When learning how to bid, beginners typically memorize the rules and then try to follow them to the letter. They soon discover that there are actually very few bidding rules that are absolute. “Never pass a forcing bid” and “Don’t psych against novices” might qualify, but most others have legitimate exceptions.
Even simple, widely accepted guidelines are subject to your judgment. In previous issues, we’ve discussed the standard meanings for lead-directing doubles of final contracts. The short version is that if the opponents voluntarily bid 3NT and partner doubles, his possible messages – in the order you should consider them – are:
1 – “Lead Your suit” if you’ve made a natural bid in the auction.
2 – “Lead My suit” if partner has bid a suit but you haven’t.
3 – “Lead Dummy’s suit” if neither of you has bid. (This is your first priority if partner makes a “surprise” double of a freely bid suit game.)
The “YMD” steps are easy to remember, but even experienced pairs can be confused by these doubles. One reason is that although these definitions are considered standard, this topic is seldom covered by bridge teachers and partnership discussions. Many players won’t hear anything about them until one comes up at the table.
Just as important as knowing the standard meanings is knowing when partner wants you to overrule them. What is partner telling you in this auction?
LHO Partner RHO You
1D 1S
DBL Pass 2D Pass
2S Pass 2NT Pass
3NT DBL
You’ve made a natural bid and partner hasn’t, so the “book” definition for this double is “Lead your suit”, which means that partner surely has a high spade honor. If your thinking stops there, you’d lead a low spade from ♠KQ754 ♥872 ♦6 ♣KQ65 .
You’ll reconsider if you put yourself in partner’s seat and analyze the entire auction. Partner had three opportunities to show something in your suit – by raising spades, redoubling at his second turn or doubling the 2S cuebid at his third turn. His passes should convince you he isn’t interested in a spade lead.
When you reason that the “your suit” and “my suit” options don’t make sense, the default is dummy’s suit. In this auction, that’s hearts (shown by LHO’s negative double). Expect partner to hold a hand such as ♠52 ♥AQ106 ♦J1092 ♣743 .
Non-lead-directing doubles
Keep in mind that a double of a freely bid game doesn’t always request a certain lead. Try to avoid over-thinking an auction like this one:
LHO Partner RHO You
1C DBL
2C Pass 2NT Pass
3NT DBL
You’ve shown three suits with your takeout double and partner has shown none, so he can’t be asking for “your suit” or “my suit”. The third option – dummy’s suit – is out, too, because he hasn’t shown one (clubs is declarer’s suit, not dummy’s).
Sometimes, a double just says “They bid too much”. If none of the “YMD” lead requests is a logical possibility, the next option is making your normal lead. In the auction above, expect that partner will have some values – and probably a club trick or two – and go back to one of the first rules you learned in bridge class: Low from your longest and strongest suit.
© 2025 Karen Walker