PART-SCORE, GAME, & SLAM REQUIREMENTS

Note: - This is not a definitive statement on scoring; it is merely an appreciation to assist in reaching the correct contract.

Definitions

When you win the auction, positive scoring commences when you win the seventh trick. The scale of scoring from the seventh trick onwards is as follows:

♣/♦      -           20 points

♥/♠      -           30 points

NT      -           40 for first trick; 30 for subsequent tricks

If you make a contract and your final score is less than 100, you are deemed to have made a part score, for which a bonus of 50 points is given.

So 1♣ + 2 (i.e. nine tricks) is scored (20 x 3) + 50 = 110 points.

If you call and make a contract for which the basic score is 100 or more, you are deemed to have made game, for which there is a bonus of 300 if not vulnerable and 500 if vulnerable (this is instead of the 50 bonus for part-scores).

Game contracts are:    3NT; 4♥; 4♠; 5♣; 5♦, or more (but less than six).                  

So 3NT + 2 vulnerable (i.e. 11 tricks) is scored as 40 + (30 x 4) + 500 = 660

(Note: you must call the game contract to get the 300 or 500 bonus. 1NT + 4 (160 points), whilst scoring more than 100, only gets the part-score bonus of 50 – i.e. total 210 points).

If you call a small slam i.e. 6♣; 6♦; 6♥; 6♠; 6NT you get a further bonus (i.e. in addition to the game bonus) of 500 points not-vulnerable and 750 points vulnerable.

So 6♥ not-vulnerable (i.e. 12 tricks) is scored as (30 x 6) + 300 + 500 = 980

If you call a grand slam i.e. 7♣; 7♦; 7♥; 7♠; 7NT you get further bonus (i.e. in addition to the game bonus) of 1000 points not-vulnerable and 1500 points vulnerable.

So 7NT vulnerable (i.e. 13 tricks) is scored as 40 + (30 x 6) + 500 + 1500 = 2220

At this stage of learning, don’t worry about the consequences of doubling or re-doubling. These implications will be considered with more experience.

Requirements

The requirements for the various levels are only approximate, and will be influenced by a number of factors: suit lengths and shortages; experience; card playing ability; opponent’s ability. Only high-card points should be considered for no-trump contracts, but distributional points should also be considered for suit contracts.

Guideline combined point levels are: 

Part Score- 20 - 24 points

Game (No-Trumps, Majors- 25 – 32 points

Game (Minors)- 27 – 32 points           (11 tricks)

Small Slam- 33 – 35 points           (12 tricks)

Grand Slam- 36+ points                 (13 tricks)

AFH