October 2015 - 48

Newer Players

Newcomer Help Desk
BY BRENT MANLEY

brentmanley@yahoo.com

TD Dan Plato was running a student game in Toronto when he was called to a table where a
player had doubled his partner's bid. The doubler's explanation: "I don't think he's gonna make
it!" Later in the game, Plato was called to another table and found the same situation. The second doubler's reasoning: "I want a higher score!"

Last month's column covered a few
of the many questions about duplicate
submitted by Anne Jackson of Creston
BC. Another of her questions will be
answered this month: How does duplicate scoring work?
When you play in a pairs game, you
play a number of rounds determined
by the size of the game. A 10-table
game typically will be played in nine
rounds of three boards per round.
Each table has a numbered guide card.
If you are East-West, you move from
table to table as the game progresses
(North-South stay put). Pairs move up
one table (from, say, table 7 to table 8).
The boards go in the opposite direction
(from 7 to 6, etc.).
In a duplicate game, your score is
determined by comparing your result
on each deal to the scores achieved on
those boards by your true opponents -
the other pairs sitting your direction.
For example, on Board 1, you are playing East-West. You and your partner
reach 4♠ in a contested auction. One
of your opponents doubles the contract
and you make it for plus 590 (you are
not vulnerable). FYI, you can look at
the backs of the cards from the bidding box to determine the scores for all
contracts.
Returning to the main topic, say you
are playing a nine-table game. Your

48 Bridge Bulletin October 2015

plus 590 will be compared to the scores
recorded by the other East-West pairs
(eight of them). For each of the other
scores your score beats, you receive 1
matchpoint. If every East-West pair
in the game bid and made 4♠ but only
you were doubled, you would receive 8
matchpoints (they scored plus 420, you
were plus 590), the most you could get
on the deal. This is known as a "top."
If one other pair was doubled and
made it for plus 590, you and that pair
would receive 7.5 MPs - you both beat
seven other pairs and tied with each
other (you get a half matchpoint for every tie). This is known as a "tie for top."
This scoring process is repeated on
every round. If you got a top on every
board - don't hold your breath for that
- your score would be eight times 27 -
216. Games are often noted in percentages. If you hear a pair celebrating
a 65% game, that means that if they
were playing in a nine-table game with
three-board rounds, they earned 65%
of the available matchpoints (216), or
roughly 140.5.
It is not unusual for a minus score to
be good for your side. Suppose you are
in 3NT and the opponents take the first
five tricks (you are one down), but fail
to cash an ace to beat you two tricks.
You are vulnerable, so you are minus
100. If every other North-South pair

took all their tricks for plus 200, your
score would be another top because it's
a lower minus than that of the other
pairs sitting your way.
Top tricks
Here's a question from Terre Gorham of Memphis TN, who wants to
know the meaning of "top tricks." Take
a look at this diagram:
West
♠AJ4
♥KQ8
♦K53
♣KJ98

East
♠K Q 10 5
♥A 7
♦A J 10 9
♣Q 10 7

You are West, playing 6NT with the
♥10 lead from North. Before playing,
pause to take stock of your top tricks:
winners that are ready to cash. You
have four spades, three hearts and two
diamonds. That's only nine. You must
develop three more. If you thought
about the diamond finesse, don't tell
anyone. You have a certain path to 12
tricks by playing on clubs right away.
You need only to knock out the ♣A to
get to 12 tricks. Well played!
◾
Send your questions to
brentmanley@yahoo.com.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of October 2015