Andrew:

The Lightner double

If the opponents have had the courage to bid for twelve or thirteen tricks - a Slam - you will rarely defeat it by more than one trick. Last week we saw a defender double a Small Slam with three aces. It made and was lucky not to be redoubled! The time to double a freely bid opposing Slam is when you want partner to make an unusual lead. Such a double - invented by Theodore Lightner - allows the defence to defeat a contract that would have made on a normal lead.

South Deals
Both Vul

♠	A 4
♥	Q 10 8 7
♦	8 7
♣	A Q 10 6 4

♠	K Q 10
♥	6 4
♦	J 5
♣	9 8 7 5 3 2

N
W		E
S

♠	J 9 7 6 5 3 2
♥	9 3
♦	A 6 4 2
♣	—

♠	8
♥	A K J 5 2
♦	K Q 10 9 3
♣	K J

West	North	East	South
			1 ♥
Pass	4 ♥	Pass	4 NT
Pass	5 ♥	Pass	6 ♥
Pass	Pass	Dbl	Pass
Pass	Pass

After North correctly jumped to 4 ♥ - there was no need for him to introduce his ♣s as ♥s were definitely going to be trumps - South bid 4 NT. This was the Blackwood convention asking partner how many aces he possesses. North’s 5 ♥ reply showed two aces, and South hoped (reasonably) that the one missing ace would be his only loser. It would have been if East had stayed quiet…
Without East’s double, West would have led ♠ K. Declarer would have made his contract easily, losing just ♦ A. But all doubles of freely bid Slams should be played as “Lightner” - asking for an unusual lead. Frequently based on a void somewhere, it was clear for West to lead his longest suit.
West therefore led ♣ 9; East trumped and triumphantly cashed ♦ A to defeat the contract.

ANDREW’S TIP: The double of a freely bid Slam asks partner to find an unusual lead

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Andrew:

The Lightner double