Puzzles 8G01 Main |
| 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 wont 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 Coffins 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.
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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