BAROMETER PAIRS
The Barometer Pairs
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. The director and his staff will have pre-duplicated many sets
of boards prior to the game. Quite often each table will have its own set of boards;
equally often two or three tables will share one 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 director retrieves the score tickets
and enters them immediately. Quite often the scores will be 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.
BRIDGE+ PAIRS
The Bridge Plus+ Pairs
is specially designed for new players who have just finished taking a series of lessons.
The bridge is very relaxed. The director, who often also was the teacher, is available
to answer questions and offer assistance.
CHARITY PAIRS
The Charity Pairs is
a regular pair game, the only difference being that a minimum amount of the proceeds
from the selling of entries is earmarked for a specified charity, such as the ACBL
Charity Foundation.
CONSOLATION PAIRS
Some multi-session
pair games have qualifying sessions instead of being play-through. A certain number
of pairs in each group qualify to play in the final session or sessions. Usually
a special game for non-qualifiers is run alongside the final. This game, a regular
pair game as far as movement and scoring are concerned, is called a consolation.
CONTINUOUS PAIRS
The Continuous Pairs
game is always a multi-session event. Each session is a regular pair game, and awards
are given for each individual session. In addition, there are overall awards for
those who perform best during the various sessions. Each individual receives credit
for his best two scores, and the overall ranking is done from these figures. Each
player may play with as many different partners as there are sessions since the overall
standings are determined on an individual basis.
Continuous Pairs must consist of three or more
sessions. At North American Championships, session awards are paid in reds, but overall
awards incorporating the scores from all sessions are paid in gold points. Masterpoint
awards are based on the formula for a two-session open event.
FAST PAIRS
In the Fast Pairs game the
speed of play is increased by a major factor. Instead of the usual seven to eight
minutes allowed to play each board, the game is set up so that boards must be completed
in five minutes. Sometimes this permits more boards to be played; more often this
type of game results in a game finishing at an earlier time. Such a game often is
called a SPEEDBALL PAIRS.
FLIGHTED PAIRS
The event is broken
down into two or three fields based on masterpoints. Each field competes as a separate
event. The flight for which a pair is eligible is determined by the masterpoint holding
of the player with the more masterpoints. Pairs may opt to play in a higher category
but not in a lower one.
Often, but not always, the breakdown is as
follows: Flight A --- 0 to infinity; B --- 0-750; C --- 0-300. All pairs are eligible
to compete in Flight A; only pairs with fewer than 750 points (Flight B limit) are
eligible to play in Flight B; only pairs with fewer than 300 points (Flight C limit)
are eligible to play in Flight C. Pairs eligible for Flight A only may compete in
Flight A only.
Masterpoints are awarded based on the number
of tables in the flight entered added to the number of tables in all lower flights.
FORTY-NINER PAIRS
This is an otherwise
open event, but all players must have fewer than 50 masterpoints.
HANDICAP PAIRS
The Handicapped Pairs
is conducted like an open pairs game, but the scoring method is different. The game
produces two sets of winners, scratch and handicap. The scratch standings are the
same as they would be in an open game. However, the handicap standings are based
on the scratch score plus handicaps that are awarded to make the event more evenly
contested.
The handicap can be figured in either of two
ways. First, it can be based on the players' ranks (a measure of expertise), with
more matchpoints awarded the lower the rank. Second, it can be based on recent performance
as compiled either by the director or the computer. Full awards are given for scratch
scores that place overall, 50% awards are given for handicap scores that place overall.
A pair that is eligible for matchpoints both scratch and handicap receives the higher
of the two awards, not both.
IMP PAIRS
An IMP Pairs event is played
like a regular pair event but is scored in a totally different way. A basic score
is set for each board, usually an average of all the scores compiled on that board.
Sometimes the top and bottom scores are eliminated before the average is taken so
that extreme scores will have less impact on the average. Then your score is algebraically
compared with the average and translated into International Matchpoints (IMPs) according
to the IMP formula. The IMP scale is printed on the ACBL convention card.
INSTANT MATCHPOINT PAIRS
A very special
method of scoring is used for the Instant Matchpoint Pairs, a rare event. It is run
only three times annually by the ACBL.
Identical hands are played throughout the ACBL
(throughout the world in the World-wide Pairs). As soon as the hand is played, the
players can learn their Instant Matchpoint result by looking at the traveling score.
All hands are scored IN ADVANCE. A good-looking program book is distributed to all
players at the conclusion of the game in which each and every hand is thoroughly
analyzed by an expert.
