Bridge

“I’m compiling a bucket list,” Cy the Cynic said.

“Things you want to do before you die?” I asked.

“I imagine his bucket list is a dozen Crispy Strips from KFC — plus mashed potatoes and slaw,” Rose sighed.

Cy ignored her. “I crossed one thing off my list today: I raised my partner with a void in trumps!”

When South opened three spades, Cy boldly raised. West led a diamond, and South took the ace, ruffed a diamond and led the king of trumps to West’s ace. He ruffed the diamond return and took the queen of trumps.

South next led a heart to dummy, ruffed a diamond, led a heart to dummy and threw a club on the good diamond. But he still lost a club and three trumps.

Cy’s bid was a winner. After South ruffs a diamond at Trick Two, he can succeed thus: ace of hearts, diamond ruff, king of hearts, diamond ruff, ace of clubs, heart ruff. South has won eight tricks, and as the cards lie, West can’t stop him from winning two more with the K-Q-10 of trumps.