International match points (IMP) within the card game of
contract bridge
Contract bridge, or simply bridge, is a trick-taking game, trick-taking card game using a standard 52-card deck. In its basic format, it is played by four players in two Team game, competing partnerships, with partners sitting opposite each othe ...
is a
measurement
Measurement is the quantification of attributes of an object or event, which can be used to compare with other objects or events.
In other words, measurement is a process of determining how large or small a physical quantity is as compared to ...
for conversion of the absolute contract bridge scores. The total point difference between two scores is compared to a scale ranging from 1 to 24.
IMP score is used in competition bridge, including duplicate bridge (including at some online bridge websites), but rarely within any kind of companion bridge, and never if playing
rubber bridge.
Tactics at IMPs differ from those of
matchpoints and are similar to those of
rubber bridge. The declarer's primary objective is to make the contract without jeopardizing it in a quest for
overtricks; for the defense it is to defeat the contract without worrying about surrendering overtricks.
References
Contract bridge
{{Bridge-game-stub