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Safety plays take many forms, but the underlying principle is always the same: In order to protect against an unfavorable distribution of the adverse cards, declarer risks losing a trick he might not have to lose.
The large family of safety plays need not be memorized. They should suggest themselves automatically when a threatening set of circumstances arises.
In this deal, South sees he has only seven tricks immediately available at three notrump, and that the best source of additional tricks lies in the diamond suit.
The normal way of approaching the diamonds is to cash the king and then lead low toward the A-J, intending to finesse the jack. But this method of play is better designed to gain the maximum number of diamond tricks than to fulfilling the contract.
The trouble with playing the diamonds in this fashion is that it does not protect against the possibility that East was dealt four diamonds to the Q-10. Since South will most likely not be able to make the contract in that case, he should try to guard against this eventuality.
He can protect himself fully by winning the opening heart lead in his hand and playing a low diamond to the ace. When both opponents follow, the contract becomes assured. A low diamond is next returned from dummy.
If East shows out, South wins with the king and leads a diamond toward the jack to assure four diamond tricks. If East instead follows with a low diamond, declarer plays the nine. If West wins the trick, it means the diamonds were divided 3-2 and the contract is made. If West does not win the trick, four diamond tricks are again certain.
Note that it doesn't help East to play the ten on the second diamond in the actual deal. In that case, South wins the king and returns the nine to produce the same result.
Tomorrow: 13 is the magic number.