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 no longer in 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. That is, the goal cannot be achieved against best defense.

Two endings are illegal, because they could never occur in bridge without a revoke.

One ending is essentially the same as another, with just a slight change in card ranks.

Being a puzzler at heart, I won’t reveal the culprits; but I have presented the “Great 88” here for your examination. 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 in 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 for discovering the second ending that is illegal; originally, I had noticed only one. [August 2011] Thanks to Sebastien Louveaux (Belgium) for discovering the ending that is the same as another.

Tribe 1: Eliminations, Endplays of Position

1. Avoidance

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

2. The Pitt coup

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

3. Gambit and jettison

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

4. Forced finesse

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

5. Strip setup finesse

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

6. Double strip finesse

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

7. Crossruff strip

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

8. Jettison entry strip

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

9. Jettison two-entry strip

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

10. Double-entry strip

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

11. Fork strip

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

12. Total fork strip

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

13. Progressive fork strip

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

14. Transfer fork strip

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

15. Jettison double fork strip

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

16. Repeat-jettison fork strip

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

17. Two-fork double strip

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

18. Double blocked fork strip

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

19. Crossruff or finesse strip

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

20. Crossruff entry strip

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

21. Crossruff fork strip

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

22. Crossruff split-fork strip

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

23. Entry or fork strip

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

24. Jettison-entry fork strip

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

25. Blocked fork strip or entry strip

NT win 4	K J 3 — K 8
— 9 9 Q 7 2		Q 7 — Q J 9
South leads	— J 8 4 J 6

26. Crossruff entry fork strip

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

Puzzles 8G01   Main

Top   The “Great 88” Conspiracy

Tribe 2: Coups, Endplays of Time

27. En passant

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

28. Grand coup

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

29. Grand coup fork strip

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

30. Overruff grand coup

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

31. Repeating grand coup

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

32. Undercut

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

33. Uppercut

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

34. Smother play

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

35. Double smother

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

Puzzles 8G01   Main

Top   The “Great 88” Conspiracy

Tribe 3: Squeezes, Endplays of Mass

36. Double squeeze

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

37.

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

38. Double automatic squeeze

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

39. Split squeeze

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

40. Overtake squeeze

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

41. Progressive squeeze

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

42. Transfer repeat squeeze

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

43. Three-two squeeze

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

44. Finesse jettison squeeze

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

45. Progressive jettison squeeze

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

46. Progressive jettison squeeze or squeeze

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

47. Trump squeeze

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

48. Squeeze or forced finesse

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

49. Finesse squeeze

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

Puzzles 8G01   Main

Top   The “Great 88” Conspiracy

Tribe 4: Compound and Hybrid Endings

50. One-way finesse or fork strip

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

51. Forced jettison strip squeeze

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

52. Crossruff strip triple squeeze

win 3	6 7 6 — 7 6
— — K J 8 7 6 —		9 Q J — Q J
North leads	7 K 8 Q 8

53. Forced triple squeeze (with fork strip)

NT win 4	9 Q 8 — Q 7
10 8 — 10 10 8		— J 7 — J 6 4
South leads	A 6 9 9 9

54. Squeeze strip or suitout

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

55. Triple squeeze forced finesse

NT win 4	Q 6 3 8 2
10 4 10 — 10 4		K 8 2 A 8
South leads	— A 4 K A K

56. Jettison squeeze finesse

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

57. Squeeze or squeeze strip

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

58. Triple squeeze scoop strip

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

59. Triple squeeze entry strip

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

60. Jettison triple squeeze entry strip

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

61. Fork squeeze entry strip

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

62. Squeeze finesse

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

63. Finesse threat 3-2 squeeze

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

64. Hexagon squeeze finesse

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

65. One-way squeeze scoop finesse

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

66. Automatic squeeze scoop finesse

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

67. Squeeze ruffout

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

68. Squeeze overruff

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

Puzzles 8G01   Main

Top   The “Great 88” Conspiracy

Tribe 5: Five-Card Problems

69. Repeat-squeeze entry strip

NT win 2	2 K 4 K K
8 A 2 Q Q		A K 9 7 9 — —
South leads	Q J 6 4 8 — —

70. Forced unblock triple-squeeze scoop

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

71. Squeeze unblock finesse

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

72. Blocked fork strip

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

73. En passant mutate

win 4	8 6 7 4 — 8
— Q 9 8 K J —		A Q 6 7 6 —
West leads	K A J Q 10 —

74. Repeated trump discard

win 4	4 2 Q J 9 — —
9 7 9 7 6 —		K Q 8 — Q J —
West leads	A J 6 3 — — 8

75. Squeeze scoop ruffout

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

76. Coup or squeeze

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

77. Triple-squeeze ruffout

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

78. Progressive squeeze jettison scoop

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

79. Double squeeze strip

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

80. One-way squeeze or ditto

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

81. En passant or double squeeze

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

82. Squeeze entry strip

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

83. Double-squeeze scoop

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

84. Jettison strip mutate

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

85. Split squeeze entry strip

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

86. Hexagon squeeze finesse

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

87. Endplays in series

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

88. Contra squeeze

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

Puzzles 8G01   Main

Top   The “Great 88” Conspiracy

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