ACTUAL V EXPECTED SCORE
Playing social (rubber) bridge with ex-colleagues, at the end of a session, one partnership would point to the difference in contract points and claim a victory, if that partnership had more contract points than the opposing one. No account was taken of the high card points that might have led to the claimed victory. It seemed a crude way of determining which partnership actually won.
For a bit of fun (and a challenge), I decided to try to find a more objective and scientific way of determining which partnership won each session, based on the cards dealt. I have attempted to make a correlation between the total partnership high card points and the notional contract that might be expected to be made. No account has been taken of distribution. As an example, with a combined point count of 23 points, it might be realistic to think that 90 contract points are achievable (eg 2C or 2D). Holding 25 high card points, 140 contract points are hypothetically achievable playing 3 Hearts or 3 Spades, but 400 or 600 (non-vulnerable/vulnerable) playing in 3NT. The table making these (subjective!) correlations can be easily edited in the database.
Quite simply, using the database, one would need to input each player’s points, the contract played, by whom and the number of under/overtricks. The computer would then generate a report: it compares the actual score for each board with the expected score. The partnership making a contract with fewer than the expected high card points (eg making 3NT on 23 points or 2C on 19) would profit by scoring higher than expected. Conversely, the partnership failing to make an expected contract with the “appropriate” number of high card points would be penalised and score lower than expected.
This is the basis for the database file.
A sample printout can be viewed on the page "Sample Access report".
Notes
The file runs on Microsoft Access 2010. I would assume that it works on later and probably slightly earlier versions.
A basic knowledge of using a database (and preferably Microsoft Access) would be useful, but not essential.
I have simplified the database file to make it more accessible. For the actual file I use, I have produced reports that, over all the sessions played, analyse each player’s performance, total his/her individual bonus, Imps (if recorded), and displays partnership success rates etc.. For those with a knowledge of Access, other reports can be created relatively easily.
I am not a programmer! Although the programme works, I am well aware that the Visual Basic coding could be streamlined and made much more efficient.
People say, with reason, that I ought to get a life! However, it does give me enormous pleasure at the end of one of our social sessions to input the data (for 20 boards it takes about 5 minutes) and see what the computer “thinks” of each player’s efforts.
If anyone decides to use this database file, which is free of charge, I hope it gives you as much satisfaction and pleasure as it does me. I have used it for a number of years now, without the slightest problem. However, I cannot accept responsibility for any problems which may arise in its use by others..
Ken Topham