“Either Minnie’s eyesight is worse,” Cy the Cynic told me, “or she has us all fooled.”

Minnie Bottoms, my club’s senior member, wears old bifocals that make her mix up kings and jacks, often to her opponents’ dismay. Cy has been Minnie’s chief victim. He was South in a team match.

“The contract was 3NT at both tables,” Cy said. “West led a heart, and East took the king and returned a heart. West won and led a third heart. At the other table, my teammate as East threw a club.”

“Declarer won, led a spade to dummy and returned the jack of diamonds. When East played low, declarer put up the king. He was down for sure if West had the ace. He made an overtrick.”

“You went down?”

“On the third heart,” Cy said, “Minnie discarded the ace of diamonds! Now West was sure to get in with the queen before I had nine winners.

“Confusing kings and jacks I get,” the Cynic growled, “but now she can’t tell aces from fours? She’s an expert disguised as a little old lady.”

Daily question: You hold: ? 10 9 4 2 ? K 8 ? A 4 ? J 9 7 4 2. Your partner opens one heart, you respond one spade, he bids two diamonds and you return to two hearts. Partner then bids three diamonds. What do you say?

Answer: Your partner promises at least 10 cards in the red suits, and he also has a good hand and game interest. If not, he would have stopped at two hearts. Since you have two key honors, bid four hearts. Partner may hold 3,AQJ76,KQ1076,A3.

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