“I think I know how Cy made his living,” Rose told me.
Cy the Cynic’s former occupation, if he had one, is a mystery at my club.
“He was a carpenter or maybe a metalworker.”
“Why so?” I asked.
“I saw him playing in the penny game, and after one deal, he made a bolt for the door.”
Cy was declarer at four hearts, and West led a tricky queen of trumps. The Cynic ducked, and West next led the jack. Cy won and pursued a spade ruff in dummy: He led a diamond to dummy and returned a spade: four, jack, king. But West unexpectedly produced the king of trumps, and Cy lost another spade.
“He left the building in disgust,” Rose said.
GOOD DEFENSE
Credit West with good defense, but after Cy wins the second trump, he can take the top diamonds, ruff a diamond, lead a club to the queen and ruff a diamond.
Cy then takes the K-A of clubs — West can’t gain by ruffing — and, having won nine tricks, ruffs dummy’s last club. If West overruffs, dummy’s last trump is a winner.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S 6 3 H 8 6 4 D A K 4 2 C A Q 5 3. Today’s North opened one club with this hand, then raised South’s one-heart response to two hearts. What do you think of North’s bidding?
ANSWER: Expert opinion is split on North’s correct opening bid; personally, I agree with one club. I also advocate raising a major-suit response with three-card support in a suitable hand. I wouldn’t relish doing so here with 8-6-4, but no alternative action is attractive.
North dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S 6 3
H 8 6 4
D A K 4 2
C A Q 5 3
WEST
S K 10 8 5
H K Q J
D J 9 8 3
C 10 8
EAST
S Q 9 7 4
H 10 9
D Q 10 5
C J 9 7 6
SOUTH
S A J 2
H A 7 5 3 2
D 7 6
C K 4 2
North East South West
1 C Pass 1 H Pass
2 H Pass 4 H All Pass
Opening lead — H Q(!)
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