DAILY BRIDGE CLUB:

Cy the Cynic, who seems to have a new love interest every week, told me he had gone to a comedy club where a ventriloquist was performing.

“He had a dummy that was so beautiful I was infatuated with her,” Cy admitted.

“You could have asked her for a date,” I said gravely.

“I would have,” Cy said blandly, “but she was already spoken for.”

Cy became declarer at today’s four spades after West bid hearts and clubs. Cy took the ace of clubs and cashed the K-A of trumps. When West showed out, the Cynic tried a diamond finesse with his jack. West produced the queen, and the defense also got a trump and two hearts.

I’m afraid Cy played like a dummy. Eleven of West’s cards were spoken for: West had one trump and surely had five hearts and five clubs on the bidding. So Cy’s diamond finesse couldn’t gain. If East had, say, Q-9-7-6, he would always win a diamond trick.

Cy’s only chance is to cash the A-K, hoping the queen falls from West.

DAILY QUESTION: You hold: ♠ 5 ♥ AQ1093

◆ Q7 ♣ KQJ92.Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one heart, he bids one spade and you try two clubs. Partner next bids two diamonds. What do you say?

ANSWER: If partner holdsQ742,5,AKJ942, A 4, you have a slam, but if you bid two hearts or three of a minor, he might wrongly treat it as not forcing. Jump to four diamonds.