The most common method used for scoring in bridge is called matchpoints scoring this is when you get a percentage score for each board you play. Matchpoints scoring is very popular for general club play as it rewards good consistent play during the session. There is another way of scoring called IMPs which is popular in competitions and Congresses, and it is my favourite way to play bridge especially in Teams.

This guide will outline how both scoring methods work and the best overall strategies to adopt when playing each. To help visualise how the scoring works I have illustrated three boards played in a recent bridge session and scored the boards with both matchpoints scoring and IMPs scoring.

Matchpoints Scoring

When playing regular duplicate bridge, you may have wondered how we calculate the percentage scores for each board. The approach is rather simple, for each board we can earn 2 matchpoints for each pair we get a better score than (a win), we get 1 matchpoints for every pair we get the same score as (a tie), and zero matchpoints for every pair that gets a better score than us (a loss).

In the results for each board, you will see a column called NS MP’s and EW MP’s and this represents the total matchpoints score you achieved for this board. To convert this to a percentage We divide this amount by the total matchpoints we would have received if we had beaten all other players.

the examples used below come from 7 table matches and thus there are six other scores times 2 for a win for each score means the total for a top board can be 12 matchpoints. If I achieve seven match points on a board then 7/12 as a percentage is 58%.

IMP’s Scoring

IMP’s or International Matchpoints Scoring adds a new element to the game of bridge. The main difference here is not where you place in the field like you do in matchpoints scoring but how big the score is for each board you play. The biggest rewards are in bidding to “Game” where you have a better than 50% chance of making and trying your best to stop the opponents from making their game contracts.

The scoring for X-IMPs works by calculating the average scores for both North-South and East-West And subtracting this average score from the score you earned. From this amount we look up the IMPs Scale table to determine your IMP score for the board.

IMP Scale

0 - 10	0	220 - 260	6	600 - 740	12	1750 – 1990	18
20 - 40	1	270 - 310	7	750 - 890	13	2000 - 2240	19
50 - 80	2	320 - 360	8	900 - 1090	14	2250 - 2490	20
90 - 120	3	370 - 420	9	1100 - 1290	15	2500 - 2990	21
130 - 160	4	430 - 490	10	1300 - 1490	16	3000 - 3490	22
170 - 210	5	500 - 590	11	1500 - 1740	17	3500 - 3990	23
						4000 - more	24

A Few Examples

The following results came from a recent match on RealBridge. The match has been with both matchpoints and IMPs to highlight the differences.

Example 1: This shows a rather flat board with everyone bidding 3NT and making. As we can see there are huge percentage differences in the matchpoints scoring, everyone made the contract however it was the overtricks that were most important as this determined where in the field you placed. In IMPs scoring the result is flat with overtricks not adding very much to the score.

Pair	Contract	Tricks	NS	EW		NS MPs	EW MPs	NS %	EW %		X-IMPs NS	X-IMPs EW
1	3NT N	9	400			2	10	17	83		-1.33	1.33
2	3NT N	12	490			11	1	92	8		2.17	-2.17
3	3NT N	9	400			2	10	17	83		-1.33	1.33
4	3NT N	9	400			2	10	17	83		-1.33	1.33
5	3NT N	12	490			11	1	92	8		2.17	-2.17
6	3NT N	10	430			7	5	58	42		-0.17	0.17
7	3NT N	10	430			7	5	58	42		-0.17	0.17

 

Example 2: This shows another flat board with a contract of 6NT however one team did not make when everyone else did. Not making the contract meant a bottom board in matchpoints however since all boards represent an equal value at the end of the match (all percentages are averaged) the loss is the same as a smaller contract such as 1NT making 6 when everyone else made 7.

In IMPs though this loss was a significant blow to the declarer and an equally significant gain for the defenders. A score of 14 can be a match decider in Swiss Pairs and Swiss Teams which are IMP scored.

Pair	Contract	Tricks	NS	EW		NS MPs	EW MPs	NS %	EW %		X-IMPs NS	X-IMPs EW
1	6NT S	13	1020			9	3	75	25		2.67	-2.67
2	6NT N	13	1020			9	3	75	25		2.67	-2.67
3	6NT S	12	990			3	9	25	75		1.67	-1.67
4	6NT S	12	990			3	9	25	75		1.67	-1.67
5	6NT S	11		50		0	12	0	100		-14.00	14.00
6	6NT S	13	1020			9	3	75	25		2.67	-2.67
7	6NT S	13	1020			9	3	75	25		2.67	-2.67

 

Example 3: This last board shows the benefits of being in game when game is on. In matchpoints being in game when game is on is important. However not everyone will be in game so if you are not in game, overtricks will really help here. In matchpoints making the same number of tricks in 3NT than 4 of a major is a huge advantage as that extra 10 point bonus gives you a great board. Pairs 6 & 7 are both in 2S making but they are not in game like the rest of the field. However, since pair 6 scored and overtrick they managed to improve their position to 42% where not making an overtrick resulted in a grim %17 for pair 7.

From an IMPs scoring point of view, you can see it really does not matter (like it does in matchpoints) if it is 3NT of 4S as both give a great score. Being in a part score and making can minimise the loss and making overtricks in this case makes little to no difference as well. Not making your contract is very costly especially when you are vulnerable.

Pair	Contract	Tricks	NS	EW		NS MPs	EW MPs	NS %	EW %		X-IMPs NS	X-IMPs EW
1	3NT	10	630			11	1	92	8		7.00	-7.00
2	3S	11	200			5	7	42	58		-3.50	3.50
3	4S	10	620			8	4	67	33		6.77	-6.77
4	3NT	10	630			11	1	92	8		7.00	-7.00
5	3S	-8		100		0	12	0	100		-9.50	9.50
6	2S	11	200			5	7	42	58		-3.50	3.50
7	2S	10	170			2	10	17	83		-4.17	4.17

 

Tips for playing Matchpoints (%) scored matches

Some common strategies to follow when playing matchpoints scoring.

• Play in 3NT rather than 5 of a minor if you have a choice of places to play.
• Play in 3NT if you think it will score same tricks as 4 of a major.
• Don’t bid risky games or slams
• Double your opponents if you are confident, they are not making
• Play for overtricks!

Two maxims I like to use when playing matchpoints scoring

• "Hamman's law - if there are possible calls and one of them is 3NT, then bid it" – Bob Hamman
• “If the opponents aren't making a few doubled contracts then you aren't doubling enough.” – anon.

Tips for playing IMPs scored matches

Some common strategies to follow when playing IMPs scoring.

• Make your contract (don’t bid risky contracts)
• Do your best to defeat opponent’s contract.
• Don’t double your opponents (highlights the threat hand, also they may escape to another contract)
• Bid to game when you are confident it will make
• Play the safest contract when given a choice (3NT, 4M or 5m)
• Making game is more important than a risky slam.
• Don’t worry about overtricks at the risk of not making game.

Swiss Teams and Swiss Pairs play each round within a session as a match and in such competitions IMP scores are converted once more into VP’s or Victory Points! It is all very exciting and makes congresses so much fun for all levels of players from Rookie to Grand Master!

Competition bridge is for ALL level of players not just Grand Masters

Ok well maybe competition is not for those in Supervised or just out of Supervised! Please don’t think competitions are only for the Grand Masters as they will tell you that they started playing competition bridge as soon as they could. At the rookie level the idea is to have fun playing with your friends and earning some masterpoints during the day. Almost everyone who plays in Swiss Pairs and Swiss Teams will win some red masterpoints.