When I watched today’s deal in my club’s penny Chicago game, Cy the Cynic was South — and was way in the hole. Maybe Cy was feeling the pressure because he leaped to four spades at his second turn, apparently adding more than just a point or two for his dummy play. West led the jack of clubs, and I could see that Cy had four unavoidable losers: three hearts and a trump.
Cy took the ace and played as if he had a pressing engagement: He took K-A of trumps, and when East discarded a heart, Cy suppressed a growl and conceded down one, while North uttered an expression of distaste.
“I get the impression that you think I misplayed,” the irrepressible Cy told his partner sourly. “Maybe you know how I could compress four losers into three.”
North didn’t say what he was thinking, and the game continued, though the atmosphere at the table was quite oppressive.
The result of the deal certainly didn’t do much for Cy’s prestige as a declarer. I didn’t mention it to Cy, lest he become depressed, but he could indeed make four spades. After Cy takes his ace of clubs and the top trumps, he ruffs a club, cashes the A-K of diamonds, ruffs a second club and ruffs a diamond. The queen doesn’t fall, but he ruffs dummy’s last club. Having won the first nine tricks, Cy leads his last diamond.
Dummy still has a trump, and no matter whether West ruffs with his high queen of trumps or discards, Cy gets his 10th trick. He will indeed have compressed four losers and 10 winners into 13 tricks.
That’s all for today. This column has to go to press.
North dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S A 6 5 2
H 10 9 3
D A K
C Q 6 5 3
WEST
S Q 10 3
H A Q 5
D 6 4 3
C J 10 8 2
EAST
S 7
H K 8 7 4
D Q 10 9 5
C K 9 7 4
SOUTH
S K J 9 8 4
H J 6 2
D J 8 7 2
C A
North East South West
1 C Pass 1 S Pass
2 S Pass 4 S(!) All Pass
Opening lead — C J
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