Bridge is a partnership game, as everyone knows, but in some deals it may seem that the partners are pulling in opposite directions. Obviously, when partners are communicating on different wavelengths, almost anything can happen — and frequently does.

Take this deal where East-West were out of tune. The bidding went as shown, with East doubling North’s final three-notrump bid.

East’s double in this sequence carries a special meaning. It states that East thinks the contract can be defeated if West leads the suit he opened the bidding with — in this case, hearts. Indeed, had West led a heart, the defenders would have scored four heart tricks and a club, and South would have gone down one.

But West led the king of diamonds instead, and South made the contract. He won the diamond with the ace, established dummy’s clubs and finished with an overtrick after West cashed the Q-J of diamonds.

It is easy to sympathize with West, who naturally was more inclined to lead a diamond from a solid suit than a heart from a broken suit. We’ve all witnessed worse leads that worked out successfully.

But here West had no one to blame but himself. Once partners agree that a double in a given sequence — such as the one here — is lead-directing, the player on lead has no choice but to obey his partner’s wishes. It must be assumed that partner is not doubling just to hear himself speak.

Bridge is a partnership game.

Tomorrow: The art of camouflage.