Lightner strikes twice

Theodore Lightner (1893-1981) proposed that a double of a freely bid slam should ask for an unusual lead. The theory is that it is important to use the double to tell partner what to lead so you defeat the contract, rather than worry about doubling just to win a few extra points because you think you are taking them down.

Typically the doubler has a void and needs partner to lead that suit to score the ruff. Consider this hand:

Dealer North, Nil vul. Contract: 6S doubled, declarer South.

          NORTH
          ♠ KQ54
          ♥ AK8742
          ♦ AK
          ♣ 3
WEST                EAST
♠ —                 ♠ 32
♥ JT653             ♥ —
♦ 83                ♦ QJT976542
♣ JT9865            ♣ A2
          SOUTH
          ♠ AJT9876
          ♥ Q9
          ♦ —
          ♣ KQ74

WEST  NORTH  EAST  SOUTH
      1H     5D    5S
Pass  6S     X     All pass

After North opened 1H, East with nine diamonds applied maximum pressure with a pre-empt to 5D. South with an attractive hand including a fine 7-card spade suit and a void in diamonds called 5S, and North with good trump support and good controls ventured to slam.

As mentioned previously, East’s double of the freely bid slam is a Lightner Double, asking partner for an unusual lead, not East’s bid suit of diamonds (and, incidentally, never a trump). Most commonly, West should lead dummy’s first bid suit. West had no trouble finding the heart lead which East ruffed, before quickly cashing the ace of clubs.

Note that if East had been dealer and opened 5D, and South overcalled 5S and North bid 6S, East should still make a Lightner Double. Again this would ask for an unusual lead, therefore not a diamond. It would be up to West to find East’s void. Unfortunately, with no clues in the bidding to help, West would probably lead the long club suit, hoping that was partner’s void. This time that would be wrong – bad luck.

Double of a notrump slam is also a Lightner or lead-directing double. Again it suggests that partner lead dummy’s first bid suit. What if the opponents have not bid any suit? Here is a hand from the State Teams qualifying, held at the NSW Bridge Association during October:

Dealer South, Nil vul. Contract: 6NT by South.

          NORTH
          ♠ A95
          ♥ JT
          ♦ AQ
          ♣ KQ9743
WEST                  EAST
♠ 874                 ♠ KQJ2
♥ 7652                ♥ A843
♦ 986532              ♦ 4
♣ —                   ♣ T865
          SOUTH
          ♠ T63
          ♥ KQ9
          ♦ KJT7
          ♣ AJ2

South opened 1NT showing 15-17, a slight exaggeration. North upgraded for the good 6-card suit and also stretched a little, bidding 6NT. What should East do? Where no suit has been bid, double of a notrump slam is normally played as requesting a lead of a spade. Sure enough, this lead holds declarer to 11 tricks. On a diamond lead, however, declarer wins and plays hearts to create an extra trick there, while the spades are still stopped, and makes the pushy slam.

Lightner doubles don’t strike often but when they do, can have a devastating effect.