Dealer East Both Vul

                                    ♠          K Q 6 4

                                    ♥          K Q

                                    ♦          8 4

                                    ♣         K Q 9 4 3

            ♠          5                                              ♠          8 7 3

            ♥          J 8 2                                        ♥          A 10 6 5 4

            ♦          K Q 9 6                                   ♦          A 7 5 3 2

            ♣         10 7 6 5 2                               ♣         —

                                    ♠          A J 10 9 2

                                    ♥          9 7 3

                                    ♦          J 10

                                    ♣         A J 8

On our hand this week early on in the auction partner makes an Unusual No Trump Overcall and after North bids 4ª now says Double. What does this Double mean?

Well this Double is a Lightner Double named after Theo Lightner of New York who invented a late double such as this to show a request for an Unusual lead. If in doubt, it says please led dummy’s first bid suit – either I have AQ over a possible King in dummy or I have a void and would like to immediately ruff.

You are going to acknowledge partner’s request and play your lowest possible club, not only in the hope of partner being able to ruff this but at the same time giving partner a Suit Preference signal as to what to play next.

After leading the low club partner ruffs and plays back his lowest Diamond which you win with the Queen.

You now play another low club asking for another Diamond and partner ruffs. He follows your defence and plays back another Diamond and you are able to win this with the King.

You now give him a third and final club ruff  and he pours salt into the wound by now cashing his Heart Ace.

You and partner have now taken the first six tricks and defeated the contract by 3 tricks  – 3 Club ruffs. 2 Top Diamonds and 1 top Heart.

Without a Club Lead declarer will soon be able to gain the lead and draw trumps.

You can also watch the following movie to see how the hand pans out. To view this programme you will need  to download htttp://www.haroldschogger.com/bridgevu.setup

  alternatively watch the film www.haroldschogger.com/movies2.htm

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