Cautious Play
By Mike Lawrence

South proceeded thusly. First, he drew two rounds of trumps. Then he cashed the ace of spades, a crucial play as it turned out. Next came five more hearts and the king of spades reducing all hands to three cards. East had to keep a high diamond to protect against dummy's nine so he had to throw a club. This meant South's three clubs were good.

Normally, this line of play would not be required, but since it was without danger, it was "free" for declarer to cater to what actually occurred. Note that if declarer draws all three trump before cashing the ace of spades, he won't be able to achieve the proper end position. Getting the ace of spades out of the way early is crucial.

If you are not convinced of this, write the hand down and play it out, drawing all three trumps before doing anything else.

If you looked forward and saw the need to play as shown, you have done well.