Eugen Rosenstock- Huessy, a German-American social philosopher and historian who died in 1973, said, “Logic protects us against what we say having a double meaning.”

The game of bridge is built on logic. For example, in today’s auction, what does East’s double of three notrump logically mean?

Yes, it must be a penalty double. But is there anything else?

It asks West to lead the first suit bid by the dummy; here, a spade.

East’s double is speculative, but reasonable. He doesn’t expect the opponents to make an overtrick, and it might need a spade lead to defeat the contract. Which spade should West lead?

South responded with one-no-trump forcing, then invited game with two notrump.

This is one of the situations when the highest spade should be led – here, the nine. To start with the two risks allowing declarer to duck the trick to East and leave him unable to continue the suit profitably.

In this deal from a social game, South can survive if he wins the first trick, but he must read the cards accurately. If he ducks the first trick, which is not so silly, thinking that West might have only two spades, the contract can be defeated. West leads a second spade. Declarer will probably win with dummy’s ace, cross to hand with a club, take two diamond finesses, lead a diamond to the ace, and exit with a heart. East wins, cashes his second high heart, then endplays the dummy with either black suit; say, clubs. The defenders take three spades and two hearts.