IMP PairsIn the usual pair event you encounter at the bridge club and most tournaments, you score one matchpoint for every pairyou beat and ½ for every pair with whom you tie on every board. The size of the difference in scores does is notconsidered. If you obtained the best score, it doesn't matter if you beat the others by 10 points or 1100, you score a "top."It works the other way around too, if everyone else beats your score, even if by only 10 points, you still get a "bottom."When there are a small number of tables in play, this can end up being a bit of a lottery. An alternative is to use IMP (International Match Point) scoring. This is the type of scoring used in team matches. WithIMP scoring, the amount by which you beat or lose to the opposition is more significant.IMP Pairs is played exactly like a regular pair event but scored in a totally different manner. Each board, your score iscompared to the average of all the scores compiled on that board. The top and bottom scores are sometimes eliminatedbefore the average is computed so that extreme scores will have less impact. Then your score is algebraically comparedwith average and translated into International Matchpoints (IMPs) according to the IMP table (on the inside of yourconvention card).Barometer PairsThe barometer game is differentiated from other pair games by the method of distributing the boards and by thescoring.In the usual type of pair event, all or most of the boards are in play every round. The boards are moved from table to tableon a predetermined schedule so that eventually all pairs play most of the boards at some time during the session.In a barometer game the boards don’t move from table to table after each round. All pairs play the same boards at thesame time throughout the event. Many sets of boards will have been pre-duplicated prior to the game. Usually each tablewill have its own set of boards. Each set of boards goes out of play after one round.As a result, all scores for a given set of boards are available as soon as the round is over. The scores are posted forinspection by the players after each round, so each pair knows where it stands at all times. Any given pair’s fortunes willrise and fall as the game goes on — hence the name barometer.Swiss Pairs ***NOTE: This is a pair event - NOT A TEAM GAME. You do not need teammates!The "Swiss" movement originated in chess. Since there is insufficient time to play against everybody in the field, theremust be a sensible way of assigning matches other than by drawing lots or tossing a coin. The game is played barometerstyle. All the boards are pre-duplicated and everyone plays the same boards every round. On the first round, everybodyplays boards 1-6; on round two all play 7-12, and so on. First round matchups are random. You play a six-board matchagainst another pair. At the end of the round the score is calculated. If you beat your opponents you rise in the rankings;if you lose you descend. Now this is where the Swiss element comes in - next round you are matched against a pair with the same, or nearly thesame, score as yours. You play another match and continue for four matches, moving up or down the field at the end ofeach round. The higher you get the tougher your opponents should be. Conversely, the lower you rank the easier yourmatches should become.You can play against another pair only once, so even if you are leading the field you will not be matched against thesecond-place pair if you have played them before. You will play the leading pair you have not previously met.Each match is played for 20 Victory Points. You share the 20 VPs between you and your opponents. You might win yourmatch 20-0 or 14-6 or lose it 1-19. You might even draw it 10-10.Par ContestIn a par contest, all pairs compete against a computer generated "par" score on each board. The par contract on a dealis whatever contract results from optimal bidding, by both sides, which neither side could improve by further bidding. Parwill be either the optimum contract by one side or a doubled penalty, which loses less than the value of the optimumcontract, by the other side.Your score on each board is compared to the par score and the results are calculated by IMPs.Here is an explanation of the various games we run
IMP Pairs
In the usual pair event you encounter at the bridge club and most tournaments, you score one matchpoint for every pair
you beat and ½ for every pair with whom you tie on every board. The size of the difference in scores does is not
considered. If you obtained the best score, it doesn't matter if you beat the others by 10 points or 1100, you score a "top."
It works the other way around too, if everyone else beats your score, even if by only 10 points, you still get a "bottom."
When there are a small number of tables in play, this can end up being a bit of a lottery.
An alternative is to use IMP (International Match Point) scoring. This is the type of scoring used in team matches. With
IMP scoring, the amount by which you beat or lose to the opposition is more significant.
IMP Pairs is played exactly like a regular pair event but scored in a totally different manner. Each board, your score is
compared to the average of all the scores compiled on that board. The top and bottom scores are sometimes eliminated
before the average is computed so that extreme scores will have less impact. Then your score is algebraically compared
with average and translated into International Matchpoints (IMPs) according to the IMP table (on the inside of your
convention card).
Barometer Pairs
The barometer game is differentiated from other pair games by the method of distributing the boards and by the
scoring.
In the usual type of pair event, all or most of the boards are in play every round. The boards are moved from table to table
on a predetermined schedule so that eventually all pairs play most of the boards at some time during the session.
In a barometer game the boards don’t move from table to table after each round. All pairs play the same boards at the
same time throughout the event. Many sets of boards will have been pre-duplicated prior to the game. Usually each table
will have its own set of boards. Each set of boards goes out of play after one round.
As a result, all scores for a given set of boards are available as soon as the round is over. The scores are posted for
inspection by the players after each round, so each pair knows where it stands at all times. Any given pair’s fortunes will
rise and fall as the game goes on — hence the name barometer.
Swiss Pairs ***NOTE: This is a pair event - NOT A TEAM GAME. You do not need teammates!
The "Swiss" movement originated in chess. Since there is insufficient time to play against everybody in the field, there
must be a sensible way of assigning matches other than by drawing lots or tossing a coin. The game is played barometer
style. All the boards are pre-duplicated and everyone plays the same boards every round. On the first round, everybody
plays boards 1-6; on round two all play 7-12, and so on. First round matchups are random. You play a six-board match
against another pair. At the end of the round the score is calculated. If you beat your opponents you rise in the rankings;
if you lose you descend.
Now this is where the Swiss element comes in - next round you are matched against a pair with the same, or nearly the
same, score as yours. You play another match and continue for four matches, moving up or down the field at the end of
each round. The higher you get the tougher your opponents should be. Conversely, the lower you rank the easier your
matches should become.
You can play against another pair only once, so even if you are leading the field you will not be matched against the
second-place pair if you have played them before. You will play the leading pair you have not previously met.
Each match is played for 20 Victory Points. You share the 20 VPs between you and your opponents. You might win your
match 20-0 or 14-6 or lose it 1-19. You might even draw it 10-10.
Par Contest
In a par contest, all pairs compete against a computer generated "par" score on each board. The par contract on a deal
is whatever contract results from optimal bidding, by both sides, which neither side could improve by further bidding. Par
will be either the optimum contract by one side or a doubled penalty, which loses less than the value of the optimum
contract, by the other side.
Your score on each board is compared to the par score and the results are calculated by IMPs.
Here is an explanation of the various games we run
