An avoidance Play

West led a spade to East’s ªA and spades were continued. South must try for a club ruff in dummy for his tenth trick. South cannot afford for East to get the lead and play his third trump.

South needs to make an avoidance play in the club suit. South must lose both club tricks to the player with no trump left, and

that is West. So South should win the trump return in dummy and lead the §8. East plays low, South must play low. He should not play the §K. That would allow East to win the second round of clubs and play the fatal third trump. When South plays low on the §8, West wins his §10 and he can do no harm.

South can win any return and on the next round of clubs West would capture South’s §K with his §A. He is still trumpless and

South wins any return and finally get to ruff his third-round club loser in dummy for game-going trick.

Pain in this life is not avoidable, but the pain we create avoiding pain is avoidable.

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