Definition

1. Noun:
   • A pair of playing cards that are the only cards in their suit in the hand dealt to a player: In the card game of contract bridge, a "doubleton" refers specifically to a holding of exactly two cards in a particular suit.

Usage

• The term is used almost exclusively in the context of card games, particularly bridge, to describe a specific distribution of cards in a player's hand.
• It is a countable noun (e.g., , ).

Examples

• Noun:
  • With a doubleton in hearts, he decided to lead that suit.
  • Her hand contained a doubleton club and a singleton diamond.
  • A useful strategy is to ruff a loser when you have a doubleton in a side suit.

Advanced Usage

• "Doubleton honor": A doubleton where one or both of the two cards are high-ranking (e.g., King-Queen, Ace-Jack).
  • He held a doubleton honor in spades, which improved his chances for a ruff.
• "Doubleton lead": The act of leading (playing first) a card from a doubleton holding.
  • A doubleton lead can be risky but sometimes gains a trick.

Variants and Related Words

• Singleton (n): A holding of exactly one card in a suit in a bridge hand.
• Void (n): A holding of zero cards in a suit in a bridge hand.

Synonyms

• Two-card holding: A more general, descriptive phrase for a doubleton.
• Pair (in this specific context): While "pair" is more general, in bridge terminology it can contextually refer to a doubleton.

Related Phrases

• "To have a doubleton": To hold exactly two cards of a suit.
  • If you have a doubleton in their trump suit, you may be able to draw two rounds.
• "Doubleton situation": A scenario in the play of a bridge hand where a doubleton is a key factor.
  • The success of the contract depended on the doubleton situation in the dummy.

Noun

1. (bridge) a pair of playing cards that are the only cards in their suit in the hand dealt to a player