The travellers score sheets were not filled for two deals how is the scoring done

Question

The traveller score sheets were not filled up for two deals What is the scoring for the two pairs

Answer 1

An adjusted score is awarded on a board (in MatchPoints) as follows:

• The pairs playing the board are divided into two groups for each direction - a normal score group and an adjusted score group.

• The pairs in the normal score group are scored normally against each other, and a tie (ie half matchpoint) for each pair their direction in the adjusted score group.

• The pairs in the adjusted score group receive an initial score of average (equivalent to tie-ing every pair their direction in both groups). At this point the recap total is unchanged from its normal value for the movement.

• Now the scores are adjusted for all pairs in the adjusted scores group for both directions:

  • A non-offending player that has been deprived of an opportunity to receive a normal result receives (Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge - Law 88)

a minimum of 60% of the available matchpoints on each such board, or their actual percentage obtained on boards actually played if that is greater .

• A not-at-fault pair that has been potentially damaged by improper actions of the other pair at their table receives the better of 60% of the available matchpoints and their actual result. This award is termed an Average-plus.

• In very rare circumstances an artificial result will be constructed for a not-at-fault pair, in order to restore equity, and then scored normally.

• An offending player that has not been either grossly unethical or grossly negligent receives the worse of 40% of the available matchpoints on the board or their actual result. This award is termed an Average-minus.

• The recap totals must be corrected to account for the adjusted scores awarded.

• An at-fault pair that has been either grossly unethical or grossly negligent receives a matchpoint score at the discretion of the Director, subject to it being strictly less than the worse of 40% of the available matchpoints on the board or their actual result. Such an award would often be a zero score for the board.

In this case, with results being completely omitted from a traveling score but the boards having been played, an attempt should first be made to reconstruct the actual results. (Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge - Laws 82 & 84 & 85) If that is not possible for whatever reason, an adjusted score must be generated as above. For a first offense I would probably award an Average-minus to all players at the table.

It is the responsibility of all players at the table, both directions to record the traveling score properly, so the identical award must be made to all players. The only exception I would make here is for a repeat offense by experienced players against novices; in that case I would award Average-minus and a reminder to the novices, and a straight zero and reprimand to the experienced players. (Laws of DUplicate Contract Bridge - Laws 89, 90-B-7 & 91)

Note that a Director has an obligation to attempt to determine all possible relevant facts (the actual contracts and results in this case) before making any decisions. It would be quite appropriate (though not required), even once the actual scores had been retroactively determined and agreed by all parties, to assess a small procedural penalty under Law 90-B-7 against both pairs at the offending table. Such a penalty would typically be 10% of the available matchpoints on each of the two boards.