[frouu]

Scoring: IMP

4♥ - PASS - PASS - ?

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double?

[jillybean]

Only if your agreement is penalty, some play double here as takeout.

[Jlall]

Great problem that almost all beginner/ints seem to get wrong.

Assuming you play the X here as cards or takeout, passing is the clear action. With a doubleton spade and such defensive heart values, you really can't stand a takeout to 4S if you double which is usually what will happen. Most hands with 4 spades (given your heart holding) and all hands with 5 spades are going to bid 4S, and you rate to have turned a plus into a minus, perhaps a big minus if doubled.

So the lesson here is that you cannot double even though you must be like 90 % to beat them, and will often beat them 2.

That really sucks! But bridge is a game of frequencies, and what conventions you is also a matter of frequencies. It is rare that you will have a penalty double based on trump values when they open 4 of a major. Usually you will have lots of high cards, or some high cards and shortness in their major. You want partner to be free to bid when you have AKxx x Axxx QJxx (it may even be a double game swing). That type of hand is probably 10x as likely as this hand type. So when you have this hand type you pay off, oh well.

I should also note that some people play penalty doubles of 4 of a major, and if that is your agreement you should make one here. I will say that I think this is a vastly inferior agreement, and almost all experts have come to the same conclusion.

[P_Marlowe]

Pass.

You would like to play pen., but you dont do, so accept it.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[vuroth]

I agree with Justin that this is an excellent example hand.