I love the French expression esprit de l’escalier (‘wit of the staircase’); it perfectly captures that moment of frustration when a clever remark or retort comes to us just too late — as we’re leaving, or on the stairs.
I’ve always thought there should be some equivalent expression in bridge: how often do we realise in a flash — once a hand is over, naturally — that we should have taken a different line? But I found myself wishing for yet another term of regret the other day: one to describe the even more frustrating experience of knowing you actually had the right thought at the right time, and yet dismissed it as being too fanciful to act upon!
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