DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

“I’m collecting money for a worthy cause,” Cy the Cynic told me in the club lounge.

“And what would that be?” I asked. “New glasses for Minnie,” Cy said grimly.

“She seems to do fine with the pair she has,” I shrugged.

Minnie Bottoms, my club’s senior member, wears ancient spectacles that make her mix up kings and jacks, often to her opponents’ dismay. Cy has been Minnie’s chief victim.

“Look what she did to me — again — in a team match,” the Cynic said, showing me today’s deal. “Minnie and I were both declarer at four spades, and West led a club. I ruffed, led a trump to dummy’s king, came back to my king of hearts and led the A- J of trumps. When East took the queen, he led a heart, cutting my link with dummy.”

Cy took two hearts, pitching a diamond, but East ruffed the next heart. Cy overruffed but ended up down two. When he led a diamond next, East took the queen and forced Cy to ruff a club with his last trump. Then the defense took the rest with the ace of diamonds and good clubs.

Minnie did better. She cashed the ace of trumps at Trick Two, crashing dummy’s king, and continued with the jack.

“East for my team won and led another club,” Cy told me, “and Minnie said it was her lead! She thought her jack of trumps had been the king. They got her straightened out, but Minnie ruffed the club return, drew East’s last two trumps and ran the hearts for 10 tricks.”

“Minnie played it well,” I said.

“Are you going to donate or not?” Cy growled.

East dealer

Both sides vulnerable