Bridge: April 16, 2023
“Don’t let Cy fool you,” Rose told me. “He may say Minnie is his punishment for something he did in a previous life, but he really regards her with resignation and affection.”
Minnie Bottoms, my club’s senior member, wears old bifocals that make her mix up kings and jacks, often to her opponents’ dismay. Cy the Cynic has been Minnie’s chief victim.
“I watched this deal in a penny game,” Rose said, displaying today’s layout.
“Minnie was in a penny game?”
“Her Social Security check came,” Rose said. “She was South, Cy was East. Minnie and North got to six spades, and West led the ten of diamonds. Minnie took dummy’s ace and let the queen of trumps ride. When West showed out, Minnie threw a club on the king of diamonds and led the ten of trumps. Cy’s king covered, and Minnie’s ace won. What do you think she did next?”
“I can’t guess.”
“You should,” Rose smiled. “She led her JACK of clubs.”
“Thinking it was the king,” I said.
West was stuck. If he took the queen and returned a club, Minnie would win with dummy’s ten, pick up Cy’s 9-7 of trumps and take the rest. When instead West played a low club, Minnie took the ace and ruffed a club in dummy. The Cynic overruffed, but that was the only trick for the defense.
Minnie and her glasses found a winning play. If she takes the A-K of clubs and ruffs a club in dummy, Cy can overruff, and West still gets the queen of clubs.
“What did Cy say?” I asked Rose.
“Nothing. He just put his head down on the table.”
North dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S Q 10 3
H Q 10 5 2
D A K J 2
C 10 3
WEST
S None
H 9 7 4 3
D 10 9 8 7 5
C Q 9 6 4
EAST
S K 9 7 4
H K J 8 6
D Q 6 3
C 5 2
SOUTH
S A J 8 6 5 2
H A
D 4
C A K J 8 7
North East South West
Pass Pass 1 S Pass
2 D Pass 3 C Pass
4 S Pass 6 S All Pass
Opening lead — D 10
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