“I could never bear to be buried with people to whom I had not been introduced.” – Norman Parkinson (from his obituary notice)

Before focusing on the play of today’s redoubled one-no-trump contract from the 1994 World Championships, you might consider what in abstract is West’s best lead.

There is certainly an argument for a heart lead – partner has stayed silent with what you know to be a good hand, so must surely have length in dummy’s long suit.

At the table West knew what to lead because of his partner’s lead-directing double.

Jimmy Cayne as South had his work cut out on West’s intelligent lead of the heart nine.

Cayne took dummy’s heart ace and played the diamond nine, which held the trick.

The next diamond was won by East, who now tried a low spade.

To make the hand, Cayne found the nice play of the spade queen.

This play would gain in the unlikely event that both spade honors were right but also would be necessary on the actual lie of the cards.

Here, playing the spade queen blocked the suit, preventing West from getting in a second time in spades to play hearts through.

At the table West took his spade king and played a second heart.

Cayne won dummy’s heart king and cleared the diamonds.

The defenders could cash out six tricks but no more.

Note that if East had led the jack as his first play in spades, then paradoxically South would have had to duck to keep West from getting on play twice.

Bid with the aces

South holds:

Answer: Pass, since your partner’s double of one spade is for penalties.

If partner had one or both of the red suits, he could have bid it himself, so a double here should be reserved for hands wishing to defend.

Since you have normal values and shape for your auction, you have no reason to distrust your partner and bid.