Still battling his weight, Cy the Cynic started yet another diet.

"Sticking to this one?" I asked a week later.

"I may be following it too closely," he said. "I keep gaining on it."

If only Cy lost weight like he loses money at the club! As today's declarer he drew trumps, took the A-K of hearts (no queen fell) and let the nine of diamonds ride to East's ten. Cy ruffed the club return and tried a diamond to the queen, but East won.

"I make it about two times out of three," the Cynic said.

BEST PLAY

Cy missed his best play. He can cash a high trump at Trick Two, take the top hearts, lead a trump to dummy and return the jack of hearts, planning to discard a diamond if East plays low. If West had the queen, Cy could pitch another diamond on the ten later and finesse with the queen of diamonds.

If the jack of hearts wins (East can't gain by covering), Cy is home. He ruffs a club, leads a trump to dummy and discards a diamond on the ten of hearts. East is end-played.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S J 9 4 2 H J 10 5 4 D A Q 5 C 9 3. Your partner opens one heart, you raise to two hearts and he bids three diamonds. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner's try for game asks you to bid game with a maximum raise or with a fair raise that has help for his second suit. (If you have a double fit, you may make game with fewer than 26 points.) Bid four hearts. Partner will succeed if he has only 3, A Q 9 6 3, K 10 6 4, A 8 2.