Puzzles 8G01 Main

The “Great 88” Conspiracy

by Richard Pavlicek

While studying bridge in the late ‘60s, I came across the book Double Dummy Bridge by George S. Coffin. This was a compilation of 300 double-dummy problems, some by the author, but most by other composers, who were given due credit. The book captivated my fancy and was a major influence toward a pastime I enjoy to this day, creating bridge puzzles. The book is out of print but has been republished with three other Coffin books under the title Bridge Play Four Classics.

The first 88 problems in Double Dummy Bridge, all five-card endings, were an attempt to illustrate all the available endplay techniques. Dubbed the “Great 88,” these mini-problems were split into five “tribes” according to the kind of endplay, though the categorization was fuzzy, and Coffin evidently gave up with his title of Tribe 5. Nonetheless, the work is a significant contribution to card-play theory and its classical status is deserved. Some curious facts:

One ending does not work (goal cannot be achieved against best defense).
Two endings are illegal (could never occur in bridge without a revoke).
One ending is redundant (same as #18 with card ranks slightly changed).

For your examination I have presented the “Great 88” here, or perhaps I should say, the “Great 84” plus four impostors. These are exactly as in the book, however, I have corrected a few obvious typos with duplicated spot cards. Each ending is named to describe the technique (terminology is Coffin’s which may be archaic today) and you are told which suit is trumps (or notrump), the number of tricks North-South must win, and the player on lead.

Can you find the shady culprits listed above? Lurking in the shadows are some clues.

Tribe 1 (1-26)

Tribe 2 (27-35)

Tribe 3 (36-49)

Tribe 4 (50-68)

Tribe 5 (69-88)

[Addenda, March 2001: Thanks to Jonathan Weinstein (Illinois) for spotting the second ending that is illegal; originally, I had noticed only one. August 2011: Thanks to Sebastien Louveaux (Belgium) for spotting the ending that is redundant.]

