Eliminate the danger

I hear thunder! I hear thunder!

Oh don’t you? Oh don’t you?

In the above deal South solved only half the problem in his play of today's slam.  And it was the second half that "done him in".

After winning the §A, South led three rounds of spades first, discarding dummy’s last club.  Thinking his work was over.  South then led a trump to West’s ©A, but West countered with a fourth round spades.  Curtains!  East ©9 beat dummy’s trumps and the slam went one down.

South needed to discard dummy’s small club was obvious.  He needed to discard his high spade was not so obvious to him.  That’s why South deserves only half credit.

After the third round of spades has eliminated the danger in clubs, South must eliminate the new danger in spades.  And instead of leading trumps, South should cash dummy’s high diamonds discarding his ªJ.  Now there is no longer the danger of an overruff by East and south is free to knock out the ©A.

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