JUNIOR PAIRS
Both members of all pairs
must be under 26 years of age in order to compete in the Junior Pairs. It is run
along the lines of an open pairs.
LIFE MASTER PAIRS
All contestants must
be Life Masters.
MASTER PAIRS
A Masters Pairs is usually
run in conjunction with a Non-Master Pairs. An arbitrary lower limit of masterpoints
is set, and at least one member of every pair must have at least that number of masterpoints.
The game itself is run along the lines of an open pairs.
MEN'S PAIRS
All pairs must consist
of two men.
MIXED PAIRS
All pairs must consist
of one man and one woman.
NEWCOMER PAIRS
A Newcomers Pairs, which
is run along the lines of an open pairs, is for new players only. Usually the upper
masterpoint limit is 5.
NEWPLICATE PAIRS
Another name for NEWCOMER
PAIRS.
NINETY-NINER PAIRS
All players must
have fewer than 100 masterpoints.
NON-MASTER PAIRS
A Non-Masters Pairs
is usually run in conjunction with a Master Pairs. An arbitrary upper limit of masterpoints
is set, and both members of every pair must have that number of masterpoints or fewer.
The game itself is run along the lines of an open pairs.
NOVICE PAIRS
Only new and inexperienced
players are eligible to play in the Novice Pairs. Usually there is an upper masterpoint
limit. Often this limit is 5 or 10 matchpoints, but it could be 20 or even 50.
ONE-NINETY-NINER PAIRS
All players
must have fewer than 200 masterpoints.
OPEN PAIRS
Any two players can compete
as partners --- no restrictions of any kind.
PRO-AM PAIRS
One member of each pair
is a top-flight player, the pro, so to speak, and the other is a new or relatively
new player, the amateur. The purpose is to enable the new player to meet and get
to know some of the better players in the area. The new player also gets the benefit
of good advice and tips from his or her "pro". The game itself is run along
the lines of an open pairs.
SENIOR PAIRS
Both members of each pair
must be at least 55 years old.
SPEEDBALL PAIRS
The speed of such games
is increased dramatically. Instead of the usual seven to eight minutes allowed to
play each board, the game is set up so that boards must be completed in five minutes.
Sometimes this permits more boards to be played; more often this type of game results
in a game finishing at an earlier time. Such a game often is called a FAST PAIRS.
Except that the rounds are shorter, the game is run along the lines of an open pairs.
STRATIFIED PAIRS
This type of game
is different from most others because it produces more than one set of winners. The
field is divided into two or three strata, each with a predetermined maximum and
minimum masterpoint limitation. The tournament directors attempt to seed the field
in such a manner that approximately equal numbers of players from each stratum are
competing in each direction. During the course of the event, pairs from each strata
play pairs from all other strata.
All pairs in the event are ranked when computing
the overalls in the top stratum. The pairs in the top stratum are then eliminated
and a second set of rankings is determined for the pairs remaining. Next the pairs
in the second stratum are also eliminated and a third ranking is done for the third
stratum. It is possible for pairs in the second and third strata to place in a higher
stratum, but pairs in the top stratum are eligible for awards only in the top stratum.
The stratum in which a pair plays is determined
by the member of the pair who has the most masterpoints. Unlike flighted events,
pairs do not have a choice of strata --- they are automatically placed in the lowest
stratum for which they are eligible.
The game is run like an ordinary open pairs,
although usually the field is carefully seeded so that each Strat A pair plays against
all Strat A pairs in the section against which they are competing.
STRATIFIED BY EXPERTISE PAIRS
A preset
limit on masterpoints is set. If both members of the partnership are over the limit,
they are in Strat A. If one is over and one is under, they are in Strat B. If both
are under, then the pair is in Strat C. Otherwise the conditions are similar to those
of regular STRATIFIED PAIRS.
STRATIFLIGHTED PAIRS
The Stratiflighted
Pairs is almost identical to a STRATIFIED PAIRS with one major difference. The pairs
in the top flight compete in a separate event, totally apart from the other strata
(two or three strats). The top flight can be divided into two strata if preferred.
The remaining pairs play a stratified game handled exactly like a Stratified Pairs.
In other words, there are two games, both of which are run along the lines of an
open pairs.
SWISS PAIRS
The Swiss Pairs is run
along the lines of a Swiss Teams. Pairs play against each other in short matches,
with various methods of scoring determining the winner. As in Swiss Teams, pairs
with approximately the same records are paired against each other for subsequent
matches.
This type of event has not proved popular and
is seldom used at tournaments today.
