Guide 2Y Main

Duplicate Bridge

by Richard Pavlicek

The game of contract bridge can be played in a variety of different ways, but there are two distinct divisions: single-play and duplicate bridge.

In single-play bridge each deal is played once, and scoring is based on a single result. Common forms of single-play bridge are rubber bridge and Chicago bridge.

In duplicate bridge each deal is played at least twice, and scoring is based on a comparison of scores of players with the same cards. Each partnership is scored by how well it does with what it was dealt, rather than by how lucky it was in the deal. You can win with “bad cards” just as easily as with “good cards.”

Anyone can play duplicate bridge by attending one of the local clubs. It is challenging and it is fun!

Matchpoint Scoring

The most common form of duplicate bridge is a pair contest with “matchpoint” scoring. The actual result of a partnership is compared to those of every other partnership which held the same cards on that deal. Each pair receives:

One matchpoint for each score that it beats.

One-half matchpoint for each score that it ties.

Observe that it does not matter by how much a score differs from another score. A difference of only 10 points is just as good as 1,000 when ranking the scores. This brings out an important strategy in the play:

At matchpoint scoring generally try to win the maximum number of tricks. Overtricks, especially, are important.

The following deal illustrates how matchpoint scoring works.

1.	8 4 3 A Q 6 A K 2 J 10 9 6
A J 9 6 5 5 4 2 10 7 6 5 4		Q 10 7 10 9 7 3 9 4 3 K 8 2
Lead: 6 3 NT South	K 2 K J 8 Q J 8 5 A Q 7 3

Assume you are South, declarer in 3 NT. West leads the 6 and you capture East’s queen with the king. You count nine top tricks and decide to cash them to ensure your contract. By playing safe you would not fare well. (See typical scores below.) You get one matchpoint from the pair who was set in 6 NT, and half a matchpoint from two other pairs who did the same as you — a total of 2 matchpoints.

The declarers who won 12 tricks gambled on the club finesse which worked. They beat four scores (4 matchpoints) and tied three scores (1.5 matchpoints) for a total of 5.5 matchpoints.

The top score (8 matchpoints) went to the one pair who bid and made 6 NT, although this contract could have been defeated if West did not lead a spade.

Note that the East-West matchpoints always complement the North-South matchpoints. For example, if North-South gets a top, East-West gets zero.

Contr	Md	Dn	Score	NS	EW
3 NT S	3		400	2	6
3 NT S	6		490	5.5	2.5
6 NT S		1	-50	0	8
3 NT S	6		490	5.5	2.5
3 NT S	3		400	2	6
3 NT S	6		490	5.5	2.5
3 NT S	3		400	2	6
6 NT S	6		990	8	0
3 NT S	6		490	5.5	2.5

Scoring Tables

The actual raw scores of results in duplicate bridge are the same as in Chicago bridge except for two differences: (1) Honors do not count, and (2) Part scores are not carried from one deal to the next (making a part score is worth 50 points).

Below are the scoring tables for duplicate bridge:

Trick Score (bid & made)
Clubs or diamonds, each	20
Hearts or spades, each	30
Notrump, first trick	40
Notrump, each additional	30
If doubled multiply by 2
If redoubled multiply by 4

Overtricks	NV	Vul
Undoubled, each	trick score
Doubled, each	100	200
Redoubled, each	200	400

Bonuses	NV	Vul
Game bid & made	300	500
Slam bid & made	500	750
Grand slam bid & made	1000	1500
Making non-game bid	50
Making doubled bid	50
Making redoubled bid	100

Sets	NV	Vul	NV×	Vul×
Down 1	50	100	100	200
Down 2	100	200	300	500
Down 3	150	300	500	800
Down 4	200	400	800	1100
Each add’l	+50	+100	+300	+300
If redoubled use doubled score × 2

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© 1990 Richard Pavlicek