“The man is a few peas shy of a casserole,” Cy the Cynic fumed to me.

Cy meant Millard Pringle, a quiet little man who tends to get lost in the maze of defensive “rules.”

“Look what he did to me in a penny game,” Cy said, displaying today’s deal. “I played at 3NT, and Millard was West and led the deuce of hearts. Dummy played low, and East took the king and returned the ten. I followed with the four and five.”

“Millard huddled,” the Cynic went on. “He was trying to sort out the rules. Finally, he played ‘third hand high’: He put up the queen! You can see what that did to me. I took the ace and led a diamond, but East signaled with the deuce, and Millard knew enough to duck my queen. With no entry to the diamonds, I took only eight tricks.”

Cy makes 3NT if Millard plays the eight on the second heart. East must shift, and Cy sets up the diamonds with the ace of hearts as an entry. He has nine tricks.

“His belt doesn’t go through all the loops,” Cy grumbled.

Daily question >> You hold: ? 8 5 2 ? A 7 6 3 ? K J 10 8 3 ? 6. The dealer, at your left, opens one spade. Your partner doubles, and the next player raises to two spades. What do you say?

Answer >> You have more than enough strength to compete at the three level; indeed, if your hand were a bit stronger, you might undertake to bid a game. Bid three hearts, the suit for which partner is most likely to have good support and offers your most likely chance for game.

South dealer

N-S Vulnerable

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