Puzzle 8Q43 Main


What’s the Score?


 by Richard Pavlicek

In duplicate bridge there are 204 unique plus scores, ranging from 50 to 7600. Most of the lower scores are common knowledge to every bridge player, while most of the higher ones are rare. Extremely high scores would almost certainly require a bidding accident or outright lunacy — and for the latter affliction, you came to the right web site. Imagine the following scenario:

After opening 2 C (strong and artificial) South intends to bid both majors, but East’s jump to 6 D puts the screws to that. Under pressure, South takes the optimistic view that a grand slam can be made and cue-bids 7 D to force partner to pick a major.

South dealsS 10 7 4WestNorthEastSouth
N-S vulH 10 7 42 C
D 6 4 32 DPass6 D7 D1
C 10 9 8 7DblPassPassRdbl2
S Q 6 5 3TableS —PassPass3Pass
H Q 6 3H 5
D Q J 9 8 7 2D A K 10 51. bid your better major
C —C K Q J 6 5 4 3 22. bid your better major, dammit!
S A K J 9 8 23. sorry, I don’t have a better major
H A K J 9 8 2
Lead: D QD —
7 D×× SouthC A

When 7 D is doubled and passed around, South redoubles to repeat the demand, only to suffer the unthinkable when lunacy finds its mark. Yes, the defense runs the table, so South is down 13 for the ultimate debacle. Call the paramedics!

South is also to blame, albeit less so than his lunatic partner. The proper course is to pass 6 D (forcing after a 2 C opening) then bid 6 H when partner doubles. Logically this shows both majors, because with only hearts South would bid directly. Six hearts goes down, but it’s a lot better than defending 6 D which is cold.

Bridge Scores ‘R’ Us

The following table lists every possible duplicate bridge score, except zero (passout). Scores tinted gray are possible only by defeating a contract. Scores tinted gold can be obtained either by making or defeating a contract, hence the remaining majority are possible only by making a contract.

502404806508301010120013901620188023002880
702504906608401020121014001630192023202900
802605006708501030123014101640196023302940
902705106808701040124014301660200023602980
1002805206908801050125014401670204024403120
1103005307008901070127014601680207024703160
1203405407109001080128014701690208024803200
1303505507209101090129014801700211024903400
1403605607309201100130014901720212025103500
1503805707409301110131015101740214025603800
1604005807509401120132015201760216026004000
1704205907609501130133015301770220026304600
1804306007709601140134015401790221026605200
1904406107809701150135015501800222027205800
2004506207909801160136015601820223027606400
2104606308009901180137015801830224028007000
230 470 640 810 1000 1190 1380 1600 1860 2280 2840 7600

Using the table as a reference, test yourself by answering the following six questions — or don’t and see if I care.
If a question has more than one correct answer, higher is better (highest gets the top award).


1. Which bridge score is a Fibonacci number? 


 


2. Which bridge score is a Catalan number? 


 


3. Which bridge score is a triangular number? 


 


4. Which bridge score is in the first 100 digits of pi? 


 


5. Which bridge score has the most divisors? 


 


6. If x and y are bridge scores and 43x = 17y, what is x? 


 

Enter the contest

Join the fun and participate! You won’t win anything, other than the satisfaction of making my Winner List if you’re clever or just lucky. Contest ends April 30, 2025 (midnight GMT). Winners and solutions will be published May 2, 2025. To enter, provide your name, location and e-mail address, then click Submit. A copy of your entry will be sent to you automatically, so be sure your address is correct. Multiple entries by the same person are allowed, but only the latest one counts.

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Puzzle 8Q43 MainTop What’s the Score?

© 2025 Richard Pavlicek