Camrose double fit 2

Here's the second of the double-fit hands from the Camrose:

E-W Game
Dealer West

• K3
• QJ109432
• 7
• J104

• J4
• 6
• AKJ1062
• Q753

N

W

E

S

• 62
• K
• 98543
• AK962

• AQ109875
• A875
• Q
• 8

West

North

East

South

Hastings

Jonathan

Greer

Paul

1

3

4

4

Pass

Pass

X

5

Pass

Pass

X

All pass

Heather

John

Brian

Michael

1

3

4

4

5

Pass

Pass

5

Pass

Pass

X

All pass

John

Gerald

Ian

John

Iain

David

John

Rex

Hugh

Tony

Tom

Patrick

1

3

5

5

Pass

Pass

X

All pass

Mike

Mark

John

Rory

1

3

4

4NT

5

Pass

Pass

5

Pass

Pass

X

All pass

Every table played this one in 5X making: at this vulnerability par is 5. For my part, I understand 4 by East, but if you're going to bid 5 and double 5, I think you should try 4 first, so you can get to a good slam sometimes. I think South should bid 4 if sufficient, because I did, thinking it very unlikely that 4 would buy the contract and that my side would learn something about spades. I made slightly the wrong decision by removing 4, shrug.

I don't think it possible for East-West to defend 5 undoubled. But bidding 6 would be a reasonable attempt to get a plus score, not too costly if it fails.