Since Wendy, my club’s feminist, arrived, she and Cy the Cynic have had only one argument — lasting about five years. Wendy says men are like commercials; you can’t believe a word they say. Cy maintains that it’s possible to understand women if you know how — but nobody knows how.

The two were today’s East-West in a penny game, and Wendy led a heart against 3NT. Dummy played the ten, and Cy took the jack and king. Wendy followed with the nine. The Cynic next led the nine of clubs. South won, lost a diamond finesse and had nine tricks.

“Thank you, partner,” Wendy growled. “My nine of hearts was suit preference, suggesting an entry in spades, the high-ranking suit.”

“I think Cy sometimes has a mental block,” I told Wendy in the lounge later.

“The man has a chauvinist’s block,” Wendy sniffed. “He won’t send a woman to get a job done.”

To beat 3NT, Cy leads the queen of spades at Trick Three. A low spade won’t do. Cy can create an entry to Wendy’s hearts.

Daily question >> You hold: ? K 8 5 ? A 9 7 6 2 ? 7 4 ? 6 3 2. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one heart and he bids one spade. The opponents pass. What do you say?

Answer >> Though a chance for game exists — your partner might have as many as 18 points — the odds do not favor that, and you lack a satisfactory second bid anyway. Pass. Partner’s (opener’s) minimum bid in a new suit is not forcing, and one spade should be a reasonable contract.

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