BRIDGE MASTERCLASS
There are two sensible options — Pass or Double. This hand is quite weak, and conservative bidders may quite rightly wait to see how the auction develops, before deciding to compete.
After all, if it is your LhO, rather than partner, who has the outstanding values, you could land in trouble.
If you decide, at the favourable vulnerability, to get into the auction straight away, then you must double, which tells partner that you want to compete and have support for all the unbid suits.
It would be quite wrong simply to overcall 1 which does nothing to help your side.
It doesn’t obstruct the opponents’ auction, but it does falsely suggest that you only have interest in hearts.
It is very important that you should develop an understanding with your partner about your style of defensive bidding — and then practise it diligently.