Prof IMP
-		 'Dutch Team Trials'
In February, ten pairs entered the trials to select the open team to represent The Netherlands at the European Championships in June. Of course, Professor IMP was present at the comfortable congress centre situated amidst the sand dunes of the seaside village of Noordwijkerhout. Several of his students were fighting for a spot on the team. His eye fell on a deal in which the defenders made life difficult for declarer. Who would prevail?

At both sides vulnerable, West opened the bidding with 2 (weak), North doubled for takeout and East raised to 3. As South you hold:

-  A J10 7 4  J 10 5 2  10 6 4 2

Professor IMP made a long story short, observing: 'I suppose everybody would bid 4 with the South hand. Anyway, that's what happened at the table, whereafter everybody passed. Now play the hand.'
West led a low club and on the left is shown what declarer faced.

You play the Ace and much to your surprise East ruffs (with the nine). RHO cashes the A and you ruff the spade return. You really have to, for you can't risk West winning the A and leading another club for a ruff.

Let's pause a minute and think things over. If the remaining hearts split 1-2 all your problems are over. You draw trumps, finesse twice in clubs, ruff two diamonds and give them one diamond trick in the end. We know that West started with six spades and five clubs. If he originally held two diamonds, the remaining trumps will divide 0-3 (despite East's 9, which was clearly a falsecard).
At trick three you therefore lead a low heart from your hand and see LHO discard a black card. You win with the King. Now what?
Obviously, you can't take the heart finesse followed by a club finesse. East would ruff and exit in spades, leaving you a trick short as the Q is not likely to drop. However, there was a more or less hundred percent line that even gives you a chance for overtrick.

Instead, at trick three declarer should ruff a low diamond in dummy. If West follows with the Q, declarer is well on his way to making eleven tricks. He cashes the K, takes a heart finesse, cashes the A and the J10 to reach this position:
 

-
W/both K
-
-
K Q 8
A
-
-
J 9 3 
immat 
e -
J 
- 
10 6 4
 		 -

South now plays his last trump, and West is squeezed in the black suits and has to relinquish either his A or his club stopper.

'Suppose the Q does not drop in the second round?', one of Professor IMP's students asked.
'Then you can forget about the overtrick, but the squeeze is still on', Professor IMP replied.
'You cash the K, followed by the heart finesse, you pull the last trump and lead the J. East wins the Queen and returns a spade, for example (a diamond return would have made no difference whatsoever). Declarer cashes his last diamond and reaches the same position as in the above diagram. Again, the last heart squeezes West. Rather elementary, young man!'
The full deal:
 

-
W/both K J 4 3 
K 8 6 5
K
A K Q 8
A Q 10 8 7 5 
-
9 6
J 9 7 5 3
9 6 2
Q 9 3 2 
A Q 8 7 4 3
-
e -
A J 10 7 4
J 10 5 2
10 6 4 2
 		 -

Post Mortem.
 4 was bid and made at four tables. Interestingly enough, the final contract was 4NT by North at the fifth table. How did that happen?

West at this table openend with 3, North bid 3NT, and East raised to 4. This left South in a bit of a quandary and he decided to bid 4NT (perhaps not even caring how North would interpret this call - minors or natural). However, 4NT became the final contract and ten tricks were made.