Bridge

Unlucky Louie and I were looking over the scores from a duplicategame when we came to today's deal. Every North-South pair had reachedfour spades, and most had taken 11 tricks, losing a club and adiamond.

"I made six," Louie told me. "Against me, West led the ace ofhearts. I ruffed, drew trumps and led a low diamond. I got to dummywith the jack of diamonds to pitch my losing club on the king ofhearts."

"One South went down at four spades," I observed. "That looksimpossible."

"Nothing is impossible for Minnie and those glasses of hers," saidCy the Cynic, joining us.

Minnie Bottoms, my club's senior member, wears old bifocals thatmake her mix up kings and jacks, often to her opponents' dismay. Cyis Minnie's chief victim.

"What happened?" I asked Cy.

The story came out. Minnie's partner had led the four of clubs,and Cy had put up dummy's jack. Minnie, East, signaled with theseven! She thought she had the Q-J, and dummy's "king" had won.

"I found myself in dummy," Cy said, "so I naturally took theopportunity to let the jack of diamonds ride for a finesse. Afterall, it was duplicate, and I could see a chance for threeovertricks."

West took the king of diamonds and returned a diamond, and Minnieruffed and led a club. West ruffed Cy's ace (much to his amazement)and led another diamond. Cy ruffed desperately with dummy's nine, butMinnie overruffed with the jack. Down one!