At teams with nobody vulnerable I held A-K-J-9-8 of clubs in a balanced 11-count with four small hearts. I passed in first seat and heard my LHO open one diamond and my RHO respond one spade. I doubled to show a maximum pass, and eventually we defended to three no-trumps, which made when my partner led a heart. Afterwards he said that I should have opened one club with such a good suit.

Hot Foot, Grenada, Miss.

Passing initially is fine, even with such nice clubs, since you were going to have an awkward rebid. However, I might open with five clubs and four spades, knowing I could describe my hand at my next turn. I can see both sides of the argument at your second turn. You want to get partner off to the right lead if you can, and overcalling is the right way to do it, but who is to say you do not belong in hearts?

Do you have some simple advice on how to play when a cue-bid gets doubled? Would it matter if the call was a probe for no-trump as opposed to a clear-cut slam-try?

Mister Coffee, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Yes it does matter. When a cuebid is doubled, use redouble from both sides as firstround control. I suggest the cuebidder’s partner pass with a second-round control, with anything else denying a control. Anything but redouble from the cuebidder denies a first-round control. However, when the cuebid is a probe for no-trump, bid no-trump if you can, redouble with the ace, pass or make a descriptive call with less than a full stop.

At duplicate pairs with ♠ 10-7-4-2, ♥ K-10-8-3, ♦ 9-4-3, ♣ K-2 LHO opens one diamond, partner overcalls one heart, RHO doubles, and you raise to two hearts. LHO passes and partner bids three clubs. Should you sign off in three hearts or bid game?

Rising Damp, Salt Lake City, Utah

Bid four hearts. Although you have a minimum in high cards, your partner has asked for help in clubs and you have the perfect holding to cover any problems he might have. Your fourth trump is a real bonus too. Indeed some might have done more at the first turn to speak. If you played a jump cue-bid to three diamonds as 6-9 with four trump, this hand would be perfect for that approach.

With both sides vulnerable I had the following interesting collection: ♠ Q-8-6-4, ♥ A-Q-10-9-7-6-5, ♦ 10, ♣ 2. The bidding started out with my LHO opening three spades, and RHO bid four diamonds. I risked a four heart call and RHO balanced with five clubs, converted to five diamonds by LHO. I chose to lead a trump to cut down the ruffs and this was not a success, but what would you have chosen?

Simple Minded, Rockford, Ill.

Dummy surely won’t fit diamonds or he would have acted at his second turn. I’ll try to cash the heart ace and find out what I should have led when I see dummy. My singleton club argues that a trump lead is likely to be unnecessary.

What do you recommend as the best approach when your partner’s opening bid or overcall of one notrump has been doubled for penalty? What if the double is artificial?

Dud Check, Tucson, Ariz.

Ignore an artificial double altogether and play ‘system on’ but redouble to go head-hunting. This sets up a force through two no-trump. After a penalty double, one simple option is to play redouble as a puppet to two clubs, based on either a club or diamond onesuiter (you will correct two clubs to diamonds with the latter) and keep your regular system in place, so two clubs is still Stayman.