Opening leads are often said to be the most difficult of all bridge decisions. Input from partner can be a big help, but he won’t always be able to actually bid the suit he wants you to lead. In some auctions, his message will come after the opponents reach their final contract.
In previous articles, we discussed the lead-directing meanings of penalty doubles made after auctions where you and partner have been silent and the opponents have voluntarily bid game. Here’s a quick summary of the standard meanings for these “surprise” doubles:
q vs. a suit game or 3NT: If dummy has made a natural bid -- or otherwise shown length – in a non-trump suit, Double asks for the lead of that suit. If dummy has shown two suits, the request is for his first suit.
q vs. 3NT: If dummy has not made any natural suit bids, Double says “Find my suit.” The doubler has a running suit (or a semi-solid suit and an outside entry) and hopes you can figure it out. The logical choice is usually your shorter major that has no honors.
There’s more to consider if one or both of us have bid. Like the doubles described above, there are standard meanings for penalty doubles made after auctions where we’ve competed and the opponents have freely bid game. The two main messages, in the order you should consider them:
1 - Lead your suit. This takes priority and applies in any auction where you’ve made a natural bid of a suit, whether partner has passed or raised or bid his own suit. In the auction below, he wants a diamond lead (your suit). Without the double, your natural lead would probably be partner’s suit, so he would pass if he wanted a spade lead.
LHO Partner RHO You
1C
1D
1H 1S 1NT Pass
3NT DBL
2 – Lead my suit. This is the meaning when the doubler (partner) has bid a suit but opening leader (you) has not. It’s most valuable when partner has opened what could be a 3-card (or shorter) minor but actually has a long, strong suit and fears you might not lead it without the double. In this auction, Double says “Lead a club”:
LHO Partner RHO You
1C 1NT Pass
3NT DBL
These are the “book” definitions that you should assume if you’re playing with an experienced partner. Some pairs prefer to play that these doubles always call for the lead of the doubler’s suit, but that or any other change should be agreed to in advance.
One modification you may want to adopt is to play that the “Lead my suit” rule applies only when doubler’s suit is a minor that could be fewer than five cards. In the auction above, if partner had opened a 5-card major instead of 1C, you would normally lead his suit anyway, so you can define this double as “lead-inhibiting”. It says “Find my other suit.” If he opened 1S and then doubled 3NT, he might hold ♠A8763 ♥KJ ♦KQJ105 ♣4 .
The primary message in these auctions is “Don’t make your ‘normal’ lead.” It’s possible that partner just has enough strength to beat 3NT no matter what you lead, but he has to be ready for the lead he requested.
You and partner also have to be able to recognize auctions that don’t quite fit the rules. Is this one?
LHO Partner RHO You
1D 1S
DBL Pass 2D Pass
2S Pass 2NT Pass
3NT DBL
What would you lead holding ♠KQ754 ♥872 ♦6 ♣KQ65 ? More about this and other variations in the next issue.
© 2025 Karen Walker