Wendy, my club’s feminist, can enjoy a man’s company only if he owns it. Cy the Cynic says a woman considers her work done when she sweeps down the aisle. The two are adversaries even when they cut as partners in our penny game.

Cy and Wendy were today’s East-West, and Wendy led a spade against 3NT. Dummy played low, and Cy took the king and ... returned a spade.

South won with the ace and forced out the ace of clubs. He won the third spade, ran the clubs and let the jack of diamonds ride. The Cynic took the queen and cashed his ace of hearts, and South claimed, making three.

“Wendy was mad,” Cy said. “She said I beat the contract if I rely on a woman to get the job done.”

Cy must shift to the queen of hearts at Trick Two. If South’s king covers — playing low is no better — Wendy leads another heart when she takes the ace of clubs, and Cy gets three hearts.

“I apologized,” Cy told me, “but trying to talk to her is futile. She has a soundproof head.”

Daily question >> You hold: ? K 3 ? A Q 10 8 ? Q 5 3 ? 6 5 4 2. Your partner opens one diamond. The next player bids two spades, preemptive. What do you say?

Answer >> By agreement, a negative double would show length in hearts plus a “landing place” if partner could not bid hearts. But if he rebid three diamonds, you would have to guess whether to try 3NT; and if he bid three hearts, would you raise? To bid 2NT, not forcing and inviting game, might work out.

North dealer

Opening lead — S 5

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