[jillybean]

---

and what does it mean?

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

the 2nd double could be either heart or responsive, i.e. the minors.

If you play the 2nd double in the seq.

(1C) - X - (1H) - X

as hearts, I would do the same in your seq., may not be best, but keep it
in sync.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[helene_t]

I may be old-fashioned, but I actually like playing this double as penalty.

W 1S has either a fairly well-described hand (enough to give E captainship). And I think it is not too uncommon that such a penalty double can be profitable.

Besides, if E doesn't want to defend even if W has four hearts, there is always 2S (or maybe 2NT?) to ask W to pick a minor.

You could also play it as optional, in principle asking W to pass with four hearts but run with three. I think that is a narrow target.

[jillybean]

I thought responsive was after your opponents have bid and raised a single suit so this becomes a pure penalty double?

just posted after Helene's old fashioned reply.

2nt here is then minors, which is what I had. J,T5,AK432,AT643

[mikeh]

Penalty for me. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this at the table but it has to be penalty imo. Otherwise the opps can steal you blind.

[apollo1201]

 jillybean, on 2026-June-22, 13:36, said:

I thought responsive was after your opponents have bid and raised a single suit so this becomes a pure penalty double?

just posted after Helene's old fashioned reply.

2nt here is then minors, which is what I had. J,T5,AK432,AT643

2NT needs to keep its natural meaning, I guess, or you grab the bull by the horns and bid 3NT with 10+-11 and a S stopper.
As your habd is very powerful and to avoid any risk of being passed out in a poor contract, I think I would cue 2S. Looks like opener is going to to bid some number of S (otherwise where are they, not you, not responder, unless they psyched, and not partner…).