UNMIXED PAIRS
All pairs consist of
either two men or two women, no mixed-gender pairs.
TEAM OF TWO PAIRS
Both of a team's
two pairs sit in the same direction in different sections in this unusual type of
pair event. Everyone plays a session of matchpoint duplicate, just like a pair game.
Of each team's two results on a board, only
the better is entered to determine the matchpoint score. Naturally the score not
used for your team is the "better" score for your opponents.
Strategy is necessary to maximize potential
matchpoints. To be successful, a team should not play or defend the same contract
or make the same play at both tables. In other words, the methods used by the two
pairs should be different to increase the possibility of a favorable result.
This event is usually sanctioned only at sectionals.
TWO-NINETY-NINER PAIRS
All pairs consist
of players who have fewer than 300 masterpoints.
WOMEN'S PAIRS
All pairs consist of
two women. The game is run along the lines of an open pairs.
This type of event is fast becoming very popular
with tournament and club players. Like a pair event, players compete as pairs. A
team can consist of four, five or six players, but only four team members ever play
at the same time.
Here is how a team game works. Two members
of your team, playing as a partnership, sit North-South at one table. Two other members
of your team, also playing as a partnership, sit East-West at a different table.
The two pairs from the opposing team fill the empty spots at the two tables. During
the course of a match, exactly the same boards are played at both tables.
Since results are achieved at both tables on
exactly the same boards, a comparison of results is possible. Scoring is done by
comparing the results, but the methods of scoring vary according to the type of team
game being played.
The three basic types of team games are Swiss,
knockout and board-a-match. A fourth type, a round-robin teams, also is sometimes
held. A round-robin, however, really is a special case of Swiss teams.
SWISS TEAMS
For many years Swiss Teams
has been the most popular form of team event, but in recent years it is being overtaken
by Knockout Teams. A Swiss event is a partial round-robin set up in such a way that
winners play winners and losers play losers. It is based on the Swiss concept that
governs play in most chess tournaments.
After each round, the game directors sort the
team records and set up new matches between teams of approximately equal records.
In general, teams are not permitted to play against each other more than once.
The length of matches is determined by the
size of the field and the number of sessions. The most common match length is seven
boards, but five, six, eight and nine are not uncommon.
At the end of a match, the East-West pair return
to their home table where they compare their scores with their teammates. The event
is scored on International Matchpoints (IMPs). This is a special conversion system
designed to translate totals into a scoring system that gives fairer comparisons.
The IMP scale is printed on the ACBL convention card.
To figure the score, the algebraic difference
is taken on each board and then translated into IMPs. When all the boards have been
scored, the pluses and minuses are added. If the total is a plus, that team is the
winner; if the total is a minus, that team is a loser.
There are three different ways to compute the
final score of a match. These scoring methods will be covered in BOARD-A-MATCH SWISS
TEAMS, VICTORY POINT SWISS TEAMS and WIN-LOSS SWISS TEAMS.
Sometimes the field for a Swiss teams is very
small. Quite often in such a situation the game is changed into a full round-robin.
Each team plays every other team in a short match. The winner is determined in the
same manner as in a Swiss teams. The same types of scoring used in Swiss teams are
used in a round-robin event.
KNOCKOUT TEAMS
The name of this event
is most apropos --- the winners advance to the next round and the losers are knocked
out of the competition. There are many kinds of knockout events, but basically they
come down to this --- two teams face each other in head-to-head competition, and
only one survives. There are variations on this theme, but the above explanation
fits the vast majority of knockout situations.
The setup is similar to Swiss Teams in that
two members of your team sit North-South at one table and two others are East-West
at a different table. The team against which you are playing fills the other four
seats at the two tables.
Knockout matches usually are much longer than
Swiss matches --- 24 boards is common but sometimes it is as many as 64. After the
match is finished, the East-West pairs return to their home tables to compare scores.
Once again the International Matchpoint Scale is used, just as in Swiss Teams. The
team with the greater number of IMPs is the winner and advances to play in the next
round. The losers are no longer in the event.
Specific conditions of contest may vary. Each
team has a responsibility to be aware of the conditions and to conform accordingly.
BOARD-A-MATCH TEAMS
Board-a-Match Teams
is the toughest type of event in tournament bridge, which may account for its lack
of popularity. A team plays a small number of boards against one opponent --- usually
two, three or four --- then moves on to take on another opponent. The movement is
set up in such a way that your team always plays any given board against two opposition
pairs of the same team. Often the movement is similar to the Mitchell movement used
in pair games, but with some major differences that are always explained by the tournament
director.