Puzzles 8G01 Main

Top The “Great 88” Conspiracy

Tribe 1: Eliminations, Endplays of Position

1.	A 9 8 7 — A —
K 2 A Q 3 — —		Q 5 9 8 7 — —
NT win 3/5 South leads	6 4 K 2 2 —

2.	A 2 7 5 3 — —
3 Q 9 8 A —		Q 9 6 4 Q —
win all South leads	K J — 7 5 3 —

3.	A 8 7 3 A —
8 Q Q 9 8 —		6 9 K K J
win 4/5 South leads	— A 6 — Q 4 3

4.	8 4 2 3 2 — —
J 9 7 5 2 —		A 7 6 K 8 — —
NT win 4/5 South leads	K Q 3 A Q — —

5.	7 — Q 6 3 A
5 — — K 9 8 4		9 — J 10 8 7
win 4/5 South leads	— — K 9 4 6 5

6.	— 8 6 — A 9 6
— 9 8 8 7 4		5 A 5 3 — 5
NT win 4/5 South leads	A 7 4 2 — 2

7.	9 7 — 7 2 2
J J K J J		— Q 3 Q K Q
win 3/5 South leads	8 6 — A 8 8

8.	2 3 2 — A 2
— K Q K Q 8		— — J 9 K J 6
win 4/5 South leads	— — A 4 3 Q 3

9.	— A 7 — Q J 5
8 K 3 — K 9		— 6 5 A K 9 —
win 4/5 South leads	J J 9 Q J —

10.	7 4 3 A A —
A 6 5 K K —		Q Q Q Q J
NT win 4/5 South leads	K J 2 — — 3 2

11.	5 2 5 5 5
K 6 3 K A —		9 8 9 9 9
NT win 4/5 South leads	A Q A 3 A

12.	10 4 2 — A 4
A 9 6 — 3 5		Q J 7 — J Q
win 3/5 South leads	K 8 5 8 6 —

Puzzles 8G01 Main

Top The “Great 88” Conspiracy

13.	Q 3 — — K Q J
8 6 5 4 A — —		K 10 2 — — 6 4
NT win 4/5 South leads	A J 9 7 J — —

14.	6 4 — A J 5
— Q K 4 9 2		— — 6 5 Q 8 4
win 4/5 South leads	— — 7 2 K 6 3

15.	— — J 10 8 6 2
9 9 5 3 8 —		7 8 — A 9 7
win 3/5 South leads	J 6 4 2 5 —

16.	— A A K J 7
J 3 7 6 4 —		5 — Q 9 A Q
win 4/5 South leads	Q 2 K J 8 —

17.	— 8 J 7 A 9
— 6 5 Q Q 6		— Q 7 A 8 8
NT win 4/5 South leads	A A 9 3 6 —

18.	— Q 9 J 9 5 —
4 J K 7 3 —		— K 10 7 3 Q —
win 3/5 South leads	9 8 A 6 4 —

19.	10 5 — A 10 5
— K Q — K Q 9		— J 10 K Q J
win 4/5 South leads	5 A — 4 3 2

20.	3 4 A 3 2
— 7 5 9 8 A		— K K K Q J
win 4/5 South leads	5 4 A — 7 5

21.	A A Q Q A
— J 9 J J 9		— K 5 K K Q
win 4/5 South leads	3 3 2 3 3

22.	3 Q — K 10 3
— K A J 8 6		— A 9 — Q 7 5
win 4/5 South leads	4 6 — A 9 4

23.	3 7 2 Q 2 —
— Q 9 8 K 9 —		2 J 5 4 J —
NT win 4/5 South leads	— A K 3 A 7 —

24.	K 9 8 4 — K —
— 9 8 A 6 5 —		A J — — 8 7 6
NT win 3/5 South leads	— Q 6 5 7 2 —

25.	K J 3 — K 8
— 9 9 Q 7 2		Q 7 — Q J 9
NT win 4/5 South leads	— J 8 4 J 6

26.	3 3 2 — 5 3
— 6 4 6 6 4		— — 9 8 7 5 4 —
win 4/5 South leads	7 5 7 5 — 2

Puzzles 8G01 Main

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Tribe 2: Coups, Endplays of Time

27.	A 5 4 2 — 2
9 8 9 9 9		7 — A 7 8 7
win 4/5 South leads	— 3 3 2 A 3

28.	— 4 2 A K A
J 9 — J 9 J		K 4 — 4 3 4
win all South leads	A Q 2 — 2 2

29.	8 7 6 A — 9
K Q 9 9 9 —		3 K K K Q
win 4/5 South leads	A J 10 2 — A —

30.	Q 9 7 2 — — Q
J 10 8 3 2 — —		— — K 6 K 6 2
win 4/5 South leads	5 4 4 5 4

31.	A K — — Q 10 8
4 3 2 8 8 —		J 9 7 6 5 — — —
win all South leads	Q 10 8 A A —

32.	— 4 A 6 5 A
— A Q J 9 8 —		K Q 10 — K 4
win 4/5 South leads	A J 2 6 4 —

33.	Q 7 8 J A
9 8 3 A 9 —		A 6 5 — 2 8
win 2/5 South leads	4 2 4 2 4 —

34.	A 4 2 2 — 2
K 6 5 3 3 — —		10 9 10 9 10 —
win 4/5 South leads	Q J 8 7 7 — —

35.	A 10 3 — A K —
Q 8 5 5 5 —		J 6 6 6 6
win all South leads	K 9 2 A — 4

Puzzles 8G01 Main

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Tribe 3: Squeezes, Endplays of Mass

