Averages in manually scored Pairs events

by David Stevenson

The following question was asked:

I am going to be doing some Pairs matchpoint scoring soon, something I have not done for some years, without the aid of a computer. I cannot find any information about scoring averages, average plus/minus's etc. Can you give me a quick rundown on how it is done?

This was my reply:

When doing manual scoring, all boards should have the same average score. Any averages should be scored as pure averages and adjusted later.

Suppose top is 10 [ie 6 scores]: a normal board would be:

0 2 4 6 8 10

or if some scores are the same, something like:

1 1 4 8 8 8
or
0 3 3 6 8 10

The total is always 30, and average is 5. If a board has one average, score it as 5, and score the rest from 1 to 9 [or 9 to 1: some score from the top, most people from the bottom].

So:

1 3 5 7 9 and 5
or
2 2 6 6 9 and 5
or
1 3 7 7 7 and 5

Note that the total is still 30, and average is still 5.

If you have two averages? Then you score from 2 to 8 [or 8 to 2]. One example:

2 4 7 7 and 5 5

Note that the total is still 30, and average is still 5.

So, in general, you score upwards from the number of averages, or down from a normal top less the number of averages.

Having done all this, every board adds up to the same number, which makes a cross-check possible [and very desirable with manual scoring].

If anyone gets an average plus, then you work all the scores out first, and then add 10% of a top: similarly with average minus.

Editor's note:

• The scoring assumed is the English version where one matchpoint is available for each pair tied with, two matchpoints for every pair they beat. For North American scoring, divide all the figures in this article by two.
• If you want further help on this subject, why not write direct to David Stevenson?
• I shall be happy to help!

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