Devious play

I’ve heard a cynic described as someone using a stolen lantern to look for an honest man. That suits Cy the Cynic well; he distrusts everything and everybody.

Cy was East in a team match, and both Souths played at 3NT. West led the ten of clubs, won by South’s queen. At one table South (Cy’s teammate) let the ten of spades ride next. East won and returned his last club. West set up his clubs and got in with the ace of spades to cash them. Five tricks for the defense.

EARLY TRICK

At Cy’s table, South was more subtle. Since he didn’t want East to win an early trick and return a club, South led a diamond to dummy at Trick Two and returned a low spade. If Cy had played low, South would have been safe whether West took the ace or not. But Cy didn’t trust declarer.

“If he had the A-10,” Cy told me, “he was about to finesse with the ten, so my play was moot.”

When Cy’s queen held, he returned his last club for down one — a tied deal despite South’s devious play. Well done, Cy.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: ♠ A 862 ♥ Q4 ♦ 92 ♣ K 10 9 8 5. Your partner opens one heart, you respond one spade, he bids two diamonds and you return to two hearts. Partner then bids two spades. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your partner has substantial extra strength. Your twoheart preference showed at most nine points, and he would have passed unless he still saw a chance for game. Since you have a maximum for your bidding and the unbid suit well stopped, bid 3NT. South dealer N-S vulnerable