36.	A 2 2 — K Q
Q 9 A — J 9		K J — A 8 6
NT win all South leads	3 — 2 A 7 2

37.	9 4 — 2 K 3
J — 8 9 7 2		A 5 Q — J 8
win 4/5 South leads	Q 6 3 2 — 6

38.	A Q 3 — — K 4
K 9 6 — A 9		J 8 7 A — 7
NT win all South leads	2 2 2 A 2

39.	K 3 — 7 4 A
Q — — J 8 7 6		J — Q J K 9
NT win all South leads	A 2 — A Q 2

40.	A 9 6 4 — — K
3 A 2 A A		10 8 7 5 2 — — —
NT win 4/5 South leads	K Q J K K —

41.	3 A 3 Q 4
K 9 K 9 9 —		Q 8 2 — J A
NT win all South leads	A 7 7 K 8 —

42.	A 7 4 6 7
K 6 5 4 — Q —		J 9 — 9 8 Q
NT win all South leads	Q 8 — A 5 4 —

43.	— A 4 4 4 2
— K 6 K J 9		— — A 3 8 6 3
NT win all South leads	7 7 — A Q 7

44.	K 8 — 9 5 3 —
Q 7 6 4 — K —		— J J 10 7 9
NT win 4/5 South leads	— 9 Q 8 6 3

45.	A 4 9 A 5
Q J — K J Q		— 7 3 7 6 4 —
NT win 4/5 South leads	9 6 K 4 8 —

46.	— A 3 A 9 Q
— Q 4 K 4 K		— 7 5 8 7 6 —
NT win all South leads	9 8 6 Q J —

47.	K J 8 4 — — K
10 9 A A A		Q 6 5 — — 3 2
win all South leads	A 7 3 K K —

48.	K Q K Q J —
A 8 7 6 5 — — —		9 A K 9 3 —
NT win 4/5 South leads	2 3 A Q 7 —

49.	8 2 — A 9 2
— 7 3 K J 9		— 6 2 8 7 4
win all South leads	— 5 4 Q A 6

Puzzles 8G01 Main

Top The “Great 88” Conspiracy

Tribe 4: Compound and Hybrid Endings

50.	K J — — A 6 2
— — Q 5 Q J 5		A Q 9 — J 7 —
NT win 3/5 South leads	8 5 3 — K 4 —

51.	— A A J 6 4 —
J J 10 8 6 — —		8 — Q 9 8 K
win 3/5 South leads	9 Q 9 7 — 7

52.	6 7 6 — 7 6
— — K J 8 7 6 —		9 Q J — Q J
win 3/5 North leads	7 K 8 Q 8

53.	9 Q 8 — Q 7
10 8 — 10 10 8		— J 7 — J 6 4
NT win 4/5 South leads	A 6 9 9 9

54.	— 7 6 A 2 2
— K 9 4 9 5 —		— J 8 K Q K
win 4/5 South leads	7 A Q 5 7 —

55.	Q 6 3 8 2
10 4 10 — 10 4		K 8 2 A 8
NT win 4/5 South leads	— A 4 K A K

56.	A K 2 K 2 —
K A A 8 7		4 2 — — Q J 9
NT win 4/5 South leads	5 3 — — A K 3

57.	— A Q 9 K Q —
4 — — Q 6 5 4		7 K J A J —
win 4/5 South leads	K 2 2 J 10

58.	K 8 7 4 — — 2
Q J Q Q Q		A 6 5 — — 9 8
NT win 4/5 South leads	2 9 9 A K

Puzzles 8G01 Main

Top The “Great 88” Conspiracy

59.	A 6 5 4 K — —
3 2 A A A		10 9 8 7 — — K
NT win 4/5 South leads	K Q J — K 2

60.	4 3 2 J A
9 5 9 — K 9		K — 9 8 5 4
NT win 4/5 South leads	A — 4 3 2 6

61.	— A 5 2 — A 9
— Q 8 6 — 6 4		— J K 9 K 8
NT win 4/5 South leads	— K 7 3 Q 7 —

62.	K 2 9 9 K
Q 3 A A Q		J 8 6 4 — — J
NT win all South leads	A 9 5 — — A 2

63.	2 — K 5 A 7
— 9 Q 8 J 9		— J 8 J 9 7 —
win all South leads	— 2 A 10 4 3 —

64.	2 A 9 2 2
A K 4 K Q		K Q Q 4 J
NT win all South leads	— 2 A 9 A K

65.	K J 2 K — 2
9 8 7 A — 3		Q 5 4 3 — 4
NT win all South leads	A 6 3 — — A K

66.	— — 10 5 A 5 2
— — 9 3 10 8 6		9 8 — Q 7 6 —
NT win all South leads	— 9 K 8 K 9

