Bridge: April 7, 2024

Cy the Cynic still struggles with his weight.

“The man never met a meal he didn’t like,” Rose told me. “I think his favorite food is seconds, or maybe thirds.”

Cy has two faults as declarer: He seizes on the first line of play he sees (saving wear and tear on the brain, he says), and he will insist that his play was correct whether it works or not.

“My instincts are good,” Cy says.

As today’s declarer, Cy won the first diamond in dummy, led a trump to his jack and took the A-K. When the queen didn’t fall, Cy led a fourth trump. He won East’s club shift with the ace and took the A-Q of spades. The suit broke 4-1, so Cy lost a club.

North was Ed, the club expert. He said Cy could have made the slam, but the Cynic was having none of it.

“We never convinced him that his play was wrong,” Rose said. “It’s a good thing Cy can’t swallow his pride; he would gain 10 pounds on the spot.”

Cy must win the first diamond in his hand and lead the A-K of trumps and then the jack. If East returns a club, Cy takes the ace, draws East’s last trump and takes the top spades. He can ruff a spade and go to the king of diamonds to take the good fifth spade for his 12th trick.

If at Trick Six East returns a diamond to dislodge dummy’s entry, Cy wins, ruffs a diamond and draws trumps. Dummy’s nine of diamonds is a winner; but even if West had held Q-J-10-x, Cy would succeed if spades broke 3-2 or almost surely with a squeeze.

South dealer

E-W vulnerable

NORTH

S K 8 7 5 2

H 5

D K 9 5 3

C Q 9 4

WEST

S 6

H 4 3

D Q J 10

C K 10 7 6 5 3 2

EAST

S J 10 9 4

H Q 7 6 2

D 8 7 4 2

C 8

SOUTH

S A Q 3

H A K J 10 9 8

D A 6

C A J

South West North East
2 C Pass 2 D Pass
2 H Pass 2 S Pass
3 H Pass 4 D Pass
4 S Pass 5 NT Pass
6 H All Pass
Opening lead — D Q

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