In fourth seat at favorable vulnerability, I picked up the following collection: ♠QT743 ♥JT842 ♦93 ♣8. Partner opened 1♣ in second seat and RHO bid 6♦! I passed, as did LHO, and partner doubled. We play that such a double is cooperative, so I can take it out if I think it's right. On the plus side, I have two five card majors, and partner should have at least one four-card major on this auction. On the other hand, if partner has the ♣A I can likely get a ruff for down one at least. I decided to leave it in. In an auction like this, partner's double can't mean don't lead clubs as well as suggesting a takeout. Therefore I felt that the obvious lead was the ♣8. Unfortunately (but perhaps not surprisingly) declarer had the ♣A and moreover was able to get to dummy in diamonds (with the 8) to pitch the losing spade on the ♥A, which was the only card that dummy provided. Once I don't lead a spade, the contract is always making, losing us a bushel of IMPs since most RHO's didn't bid 6 with their 1075 shape (with solid diamonds).
Bidding 6♠ would have improved our score to only -500 which would have actually given us few IMPs on the plus side. But best of all would be for me to lead a spade and set the contract for a gain of almost 12 imps.
The lesson here I suppose is that if you develop a system of unlimited cooperative doubles, you should at least try to use it!
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6D overcall, wow! Personality of the overcaller seems to be relevant, but, in general, I would be betting that the overcaller is prepared for a club lead, the suit that your partner opened and thus the lead that overcaller is expecting you to make. That is far from saying what non-club should be led, or if you should be sitting for the contract. The testosterone call is to pass the double of 6D ... but I bet I would have lead a heart and, it sounds, suffered the same result as did you.
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