67.	A 5 — K 9 8 —
— K Q Q J 10 —		7 — — Q J 8 7
win all South leads	9 3 10 9 5 — —

68.	Q 5 5 — K Q
— J 6 4 J 5		K K 10 8 7 —
win all South leads	— A 8 7 10 9

Puzzles 8G01 Main

Top The “Great 88” Conspiracy

Tribe 5: Five-Card Problems

69.	2 K 4 K K
8 A 2 Q Q		A K 9 7 9 — —
NT win 2/5 South leads	Q J 6 4 8 — —

70.	Q J 8 7 7 —
A K 7 — — K 7		— 9 J J 9 4
NT win 2/5 South leads	9 6 5 — — Q 8

71.	Q 5 3 2 — J
J 10 9 7 — — A		A 6 4 K 9 — —
NT win 3/5 South leads	K 8 A J — 9

72.	— Q 7 J 9 2 —
3 J K 8 5 —		— K 9 5 2 Q —
win 3/5 South leads	J 8 A 7 3 —

73.	8 6 7 4 — 8
— Q 9 8 K J —		A Q 6 7 6 —
win 4/5 West leads	K A J Q 10 —

74.	4 2 Q J 9 — —
9 7 9 7 6 —		K Q 8 — Q J —
win 4/5 West leads	A J 6 3 — — 8

75.	— K 9 K A Q
— Q J Q J 6		— A 8 — K 5 4
win all South leads	9 7 — 9 9 7

76.	8 6 4 — — Q 9
7 5 — 6 10 7		— 5 J 10 K 8
win all South leads	— 7 7 A 4 2

77.	5 2 — 9 8 9
— K Q 9 7 5 — —		J 2 K Q Q
win 4/5 West leads	A 4 — 7 4 7

78.	5 9 5 — A 7
9 A 10 — K 8		— Q 8 — J 10 9
NT win 4/5 South leads	— J 7 6 Q 3

Puzzles 8G01 Main

Top The “Great 88” Conspiracy

79.	— A 9 7 8 3 —
K 5 K 5 4 — —		— 10 8 6 10 9 —
NT win 4/5 South leads	8 Q J 3 — Q

80.	7 Q 7 7 7
A 9 8 6 5 —		— — A 6 8 6 4
NT win 4/5 South leads	— J J 4 J 5

81.	J 5 5 — J 8
Q 9 Q — 9 6		— — 9 8 Q 7 4
win 4/5 South leads	3 — J 3 K 3

82.	5 Q 6 A J —
Q 6 — 9 7 6 —		9 J 9 K K
NT win 4/5 South leads	8 — Q 5 4 8

83.	— — 8 6 A Q 6
— — J 10 J 10 7		— 9 8 — K 8 4
NT win 4/5 South leads	J J — 9 5 3

84.	— A A K 9 2
— K 9 7 3 Q		3 J 5 — A 10
win 4/5 South leads	5 Q 6 10 8 —

85.	J 5 3 — A Q —
— 9 6 4 4 2 —		K Q 9 — K J —
NT win 3/5 South leads	8 2 Q 7 3 — —

86.	— 9 A 9 7 5
— J J 6 J 6		— Q 7 Q 7 Q
NT win 4/5 South leads	8 K 8 8 8

87.	9 A 8 — 8 7
K K 7 6 5 — —		10 — 10 9 10 9
NT win 4/5 South leads	— 9 2 5 A 4

88.	— A 10 4 3 A
— — A Q 7 6 5 —		A 2 K J K
NT win 3/5 South leads	K Q J — K 2 —

Culprits exposed!

Ending #83 is impossible (four tricks cannot be won with best defense).

Endings #55 and #64 are illegal (impossible to reach without a revoke).

Ending #72 is redundant (essentially the same as #18).

Puzzles 8G01 Main

Top The “Great 88” Conspiracy

Original endings © 1967 George S. Coffin
© 1998 Richard Pavlicek