"Nobody but cattle knows why they stampede, and they ain't talkin'." -- Texas wisdom.

It's a mystery why declarers rush to draw trumps when, for any of several reasons, they ought to wait. Today's declarer won the first heart and took the K-A of trumps, hoping to draw trumps. He next led a diamond to his king.

West took the ace and cashed the queen of trumps. That left dummy with one trump and South with two losing diamonds, so South lost two diamonds, a trump and a heart.

HIGH TRUMP

South lost his contract when he stampeded to draw trumps. South can refuse the first heart and win the second. He leads a trump to dummy's ace but next returns a diamond to his king and West's ace. South ruffs the heart return and takes the king of trumps. Then he can ruff his low diamonds in dummy, ignoring West's high trump.

As South actually played, he was safe by playing dummy's eight on the second trump. Even if East could win, South would be able to ruff his low diamonds in dummy.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S K J 10 7 5 H A 5 D K Q 7 4 C A 6. Your partner opens one heart, and the next player passes. What do you say?

ANSWER: Since you have 17 good points and a five-card suit, slam is possible. Still, respond one spade. This is the wrong type of hand for an immediate jump-shift. The best contract may be at spades, hearts, diamonds or notrump. Instead of crowding your own auction, leave room to determine the presence or lack of a good trump suit.