Bridge Scoring Terms Glossary

Bridge scoring seems complicated until you understand the vocabulary. This glossary covers rubber bridge, duplicate bridge, Chicago scoring, and tournament formats.

Every scoring term you need, from basic partscores to complex IMP calculations.

A

Above the Line: In rubber bridge, points scored for making overtricks, undertricks, bonuses, and honors. Written above a horizontal line on the score sheet. Doesn’t count toward game. Historical term, less relevant in duplicate.

ACBLscore: Scoring software used by the American Contract Bridge League for tournaments. Runs the movement and calculates results.

Adjusted Score: A score assigned by the director when normal play is impossible (due to irregularities, time issues, etc.). Can be average-plus, average-minus, or artificial.

American Whist Movement: A specific tournament format. Not common today. Ask the director for details.

Arrows: On duplicate boards, indicates vulnerable side. “Red” or “Both” or “None” etc.

Average: In duplicate, a 50% score. Used for adjusted scores or when a board is unplayed. Average-plus (usually 60%) and average-minus (usually 40%) are common adjustments.

Average Board: The result most pairs achieved on a board. Your target to beat.

Average-Plus (Ave+): An adjusted score of approximately 60%, given when you were wronged by irregularity or circumstances beyond your control.

Average-Minus (Ave-): An adjusted score of approximately 40%, given when you caused an irregularity or problem.

B

BAM: Board-A-Match scoring. You get 1 point for beating the other table(s), ½ point for tying, 0 for losing. Rare format.

Below the Line: In rubber bridge, points scored for making your contract bid. Only these count toward game. Written below a horizontal line. Historical term.

Bonus: Extra points awarded for making game, slam, overtricks when doubled, honors, etc. Bonuses can be bigger than the contract itself.

Bottom: The worst score on a board. 0 matchpoints. “We got a bottom in 6NT down 1.”

Bracketed: Tournaments divided by skill level (A, B, C brackets). Lets you compete against similar-level players.

Butler Scoring: IMP scoring using a datum (average score) as comparison. Less common than regular IMPs but used in some team events.

C

Carry-Forward: In multi-session events, carrying your score from one session to another. Knockout events typically don’t carry forward, qualifying rounds do.

Chicago: A form of bridge where deals are played in sets of four (called a “chukker” or round), with fixed vulnerability. Faster than rubber bridge. See Chicago Bridge.

Contract: The final bid, determining trump suit and number of tricks required. “4♠ is the contract.”

Converted: In team games, matchpoint scoring sometimes converted from IMP results using a formula. Rare.

D

Datum: The reference score used in Butler or Calcutta Cup scoring. Usually the average of all scores on a board.

Declarer: The person who plays the hand. Gets the glory (or blame) for the result, though dummy’s cards matter too.

Double: Increases the scoring stakes. Doubled contracts score more when made, lose more when set. Redouble doubles it again.

Doubled: When an opponent doubles your contract. Changes scoring significantly. See Scoring Basics.

Down: Failing to make your contract. “We went down one in 4♥.” Also called “set” or “defeated.”

Drop: Usually refers to play, but “they dropped us a board” means they achieved a result that gives you fewer matchpoints/IMPs.

Duplicate: The standard form of competitive bridge where multiple tables play the same hands. Lets you compare results. See Duplicate Bridge Scoring.

E

Entry Fee: What you pay to play in a tournament. Covers expenses, masterpoints, sometimes prizes.

F

Factored: Some masterpoint awards are factored (reduced) for certain events. Check ACBL or local regulations.

Field: All the pairs or teams in an event. “The field” = everyone playing.

Flat Board: A board where almost everyone gets the same result. Doesn’t change the standings much. “That was flat, everyone made 3NT.”

G

Game: A contract worth at least 100 points below the line. 3NT, 4♥, 4♠, 5♣, 5♦. Earns significant bonuses (300 or 500 depending on vulnerability). See Scoring Basics.

Game Bonus: 300 points non-vulnerable, 500 points vulnerable for making game in duplicate or Chicago. In rubber bridge, different structure applies.

Gold Points: ACBL masterpoints earned at regional or national tournaments. More prestigious than black (club) or silver/red (sectional) points.

Grand Slam: Bidding and making all 13 tricks (7-level contract). Huge bonus: 1000 non-vulnerable, 1500 vulnerable. See Slam Scoring.

H

Hand: Either a single deal, or the 13 cards you hold. Context matters. “That was a tough hand” could mean either.

Honors: In rubber bridge or Chicago, holding 4 or 5 of the top trump honors (AKQJ10) or all 4 aces in NT scores bonus points (100 or 150). Not scored in duplicate. Largely irrelevant in modern bridge.

Howell Movement: A tournament format where you play against many different opponents and move frequently. Common for smaller games.

