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Bridge by Frank Stewart

Cy the Cynic, who used to have a wife (only once, as far as I know) but doesn't now, says that when somebody gets married, it's like listening to a Bach concerto for the violin: When the sweet music stops, the strings are still attached.

Cy the Cynic, who used to have a wife (only once, as far as I know) but doesn't now, says that when somebody gets married, it's like listening to a Bach concerto for the violin: When the sweet music stops, the strings are still attached.

When I watched today's deal in a penny game at the club, Cy was South. He stepped in with a two-heart overcall and was allowed to play there. East-West sold out too cheaply - they could take a lot of tricks at diamonds or at notrump - but they still got a plus score when Cy failed to make his part-score contract.

West started with the K-A of clubs and a third club to East's jack. Cy ruffed, led a trump to dummy's king and returned a trump. When East discarded, The Cynic had to lose a trump to West plus two diamonds. He managed the spades to lose only one trick there, but the result was still down one.

Cy's play had some strings attached: It couldn't work. Cy has four unavoidable minor-suit losers. East surely has a high diamond, so West holds the king of spades, and Cy must find him with K-x. The play to the first three tricks indicates that West started with A-K-10-7 in clubs, and West is also likely to have three diamonds; if East had a six-card suit, he would have competed to three diamonds.

So to have a chance, Cy must picture West with 2-4-3-4 distribution. After ruffing the third club, Cy leads a trump to dummy's nine. He cashes the king, returns to his hand with the ace of spades and draws trumps. Cy can then lead a low spade to bring down West's king and assure eight tricks.