Cy the Cynic and Wendy the feminist disagree

When I watched today’s deal in a penny game, West was Wendy, my club’s feminist, and East was her adversary, Cy the Cynic. Cy thinks women are a necessary evil. Wendy thinks men are an unnecessary evil: She says it takes three to wallpaper a room, if you slice them thinly.

North-South got to 3NT with a “transfer” sequence. North’s 3NT offered a choice of game contracts. South had three cards in spades but chose to play at notrump due to his flat pattern. Wendy led the jack of clubs, and declarer put up dummy’s king. Cy followed with the three. South next led a heart to his king.

Wendy took her ace and was sure South had the king of spades, otherwise he would have attacked the spades, his best suit, promptly. If South had good hearts, he would have nine or more tricks when he got back in. If he had the A-Q of diamonds or even the ace, 3NT was probably unbeatable. So Wendy shifted to the three of diamonds, and when Cy produced the ace, Wendy relaxed.

“But then the Cynic started thinking,” Wendy told me later, “after which disaster usually follows.”

At last Cy led a club. South claimed an overtrick, and Cy rolled his eyes.

“Go on and roll them,” Wendy scowled. “Maybe you’ll find a brain back there.”

Cy’s defense was wrong. Wendy’s three of diamonds — her lowest — canceled her interest in clubs. It showed diamond strength and asked for a diamond return if Cy won. If Wendy wanted Cy to shift back to clubs if he got in, she would have led a high diamond.