WITH WHICH SUIT TO SHARE YOUR BED?

Where did the expression about getting out of bed on the wrong side originate?

When playing in a trump contract with a side suit that needs to be established and cashed, it is usually right to play on that suit first, before drawing trumps. That was true in this deal from a knockout teams match.

Both declarers were in four hearts. (Don't even think about rebidding two clubs with that North hand.) Each received a club lead to the jack and ace. The first South immediately played a heart to the king, burning up a dummy entry far too early. The 0=5 trump break was a big shock. In desperation, South played a diamond to his jack and West's ace. Now, though, West gave his partner a diamond ruff, and East exited with the heart nine. South couldn't find 10 tricks.

If South had won the first trump trick in his hand, he might have survived. After East takes a diamond ruff, declarer can play a heart to dummy's king and lead winning diamonds through East. When he ruffs, South overruffs, returns to dummy with a trump and enjoys the remaining diamond winners.

However, the second declarer made the best play: He led the diamond jack at trick two. The defense had no riposte. If they took the ruff, South would enjoy the diamonds as just mentioned. If West ducked his ace once before shifting to spades, South had several routes to 10 tricks.

Richard Brome, an English dramatist who died in 1652, wrote, "You rose o' the wrong side today." Do you know of an earlier reference?