I

IMPs: International Match Points. A scale that converts raw point differences into a 0-24 scale. Standard for team events. See IMP Scoring.

Insult: The 50-point bonus for making a doubled contract. “We got 50 for the insult.” Cute term but not universal.

International Match Points: See IMPs.

J

Jumped: When your score is significantly worse than average. “They jumped us on that board.”

K

KO: Knockout. A tournament format where losers are eliminated. Single elimination or double elimination variations exist.

L

Life Master: ACBL rank achieved at 500+ masterpoints with specific gold/platinum requirements. A significant achievement. Other organizations have different requirements.

Line: In rubber bridge, the horizontal line separating “below” (contract points) from “above” (bonuses, overtricks). Not used in duplicate.

M

Made: Successfully took the required tricks to fulfill your contract. “We made 4♠ exactly.”

Match: In team games, a match is your competition against one other team (multiple boards). In Swiss, you play multiple matches.

Matchpoints: The scoring method for pair games. You get 2 points for each pair you beat, 1 for each tie, 0 for each pair that beats you. See Matchpoint Strategy.

Matchpointed: “We got matchpointed” = other pairs did better on that board.

Mitchell Movement: A tournament format where one line of pairs stays NS, the other line stays EW, and you never play against your partner. Most common for larger club games.

Movement: The structure determining who plays whom and which boards. Howell, Mitchell, Barometer, etc.

N

Non-Vulnerable (NV): Not having a game toward rubber, or the designated non-vulnerable side on a duplicate board. Lower bonuses and penalties. See vulnerability.

Not Vul (NV): Abbreviation for non-vulnerable.

O

Odd Trick: Tricks beyond six. A contract of 3NT requires 6 + 3 = 9 tricks. The “3” represents the odd tricks.

Overall: Your total score across all boards/matches. Tournament standings based on overall scores.

Overtrick: A trick beyond what you bid. Scores points but much less than bidding and making game or slam. “We took 11 tricks in 3NT, the overtrick was worth 30.”

P

Pair: Two players playing as partners. Pair events are most common.

Pair Game: A tournament where pairs compete against other pairs, using matchpoint scoring.

Part Score: A contract below game (1NT, 2♥, 3♣, etc.). Scores 50 bonus in duplicate. Wrote partial score toward game in rubber bridge. See Scoring Basics.

Percentage: Your score expressed as a percent. 60% = average, 70%+ = very good, 50% = below average. Matchpoints converted to percentage for comparison.

Pick-Up Slip: The paper where you record your score after each round. Director uses these to enter results.

Plus Score: Any result where you scored points (made your contract, or defeated opponents). “We got a plus” = we won points.

Precision: Can refer to the Precision Club bidding system, but in scoring context, usually just “accurate.”

Private Score: In team games, the actual point difference (like +620 or -100). Gets converted to IMPs.

Q

Qualifying: The first stage of a two-stage event. Top scorers qualify for the final session.

R

Rank: Your ACBL or WBF standing based on masterpoints earned. Ranges from Rookie to Grand Life Master.

Rectification: An adjustment made by the director to fix an irregularity.

Redeal: Shuffling and dealing a board again, usually due to a dealing error. Director decision.

Redouble: Doubling a double. Multiplies scoring stakes again (4x original values).

Regional: A large tournament lasting multiple days, awarding gold masterpoints. Between sectional (smaller) and national (largest).

Result: The outcome of a board. “What was the result?” = How many tricks did declarer take?

Rubber: A rubber is won when one side scores two games. Completing a rubber earns a bonus (500 for two games to none, 700 for two games to one). Traditional rubber bridge scoring. See Rubber Bridge.

Rubber Bridge: Traditional form where you play continuously until one side wins two games. Different scoring than duplicate. See Rubber Bridge.

Round: A set of boards played before moving to the next position. In a club game, rounds are typically 2-3 boards.

S

Sacrifice (Sac): Deliberately bidding a contract you expect to go down because opponents could make theirs for more points. “We sacrificed in 5♠ down 2 vulnerable (-500) against their making 4♥ (+620). Worth it!” See Sacrifice Bidding.

Score: The points earned (or lost) on a deal. Also the cumulative points in a session or event.

Scoring Table: The chart showing point values for contracts, overtricks, undertricks, bonuses, etc. Every bridge player should memorize the basics. See Scoring Basics.

Scratch: Starting with zero carryover points. “Scratch Swiss” = each match starts fresh.

Sectional: A weekend tournament awarding silver (or red/silver) masterpoints. Larger than club games, smaller than regionals.

Session: A single sitting of bridge, usually 24-26 boards over 3-3.5 hours. Many events have multiple sessions.

Set: Defeated the contract. “We set them one trick” = they went down one.