At the end of a session, the members of a team
gather to compare scores. Each board is scored separately as a win, a tie or a loss.
The reason why the game is so tough is that
EVERY board is equally important. Some boards in Swiss and knockout events are not
all that important --- very little may be at stake. But every board in a board-a-match
game is worth one full matchpoint, and a high degree of concentration is necessary
throughout every board of a session.
All special team games are forms of one of
the three basic types above. Here are definitions of the special games.
BOARD-A-MATCH SWISS TEAMS
The basic
formula for the way in which Board-a-Match Swiss Teams is conducted can be found
under SWISS TEAMS at the beginning of this chapter. The difference between this type
of Swiss teams event and others is the method of scoring.
The scoring for this type of event is radically
different from the other two forms of Swiss teams. After play is finished and the
team compares scores, one matchpoint is awarded for each board won and half a matchpoint
for each board tied. The margin of difference on any board is of no consequence,
winning a board by 10 is the same as winning a board by 4000, it's one. This type
of game is rare. Occasionally it is run at a North American Championship, but seldom
elsewhere.
BRACKETED KNOCKOUT TEAMS
Some method
of seeding based on ability and experience is used to divide the total field into
two or more groups. The breakdown is according to the average masterpoints of all
players on each team. Each bracket comprises a separate event with its own masterpoint
awards. There is no interplay between brackets.
The size of each bracket and the number of
brackets depend on the number of teams entered. The purpose of bracketing is to establish
groups within which each team is competitive.
COMPACT KNOCKOUT TEAMS
The usual match
in a knockout event runs for at least one full session. However, in a compact event,
the matches are shortened so that two matches can be played in one session, with
just four players per team. This makes it possible to determine a winner in a 16-team
game in just two sessions. This means the entire event can be finished in one day.
FLIGHTED TEAMS
An event that is broken
down into two or three fields based on masterpoints. Each field competes as a separate
event. The flight for which a team is eligible is determined by the masterpoint holding
of the player with the most masterpoints. Teams may opt to play in a higher classification
but not in a lower one. Often the breakdown is as follows:
Flight A: |
|
0 to infinity |
Flight B: |
|
0-750 |
Flight C: |
|
0-300 |
All teams are eligible to compete in Flight
A; only teams with fewer than 750 points for each player (Flight B limit) are eligible
to play in Flight B; only teams with fewer than 300 points for each player (Flight
C limit) are eligible to play in Flight C. Teams eligible for Flight A only may compete
in Flight A only.
FORTY-NINER TEAMS
All players have
fewer than 50 masterpoints.
HANDICAP KNOCKOUT TEAMS
A handicap
is assigned to each team based on a formula that takes experience and ability into
consideration. The handicap is in the form of International Matchpoints (IMPs) and
is added to the IMP total of the less experienced team. The winner is determined
by the score AFTER the handicap has been added in.
JUNIOR TEAMS
All members are younger
than 26.
KO TEAMS
A shortened form of KNOCKOUT
TEAMS.
MASTER TEAMS
A Masters Teams usually
run in conjunction with a Non-Master Teams. An arbitrary lower limit of masterpoints
is set, and at least one member of each team must have at least that number of masterpoints.
MEN'S TEAMS
All members of every team
are men.
MINI-KNOCKOUT TEAMS
The Mini-Knockout
Teams consists of a series of very short matches. It is designed to produce a winner
in just one session of play. It often is played as a midnight game at regionals and
NABCs. It's often called a Lose and Snooze Teams because the winners play on while
the losers can get to bed a little earlier.
MIXED TEAMS
A Mixed Team comprises
at least two men and two women. The maximum number of team members is six, and the
breakdown by gender must be as even as possible --- for instance, with a six-player
team three must be men and three must be women. The team at all times must field
mixed pairs --- at no time may a pair consist of two men or two women. The event
can be a knockout, a board-a-match or a Swiss.
NON-MASTER TEAMS
A Non-Masters Teams
is usually run in conjunction with a Master Teams. An arbitrary upper limit of masterpoints
is set, and all members of each team must have no more than that number of masterpoints.
NINETY-NINER TEAMS
All members of every
team have fewer than 100 masterpoints. The event usually is run either as a Swiss
or a knockout.
NOVICE TEAMS
All members of every team
have fewer than a previously determined number of masterpoints. The event usually
is run either as a Swiss or a knockout.
ONE-NINETY-NINER TEAMS
All members
of every team have fewer than 200 masterpoints. The event can be run as any one of
the three basic types listed at the beginning of this web page.
