presents     Professor IMP's Weekly    Master Class  #2           To Prof. IMP Index
Prof. IMP 'A Top For the Mini-Moysian'
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"Flexibility, that's what it's all about!" Together with his favourite pupil, Professor IMP was evaluating hands from pairs championships. The Professor seemed rather excited about a new concept.
He made a firm statement. "To become a champion, you have to be flexible, young man. Get rid of the old clichés. Don't get strangled by dogmas like 'Notrump Is Always Best At Pairs.'" To avoid lengthy and academical discussions the Professor showed a deal from one of the zillion hand records he has kept over the years. Bidding and play proceeded in modern style.
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- 
S/Both 
Pairs		 K J 
A J 2 
A J 5 4 3 
Q 7 4
  Q 10 9 8 6 
  Q 8 7 
  7 
  A 9 8 6
A 5 
10 6 4 3---- 
Q 9 8 2 
K 5 2
e 7 4 3 2 
K 9 5 
K 10 6 
J 10 3
  		 - 
WEST 
-  
2 
Pass 
Pass		 NORTH 
- 
Double 
3 
Pass		 EAST 
 - 
Pass 
Pass 
Pass		 SOUTH 
Pass 
2NT 
3
 
 
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"The bidding speaks for itself," Professor IMP explained. "Two Spades is a Dutch Two-Bid ('Muiderberg'), showing 5-10 HCP, exactly five spades and an unspecified minor. Two notrump is lebensohl (weak or strong), 3 is obligatory and 3 is a signoff."

Superficial analysis leads to the conclusion that the hand should be played in notrump and that the final contract of 3 in the 3-3 fit is ridiculous.
On a spade lead however, North-South will only make six or seven tricks in notrump, depending on the guess in diamonds. In fact, the score sheet showed many times 1NT down one and 2NT down two. But how about 3 in the mini-Moysian fit?

Against 3 West kicked off with the 10, for the jack and ace, and East fired back his other spade. A club was played from dummy. West won the jack with his ace and understandbly, he continued with the Q, ruffed in dummy with the deuce. East overruffed with the three and switched to a trump, which ran to dummy’s jack. Declarer smartly asked for the 7 to which East followed small. After winning with the ten, declarer crossed to dummy with the A, played a low diamond to the ten and cashed the king of trumps. The position now was:
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 e - 
- 
A J 5 
Q
  9 
  - 
  7 
  9 8
- 
----- 
Q 9 8 
K
e 7 
- 
K 6 
3
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South cashed the K and threw East in with a club. Plus 140 meant a score of 81 percent.

''You see, young man, flexible bidding leads to a great result!," Professor IMP concluded . The student muttered something about East erring by ducking the second round of clubs, but the Professor wasn't listening. He was already preparing next week's column.

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