NEA Bridge: 'Which paddock?' he asked sheepishly

Each country has its own harsh but humorous expressions. I like the Australian, "He's a few sheep short in the top paddock." Do you think any of the players of today's deal qualify?

North made a preemptive raise to four hearts. After both opponents had passed, there was a slight risk that he would preempt his partner rather than the opponents, but no other bid appealed.

West led the spade ace, and East signaled with the queen, promising the jack (or a most unlikely singleton). West continued with the spade king and spade three.

Declarer trumped East's jack, cashed the club ace, ruffed a club on the board, played a trump back to hand and trumped his last club. He cashed dummy's diamond ace, ruffed dummy's fourth spade, drew the final trump and played a diamond to the queen. He would have been all right if West had had the diamond king or if East had started with king-doubleton. As it was, though, South finished down one.

West suggested that East should have played the spade two at trick one. A diamond switch at trick two would have defeated the contract.

North pointed out that the contract was cold after trick three. Declarer should cash the club ace, ruff a club in the dummy, play a trump back to hand, ruff the last club and cash the heart jack. Then South leads dummy's spade nine. When East produces the 10, declarer discards a diamond loser from his hand. East is endplayed. He must either lead a diamond into dummy's acequeen or play a club, which allows declarer to sluff his second diamond loser from hand and ruff in the dummy.