Bridge by Frank Stewart

A kibitzer came into the lounge from a Chicago game, looking disconcerted.

"They're accusing the Cynic of sharp practice," he told me.

Cy the Cynic has his faults, but I've never known him to evade the Proprieties to gain an advantage.

Cy had been declarer at 3NT. West judged that a heart lead might give away a vital trick. He led a passive spade, hoping East would get in and lead a heart through. Cy surveyed the situation, then won with the king. He cashed the king of clubs - jack, three, deuce - and continued smoothly with the ace ... of spades!

West was caught on the hop. Having expected the Cynic to lay down the ace of CLUBS instead, West discarded (!) the nine of hearts.

"No spades?" East inquired.

West sheepishly produced a spade, but the nine of hearts became a penalty card.

Cy then knew West's jack of clubs had been a singleton. He rubbed in some salt by leading the king of hearts at Trick Four. West had to play his penalty card, and Cy then went to dummy with the queen of spades and returned a club to his ten. He made an overtrick, and East-West howled for Mabel, our game director.

A formal complaint was lodged, and when our ethics committee sat, Cy attended under protest. He said indignantly that all he'd done was play cards. Moreover, Cy said, he would have guessed the club position anyway - using the principle of "restricted choice" - so only an overtrick was at stake.

Cy was let off with a warning. East-West are still upset.