OPEN TEAMS
In an Open Teams there are
no restrictions on the makeup of the teams --- except the numerical limit is six.
The event can be run as one of the three basic types.
RANDOM DRAW KNOCKOUT TEAMS
The teams
that remain in competition are paired for their next match by means of a random draw.
Typically all the possible positions are written on slips of paper, and the captain
of each team draws his next assignment at the time he reports his winning match result.
The pairings for the first match also are random.
ROUND-ROBIN TEAMS
All teams play a
match against each other team in the field. Usually IMPs are translated into Victory
Points for each match, and the team with the most Victory Points is the winner. The
win-loss system also is sometimes used.
SENIOR TEAMS
All members of every team
are at least 55 years old. The event can be run as any one of the three basic types
listed at the beginning of this web page.
SPEEDBALL SWISS TEAMS
Speed of play
is a major factor. Each match consists of five boards, and an average of only five
minutes per board is allowed for play, 25 minutes per round. Usually five rounds
are played, and the event sometimes is called a five-five-five Swiss. This event
frequently is a late-night game during a section, regional or NABC. It is sometimes
flighted or stratified.
STRATIFIED TEAMS
A Swiss Team event
that produces more than one set of winners. The event is run along exactly the same
lines as an Open Swiss Teams. Any team may be paired against teams from any of the
other brackets.
The only difference comes in the rankings.
First overall in the top stratum is determined by comparing all scores. Then the
scores from the top stratum are eliminated and a second ranking takes place for the
remaining teams. Next the scores from the second stratum are eliminated and a third
ranking takes place.
It is possible for teams in the second and
third strata to place in a higher stratum, but teams in the top stratum are eligible
for awards only in the top stratum.
The stratum in which a team plays is determined
by the player who has the greater number of masterpoints. Teams do not have a choice
of strata --- they are automatically placed in the lowest strata for which they are
eligible.
STRATIFLIGHTED TEAMS
A Stratiflighted
Teams is almost identical to a STRATIFIED TEAMS, with one major difference --- the
teams in the top stratum compete in a separate event, totally apart from the other
strata. The top flight can be divided into two strata if preferred. The remaining
teams play a stratified game handled exactly like a Stratified Teams.
UNMIXED TEAMS
Each pair consists of
either two men or two women.
UNSEEDED KNOCKOUT TEAMS
Another name
for RANDOM DRAW KNOCKOUT TEAMS.
TWO-NINETY-NINER TEAMS
All members
of every team have fewer than 300 masterpoints. The event can be run as any one of
the three basic team categories as listed at the beginning of this chapter.
VICTORY POINT SWISS TEAMS
The basic
formula for the way in which this game is conducted can be found under SWISS TEAMS
at the beginning of this web page. The difference between this type of Swiss Teams
event and others is the method of scoring.
Up to a point, it's the same as Win-Loss scoring.
The boards are IMPed and an algebraic sum is arrived at. However, this figure is
then translated into Victory Points according to a formula worked out in advance.
Subsequent matches are paired according to a team's Victory Point total, not according
to its win-loss record. Overall rankings are based on Victory totals. The 20-point
and 30-point Victory Point scales are printed on the ACBL convention card.
WIN-LOSS SWISS TEAMS
The basic formula
for the way in which the Win-Loss Swiss Teams is conducted can be found under SWISS
TEAMS at the beginning of this web page. The difference between this type of Swiss
Teams event and others is the method of scoring.
This is the usual method of scoring. A team
compiles its results and determines whether the total is plus or minus. If the total
is plus 3 or more, the match is deemed won and the team receives one matchpoint.
If the total is plus 1 or plus 2, the team receives three-quarters of a matchpoint.
This result is termed a "winning tie." If both teams score exactly the
same number of IMPs, each team gets half a matchpoint. The team that loses by 1 or
2 is said to have suffered a "losing tie" and is awarded one-fourth of
a matchpoint. If the team loses by 3 or more IMPs, they are a loser and get no matchpoints.
No losing team receives masterpoints for the
match, even if they lose by only 1 or 2 IMPs. Winning teams receive full match masterpoints
even if they win by only 1 or 2 IMPs.
WOMEN'S TEAMS
All members of every
team are women. The event can be run as any one of the three basic team categories
as listed at the beginning of this web page.
ZIP KNOCKOUT TEAMS
Another name for
COMPACT KNOCKOUT TEAMS. This type of event often is staged as a midnight game at
regionals and North American Championships.
ZIP SWISS TEAMS
Another name for SPEEDBALL
SWISS TEAMS.