Master-point promotion – trial of discounted entry to Ranked Masters.

 

Questions and Answers.

 

Question 1. With reference to the Masterpoint promotion scheme, what exactly has the EBU announced?

Answer. There are two parts to the answer.

• Firstly, the EBU agreed in principle to reward promotions within the Masterpoint scale by offering discounts on the entry fee to appropriate competitions.
• Secondly, the EBU announced a trial of the scheme for the Ranked Masters event in March 2009. Following its success, it is being extended in 2010;  details are covered in questions below.

 

Question 2. Why are the EBU running this scheme?

Answer. The scheme has 3 objectives: –

• to reward members who achieve a qualifying promotion with rather more than a certificate and sometimes a pen,
• to promote the Masterpoint programme
• to stimulate interest in EBU events which promoted members might otherwise  not have considered.

 

Question 3. What are the main elements of the trial?

Answer. There are 4 parts to the trial:-

• Promotion to one of the ranks detailed below
• 50% discount on the entry fee to the relevant event in the 2010 Ranked Masters
• Promotion achieved in the calendar year 2009, and registered prior to any discount claim.
• Eligible members unable to take advantage of the discount in 2009 may opt to play in the same event in 2010 for the same 50% discount

 

Question 4. Which promotions are eligible for the trial?

Answer. There are 4 categories.

• Promotion to Master (your 1st 5000 local points) to play in the Masters pairs (Ann Staveley trophy)
• Promotion to Premier Master (your 1st 10 Green Points) to play either in the Masters event (Ann Staveley trophy) or with a Regional or Premier Regional Master in the Regional Masters pairs (St Dunstan’s plate)
• Promotion to Regional Master (your 1st 25 Green points) to play in the Regional Masters pairs (St Dunstan’s plate)
• Promotion to National Master (your 1st 75 Green points) to play in the National Masters pairs (Bridge Magazine Cup)

 

Note. If you have sufficient local points, you may be promoted directly to Star Premier Master and Star Regional Master. Such promotions are eligible, because it is the achievement of the requisite Green Points that matters. On the other hand, promotions to Star Premier Master from Premier Master, or to Star Regional Master from Regional Master are not eligible for the trial.

 

Question 5. What if I’ve had more than one eligible promotion in 2009

Answer. Congratulations. For the purposes of the trial, only one promotion will be discounted.

 

Question 6. How were the 4 ranks for the trial chosen?

Answer. It was decided that an early trial was desirable and the Ranked Masters was selected as the most suitable event. As a proportion of eligible members, the Regional Masters and Masters events have had the lowest attendance in recent years so these became the target events for the trial.

 

Question 7. What is the likelihood that other ranks will have similar opportunities?

Answer. This depends on the success of the trial, which initially will be assessed on take up of the discount. It will be for the Tournament Committee to decide, but equitable treatment of all members would suggest that the principle in some form should be made available to all.

 

Question 8 With whom can I play?

Answer. The regulations of the Ranked Masters event apply. You may play with any eligible member. Note, however that, unless they are entitled to a discount as a result of their own promotion, they will have to pay the full entry fee.

 

Question 9 How do I claim my discount?

Answer. Members should contact the EBU Competitions department (01296 317203/219) to claim their discount and at the same time to enter the Ranked Masters event.

 

Question 10. Whom should I contact for more information?

Answer. Please call the EBU Competitions Department (01296 317203/219)

 

Question 11. The EBU diary says that Butler scoring is used in all events. Please explain what it is and why it is used.

Answer. The next 3 questions set out to explain what Butler scoring is, why it is used and how to do well at it.

 

Question 12. What is Butler scoring?

Answer. Butler scoring for duplicate pairs games is an alternative method of scoring that makes a pairs event more like a teams match. Like the scoring method used for team events it is based on the use of International Matchpoints, or IMPs.

It works like this: you take all the scores on a given board, discard the top and bottom scores (in case they’re freak results) and take the average of all the others. This gives you a ‘datum’, against which all scores are measured (Think of datum = average).To the extent that your score is better or worse than the datum, your score for a board will be positive or negative. The actual numerical value is found by using the IMP chart which is on the bottom of most regular scorecards.

Example. Let’s say the datum (or average score) for a board is +100 for NS. A NS pair with 90-110 will score zero (or average) for that board. A pair with 140 will score +1 IMP (140 minus 100 = 40: and 20-40 is worth 1 IMP), a pair with 420 (= 320 better than average) will get +8 IMPs, and a score of 620 (= 520 better than average) will get you +11.

If you fall short of the datum, you get a minus score: 50 (= 150 below average) will score –2 IMPs, –100 will be –4 IMPS, and –500 (2 off, doubled vulnerable) will cost you a hefty 14 IMPs.

(Note that although best and worst results are discarded in computing the datum, they are of course used in computing your score: if you’re the only pair that bid and made the slam, you’ll still get your deserved big swing. Similarly, if you’re the only pair that went 4 down doubled, you’ll get a similar swing against you.)

Your final score is the total IMPS you have gained (or lost), with adjustments for skipped boards. An above average score will be positive, average will be around zero (rather than 50%), and minus shows a below average score.

 

Question 13. Why do we use Butler-scoring?

Answer. Many people feel that IMPs scoring is fairer than normal pairs scoring, and leads to ‘better bridge’. In pairs scoring, a freak overtrick can make the difference between an average score and a runaway top, and it is often advantageous to choose an inferior no-trump contract rather than a more suitable major game, just for the extra 10 points, which again can make a large difference to your score. With Butler scoring, these distortions disappear - the extra 10 points for no trumps doesn’t gain you a single IMP, and an overtrick is worth just 1.

It is more important to make your contract. Elegant safety plays in which a possible overtrick is sacrificed in order to ensure the contract are best avoided in pairs scoring; but with IMPs scoring, they come into their own: it would be foolish to risk going down and losing 10 IMPs by attempting to gain an overtrick reward of a single IMP.

 

Question 14. How to succeed in Butler-scored events?

Answer.

The main points are:-

• Stretch a little to bid your game and slam contracts – especially when you’re vulnerable – eg if you are fairly confident you will make three hearts, but perhaps you can make four on a successful finesse - bid 4, not 3. Note however that Six No Trumps minus one will score very, very badly compared to three no trumps ‘tick’ or three plus one or two.
• If presented with a safe choice e.g. 2 diamonds, or a rather more speculative one no trump, always strive to pick the safer choice.
• Focus on making your contract. Overtricks are nice, but not important. Unlike duplicate scoring a contract of, say, 1NT will score much the same whether it is ‘tick’ or plus 1 or 2

Avoid giving away large penalties that can cost you lots of IMPs.