If you’ve ever looked at bridge results or analysis, you’ve probably seen something like “par is 4♥ by NS making” or “par is 3NT by EW down one.” For many players, the term par contract feels abstract or intimidating.
In reality, it’s a practical concept—and a useful one—once you understand its limits.
What a par contract is
A par contract represents the best achievable result for both sides, assuming perfect bidding and optimal defense.
In simple terms:
it answers the question: what would happen if both sides made the best possible decisions?
it balances gains and sacrifices between the two partnerships
Par doesn’t describe what should happen at your table. It describes what could happen if neither side lets the other get away with anything.
Par is about competition, not prediction
This is important: par is not a forecast of what most tables will do.
Most players don’t bid or defend perfectly. That’s why real results often differ—sometimes significantly—from par.
To understand why outcomes vary so much, it helps to read:
Why the Same Hand Scores Differently at Different Tables
Why par can feel confusing
Par contracts often involve:
sacrifices
doubled contracts
unusual-looking results
That’s because par assumes both sides push each other to the limit. If one side can make game, the other may be better off sacrificing. If a sacrifice is too expensive, the contract changes again.
The result can look odd, but it reflects the balance of the hand, not common practice.
What par does not tell you
Par does not tell you:
whether you bid well
whether your contract was sensible
whether your play was good
A table result can be far from par and still score very well if others did even worse.
That’s why par is most useful as a reference point, not a judgment.
Par and duplicate bridge
In duplicate bridge, your score depends on how your result compares to others, not on how close you were to par.
You can score a top with a contract that’s technically inferior to par, simply because most tables reached something worse.
This is why understanding duplicate scoring is crucial: Duplicate Bridge Explained Simply
Using par the right way
Par is best used:
after the hand, not during it
as a learning tool, not a goal
to understand the theoretical limits of a deal
When combined with table-by-table comparison, par helps explain why certain results dominate, and others don’t.
Par as a different kind of challenge
Most of the time, bridge is about comparing your result to other tables. That’s the heart of duplicate bridge, and it’s usually the most meaningful comparison.
That said, par can also be interesting as a separate kind of benchmark. Instead of asking “how did others do?”, you ask: how close did we get to the theoretical best outcome?
Some modern tools, like Bridge@Home, deliberately include game modes where players can compare their result directly to par. This isn’t meant to replace table comparison, but to add variety. Competing against par can highlight different aspects of bidding and play, and it encourages players to think about the limits of a hand.
Used this way, par becomes less of an abstract concept and more of an engaging reference point.
The practical takeaway
Par contracts describe perfection. Bridge, however, is played by humans.
Your real question isn’t “did we reach par?”
It’s “how did our result compare to everyone else?”
Sometimes that comparison is against other tables. Sometimes it’s against par itself. Both can be useful—as long as you understand what each one is telling you.