a small number of IMPS by blowing their partials and in the long run making lucky games or slams they win big . One lucky game will compensate for 3 previous overbids if the opponents have not doubled . if the opponents are known to be extremely aggressive , then you must have counter measures or you will not win .
Statistics show that many many games can be beaten by the correct opening lead . I am not sure of the exact percentages but it is quite phenomenal how many games are made with wrong opening leads . The best counter measure against aggressive bidders are lead directing doubles and overcalls . We will discuss overcalls first .
I had a previous E-mail that I described a concept of "prevent defense" . One aspect of this concept is to ensure that they do not make a NT contract off a suit or partner getting off to the wrong opening lead to give them their games . In other words , think opening lead when you are bidding in prevent defense mode . If you overcall in their forcing auctions it is for a lead and not just to mess them up or get doubled . Make your overcalls and third seat openers disciplined for opening leads . If you have a fit for partners suit in a competitive auction bid another suit if it is of lead directing value . Bidding discipline for opening leads will keep the opponents out of "lucky games" that make because partner led 4th best from longest and strongest. Bend over backwards to make lead directing doubles of their Q bids and Blackwood responses . Anything to help partner out in opening leads .
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Lead directing doubles are a must . Good Bridge is intelligent risk taking. Lead directing doubles are risk taking but in IMPS they should be done more often. In matchpoints the opponents making a doubled game is a disaster. In IMPS its “lose 4” . Get out of the match point mentality. The greatest risk with lead directing doubles is not taking one !! Have all your understandings with partner worked out and put them to practice. Opponents seldom re-double and if they do make their contract doubled even with the best opening lead it is no disaster . Just say "lose 4" when doing the comparison or "win 12" if you have succeeded. .
Lead Directing Doubling rules :
Lead directing doubles should be based on “not waking the baby” . If
the obvious lead is going to beat the contract than do not double. The lead
directing double should “negate” the obvious lead. This of course begs the
question what is the obvious lead ? Playing 5 card majors , a minor opening is not an obvious lead. If I open
a minor , a double of their 3NT contract asks partner to lead my minor. If I
open or overcall a major , I expect that to be led . Therefore a
double negates the obvious lead and calls for a different lead. Probably dummy’s
1st bid suit in the case of an overcall.
If partner
has opened or overcalled a suit without you in the auction , than your
double calls for her suit not dummys first bid suit !! You
are probably very short in the suit and will be ruffing soon.
In NT where there is no dummy’s first suit
than the double guarantees that partners suit is lead.
1
NT
1♠
P
Dbl
by opener calls for partners suit to be lead - her hand
DBL 3NT
KQJ10x x Axxx Axx
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2♣ 3NT
1♠ Pass
Dbl
xx xxx xxxxx AQJ you had a chance to bid 2 spades so
the
2NT
double is lead directing with clubs
What if
you did support spades ? The double still calls for a club as the obvious
lead is a spade.
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Next ex Assume partners response
or opening bid to be the more natural lead . Doubles quite
often negate "natural leads"
1♦ 4♥
1♣
1♠ Dbl
AQxx xxx xxxxxx void Your double calls for a club lead .
The more natural
2♥ lead
by partner would be a spade , your double negates that .
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contracts have slightly different rules
depending on whether you have supported the suit or not
1NT
1♦ 2♠ QJxxxx xx Ax xxx The double calls for
a spade lead as partner was jammed from
supporting spades . It
negates the "so called" natural lead of the diamond . If
DBL
3NT partner
was not jammed and had a chance to support spades. A diamond lead is
called for as a spade would have been the obvious lead .
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
P
!NT
3NT
Dbl
xx AKQJxx xxx xx lead your singleton . If partner strikes out , then
maybe she will
get
in for another chance !
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Slams
A double of a slam generally means make an
"unnatural" lead . If partner has made a lead directing bid
and than subsequently doubles a slam , do not lead her suit , find something
else . If dummy has bid a suit, lead that , otherwise lead your longest suit
hoping for a ruff . Rules for the double of games do not apply for slams . If
both you were in the auction , the double still calls for an unusual lead (
normally dummys first bid suit ) .
Penalty doubles are necessary against aggressive
pairs . In the long run they will "luck out" with games not bid by
your partners. To take the sting out of their tactics its necessary to catch
them speeding once in a while . These doubles are made with an ear to the
bidding and knowing if cards or trump are sitting badly for them . Also if by
listening to the bidding their are straining to get to game . The occasional
800 or 1100 will put a damper on their style.
Anyway , just
sitting and passing all the time will make you easy targets for
aggressive bidders . Prevent defense is getting in their for lead
directing purposes and keeping partner in the picture . Lead directing
and penalty doubles are also elevated in importance against swingy pairs..