Playing Doubled Contracts

Book excerpt: The opponents have doubled your contract and you have to decide how best to play the hand. Are you aiming to make your doubled contract? Is there a possibility of doubled overtricks? These are attractive objectives, but often they are not realistic. Should you accept that you will not make your contract and limit your losses as best you can? Obviously it is better to go one down than three or four down and it is important not to panic just because of the double. If you have sacrificed against the opponents' game or slam, which would have made, it is vital that your loss does not exceed the value of their contract. This quiz book contains problems taken from major national and international championships. In most cases you have the opportunity to outperform the actual declarers. No matter how you do, seeing the logic and technique behind the right play will no doubt improve your own standard.