Side Game: A tournament game running alongside the main event, for those knocked out or not entered.

Slam: A contract for 12 tricks (small slam, 6-level) or 13 tricks (grand slam, 7-level). Earns large bonuses. See Slam Scoring.

Slam Bonus: Small slam (6-level) = 500 NV or 750 vulnerable. Grand slam (7-level) = 1000 NV or 1500 vulnerable. On top of game bonus.

Small Slam: Bidding and making 12 tricks (6-level). Bonus: 500 non-vulnerable, 750 vulnerable. See Slam Scoring.

Stratification: Dividing a tournament into skill levels (A, B, C strats) so you can win your stratum even if you don’t win overall. Common in club games.

Swiss: A team format where you play multiple short matches, paired each round against teams with similar records. Common for team events. See Swiss Teams.

T

Table: Either the physical table, or “a table” = 4 players. “We had 7 tables” = 28 players.

Takeout: Defeating a contract. “We took them out.”

Team: Usually four players (sometimes 5-6 with rotation). Team events use IMP scoring.

Team Game: Four (or more) players per team, playing against other teams. IMP scoring.

Tied: Same score as another pair or team. In matchpoints, you get 1 point for ties. In IMPs, tied match = each team gets half the victory points.

Top: The best score on a board. Maximum matchpoints. “We got a top for making 6NT.”

Tournament: Any organized competitive bridge event, from club games to nationals.

Traveler: The scoring sheet that travels with each board, showing results from other tables. In duplicate, you can see how others did on your boards.

Trick: Four cards, one from each player. Declarer needs 6 + their bid level to make contract.

Trick Score: The points earned for each trick bid and made (below the line in rubber bridge). 20 per trick for ♣/♦, 30 per trick for ♥/♠/NT (first NT = 40).

U

Undertrick: Each trick short of your contract. Costs penalty points. Non-vul doubled undertricks hurt. Vulnerable doubled undertricks REALLY hurt. See Scoring Basics.

Undertrick Penalty: Points opponents score when you go down. -50 per trick NV undoubled, -100 per trick vulnerable undoubled. Doubled penalties escalate quickly (see scoring table).

V

Victory Points (VPs): In Swiss teams and some other formats, IMP differences are converted to victory points on a 0-30 or 0-20 scale. Prevents huge IMP swings from dominating standings.

Void: Having no cards in a suit. Not a scoring term per se, but affects evaluation.

Vulnerable (Vul): Having a game toward rubber (rubber bridge), or designated vulnerable on the board (duplicate). Higher bonuses when you make contracts, higher penalties when you go down. See Scoring Basics.

Vul vs. Not (or “Vul/NV”): One side vulnerable, other not. Common vulnerability condition. Affects tactical decisions significantly.

W

Win: Taking the required number of tricks to make your contract. Or, winning the event overall.

WBF: World Bridge Federation. International governing body.

X-Y-Z

X: Often shorthand for “times” or “doubled.” “3NTX” = 3NT doubled.

XX: Redoubled.

Zero: The worst possible matchpoint score. A bottom. “We got a zero on that board.”

Scoring Quick Reference

Contract Values (Per Trick Bid & Made)

  • Minors (♣/♦): 20 points per trick
  • Majors (♥/♠): 30 points per trick
  • Notrump: First trick = 40, additional = 30

Game Requirements

  • Notrump: 3NT (9 tricks) = 100 points → GAME
  • Majors: 4♥ or 4♠ (10 tricks) = 120 points → GAME
  • Minors: 5♣ or 5♦ (11 tricks) = 100 points → GAME

Bonuses (Duplicate/Chicago)

  • Partscore: 50 points
  • Game, non-vulnerable: 300 points
  • Game, vulnerable: 500 points
  • Small slam, non-vulnerable: 500 points (+ game bonus)
  • Small slam, vulnerable: 750 points (+ game bonus)
  • Grand slam, non-vulnerable: 1000 points (+ game bonus)
  • Grand slam, vulnerable: 1500 points (+ game bonus)
  • Making doubled contract: +50 (“insult”)
  • Making redoubled contract: +100

Overtricks (Undoubled)

  • Non-vulnerable: Same as trick value (20/30)
  • Vulnerable: Same as trick value (20/30)

Overtricks (Doubled)

  • Non-vulnerable: 100 per overtrick
  • Vulnerable: 200 per overtrick

Undertricks (Non-Vulnerable, Undoubled)

  • Each trick down: -50

Undertricks (Vulnerable, Undoubled)

  • Each trick down: -100

Undertricks (Doubled, Non-Vulnerable)

  • First: -100
  • Second & Third: -200 each
  • Fourth+: -300 each

Undertricks (Doubled, Vulnerable)

  • First: -200
  • Second+: -300 each

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