IMPs and Matchpoints

        There are two main ways to score a duplicate bridge event: IMPs and Matchpoints. The differences between these two scoring systems often lead to different styles of play.

 

         Matchpoints.     When playing matchpoints, your score is compared to the other teams that played the same hands, and you receive points as follows:

Matchpoints
    You are awarded 1 matchpoint for every pair that you beat on a given board, and
    You are awarded ½ matchpoint for every pair that you tie on a given board.

For example:

Rank Matchpoints
Top (1st place) 2
Tied for 1st
Middle (2nd) 1
Wash (3-way tie) 1
Tied for 2nd ½
Bottom (3rd place) 0
Matchpoints with 3 pairs.

When playing matchpoints, all hands count equally, so that you are not penalized too much for one horrible play or given too many points for one moment of brilliance. Keep the following in mind:

 

         IMPs.     IMPs is the normal method of scoring in team events, or any event where only two tables play each board. When playing IMPs, your score on a contract is compared to the score of the other team who played the same hands. You are then either rewarded or penalized a certain number of IMPs based on the difference:

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

When playing IMPs, hands with a big swing (i.e. a large difference in points) count much more than hands with a small swing.