Cy the Cynic says that he who laughs has not yet heard the bad news. That may be the case in handling suit combinations correctly (my topic this week).

North-South had a simple point-count auction to 6NT, and South won the first heart with the queen and led the deuce of clubs to dummy's jack. When the finesse won, he chuckled appreciatively.

Fine, but declarer next took the ace, and the laughter stopped when East discarded. Since South couldn't lead another club, he tried a spade to his king and a spade to dummy's jack. East produced the queen, and when the spades failed to break 3-3, South went down.

FOUR CLUBS

South will be entitled to laugh if he handles the clubs correctly. South needs only four club tricks for 12 in all. After the jack wins, South should lead a diamond to his hand and return the eight of clubs, intending to let it ride if West follows low.

Whether East wins with the ten or discards, South will be sure of the four club tricks he wants.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S K 4 H A Q 6 D A K 5 C Q 9 8 3 2. Your partner opens one spade, you bid two clubs and he rebids 2NT. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your partner has a balanced hand - perhaps 5-3-3-2 distribution - and mininum values, but slam is possible if he has a sound minimum such as A Q 10 7 3, K 8 7, Q 4 3, K 5. Bid 4NT, not the Blackwood convention since no trump suit has been agreed, but a "quantitative" try for slam. Partner should go to 6NT if he likes his hand.