DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

Cy the Cynic says that if at first you don’t succeed, try doing it the way your mother told you. I don’t know if Cy’s mom played bridge, but he persevered as today’s declarer.

In a penny game, Cy and North quite properly got to 6NT; they had 32 points plus a running five-card suit.

West led a safe diamond, and the Cynic won in dummy and set out to combine his chances as best he could. He led the deuce of clubs to his jack. (If instead Cy took an early heart finesse, losing, a spade shift by East would be unpleasant.) West took the queen of clubs and led another diamond.

Cy won and cashed the A-K of clubs. When East-West followed, the Cynic ran the diamonds, pitching two spades and a heart from dummy.

Cy next took the A-K of hearts. If the queen fell, he would have 12 tricks. When it didn’t, Cy had yet to succeed but still had one chance left: He cashed the 13th club and, at Trick 12, led a spade. East’s king came up, and Cy claimed.

Making six. Well played, Cy.

Daily question

You hold: ♠ 986 ♥ AKJ4 ♦ KQ ♣ A 6 3 2. The dealer, at your right, opens one diamond. You double, and your partner responds one spade. What do you say?

Answer: If your partner’s hand is weak, one spade might be your best (and last makeable) contract. Still, he could have as many as nine points, so game is barely possible. Stretch to bid 1NT. Since your double suggested support for the other suits, hence diamond shortness, partner need not pass. South dealer

Neither side vulnerable