international match point
C2Technical
Definition
Meaning
A unit of scoring used in bridge tournaments involving competitors from different countries, awarded for winning a specific match or achieving a high rank.
A precise term from the card game bridge denoting a point awarded within an international scoring system (often called IMPs) for performance against foreign opponents, which is then converted for ranking in international team events.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
A highly specific compound noun from the specialized vocabulary of contract bridge. It is not synonymous with a generic 'match point' in sports. Its meaning is entirely tied to the official scoring systems of world bridge federations.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. The term is standardized by the World Bridge Federation. Spelling follows local conventions ('international' vs. no difference).
Connotations
Identical technical connotation in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally rare outside of bridge communities in both regions. Usage is confined to tournament players, officials, and commentators.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The team earned [NUMBER] international match points.Victory was decided by international match points.The result was converted into international match points.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not used.
Academic
Potentially used in papers on game theory or tournament design, but highly specific.
Everyday
Never used in general conversation.
Technical
The primary context. Used in bridge rulebooks, tournament bulletins, live commentary, and post-match analysis.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The international-match-point standings were published online.
- They use an international-match-point format.
American English
- The international match point results were tabulated.
- It was an international match point event.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The tournament winner is the team with the most international match points.
- How are international match points calculated after each round?
- Despite losing the final match, their consistent performance earned them enough international match points to secure second place overall.
- The complexity of converting board results into international match points favours teams that win by large margins.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of an INTERNATIONAL sporting MATCH where the final POINT decides the world champion. In bridge, this 'point' is a calculated unit, not a single play.
Conceptual Metaphor
SCORING UNITS ARE OBJECTS OF VALUE (to be earned, collected, and totaled).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'match' as 'матч' in a general sports sense; here it is specifically a 'встреча' or 'партия' in bridge.
- Do not confuse with 'очко' (point) used in wider sports; this is a precise 'балл' or 'очко за международный матч'.
Common Mistakes
- Using it to refer to a crucial point in a tennis or football match between countries.
- Treating it as two separate concepts ('an international match' and 'a point'). It is a fixed compound noun.
- Pronouncing it without the clear compound stress pattern /ˌɪn.təˌnæʃ.ən.əl ˈmætʃ ˌpɔɪnt/.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would you exclusively encounter the term 'international match point'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, they are entirely different. In tennis, 'match point' is a moment where one player can win the entire match. In bridge, 'international match point' (IMP) is a unit of scoring in team tournaments.
Yes, it is almost always abbreviated to 'IMP' (pronounced as individual letters: I-M-P) within the bridge community. For example, 'They won by 12 IMPs.'
Effectively, yes. The term has no meaningful application outside the specific scoring systems of duplicate bridge tournaments, particularly those of an international nature.
It can be found as an open compound ('international match point'), especially as a noun. It may be hyphenated when used attributively as a compound modifier (e.g., 'international-match-point score'), but practices vary. 'IMP' is the most common written form.