Cy the Cynic staggered into the club wearing a sweatsuit and puffing like a steam engine.

"I jogged here from home," he gasped.

"That's two miles," I marveled.

"It's been the worst two hours of my life," groaned the Cynic.

The next two hours were no better for Cy; he lost $40 in the penny game. In today's deal he led the queen of clubs, winning, against four spades. South ruffed the third club (Cy should've cashed his ace of hearts), drew trumps, and led dummy's king of hearts, following with his queen.

East signaled "count" with the ten, but Cy was too tired to notice. He assumed South had no more hearts and a heart return would concede a ruff-sluff. So Cy led a diamond, and South claimed.

When Cy took the ace of hearts, he should have led a heart. Even if South had 7-1-3-2 distribution and got a ruff-sluff, he would still lose a diamond.

"My doctor said jogging would add years to my life," the Cynic told me. "I feel 10 years older already."

South dealer

E-W vulnerable