WHAT IS THE OPPOSITE OF THE DISTAFF SIDE?

All languages have words for male and female. Some of those words arise rarely, like distaff. That word refers to the female side of the equation. But what is the masculine equivalent? In yesterday’s column, I described a great defensive play by Jacqui Mitchell. To balance the books, as it were, here is an excellent piece of declarer-play by her husband, Victor Mitchell, who died in 1995. Victor was also a great player and universally popular. North was Sam Stayman, who died in 1993. He and Mitchell won four national championships as partners. Stayman’s threediamond opening bid promised a decent hand in their methods. West probably doubled in case South was psyching at the vulnerability. West led the heart eight: three, 10, jack. Mitchell played on diamonds, West winning the second round. If West had had a mirror, he would have cashed his heart ace. But not knowing that the heart king was now a singleton, West switched to the spade four. If Mitchell had won East’s jack with his queen, West, when in with the ace of clubs, would have had no option but to try to drop the heart king. So Mitchell set a trap: He won with the spade ace! Then he led a low club. Suitably duped, West rushed in with the club ace and continued with the spade five. Imagine his surprise when Mitchell won the trick with the spade 10, and when the clubs broke 3-3, he claimed two overtricks for plus 750. Apparently, the masculine equivalent of the distaff side is the spear side! Who knew?