Defender leaderboard — four facets, 2025 World Championships

Every partnership with ≥40 defended boards in each division, ranked by F4 — their trick-taking on defence scored in IMPs against the field in the identical contract on the same deal. Both partners share every board; the two columns on the right split that IMP result by which partner made the opening lead.

Source Herning 2025 · RR + KO · peers = other tables in the same contract on that deal · leave-one-out · caveat: results can't fully separate great defence from declarer error — read vs the field

F1 · tricks vs DD

Double-dummy declarer tricks − actual. Positive = you held declarer below double-dummy.

F2 · tricks vs field

Held declarer to fewer tricks than other defenders in the same contract on the deal. Pure defence in tricks.

F3 · defeating vs field

Did you defeat it − the field's set-rate for that contract. Positive = you set ones the field lets through.

F4 · IMPs vs field · on lead

The ranking. F2's trick edge in IMPs from the defending seat. The two right-hand columns show F4 only on boards where that partner led.

Worked example — every board COUTTS / MILNE defended (Open), all four facets

The pair defended 111 boards together; 99 had another table in the identical contract from the same declarer seat (the default matching, needed for F2–F4). Both partners share every board — the two on-lead columns then split F4 by who actually made the opening lead.

F1 = DD decl tricks − actual · F2 = mean(peer decl tricks) − actual · F3 = set? − field set-rate · F4 = IMP( your defenders' score − peers re-scored to the defending side of your contract )

The biggest single board — RR-r6 board 19, 2Hx× by the opponents (W), MILNE on lead

Declarer took 8 (needs 8); double-dummy 5. 3 other tables were in 2Hx×, 100% defeated it — the pair let it through.
F1 = 5 − 8 = −3 (declarer vs double-dummy)
F2 = 5.0 − 8 = −3.00 (held below the same-contract field)
F3 = made (0) − 1.00 = −1.00
F4 = IMP( your −670 − field +800 ) = −16

Full ledger — all 111 defended boards

				F1·DD	F2·tricks vs field			F3·defeating vs field			F4·IMPs vs field
Board	contract	led	decl/DD	=F1	#pr	peer trk	=F2	fld set	result	=F3	your $	fld $	=F4
RR-r11 b1	2NT E	COUTTS	9/9	+0	10	7.1	−1.90	80%	made	−0.80	−150	+21	−5
RR-r11 b2	3S E	COUTTS	6/7	+1	7	6.6	+0.57	100%	set	+0.00	+150	+121	+1
RR-r11 b5	3D E	COUTTS	10/9	−1	2	10.0	+0.00	0%	made	+0.00	−130	−130	+0
RR-r11 b7	3C E	COUTTS	10/10	+0	0	·	·	·	made	·	·	·	·
RR-r11 b8	2H W	MILNE	8/8	+0	3	8.0	+0.00	0%	made	+0.00	−110	−110	+0
RR-r11 b10	3Sx× W	MILNE	6/6	+0	0	·	·	·	set	·	·	·	·
RR-r11 b14	3NT W	MILNE	10/10	+0	5	9.8	−0.20	20%	made	−0.20	−430	−340	−3
RR-r12 b15	3NT W	MILNE	8/8	+0	1	8.0	+0.00	100%	set	+0.00	+50	+50	+0
RR-r12 b16	4S E	COUTTS	11/11	+0	18	10.6	−0.44	0%	made	+0.00	−650	−637	+0
RR-r12 b18	5D W	MILNE	11/11	+0	12	11.7	+0.67	0%	made	+0.00	−400	−413	+0
RR-r12 b19	4S W	MILNE	10/10	+0	18	9.9	−0.06	6%	made	−0.06	−620	−580	−1
RR-r12 b23	2NT E	COUTTS	7/7	+0	0	·	·	·	set	·	·	·	·
RR-r12 b24	7H W	MILNE	13/13	+0	14	13.0	+0.00	0%	made	+0.00	−1510	−1510	+0
RR-r12 b27	4H W	MILNE	12/12	+0	22	11.2	−0.77	5%	made	−0.05	−480	−437	−1
RR-r12 b28	5D E	COUTTS	9/10	+1	5	9.2	+0.20	100%	set	+0.00	+100	+90	+0
RR-r14 b15	3NT E	COUTTS	10/10	+0	23	10.7	+0.74	0%	made	+0.00	−430	−452	+1
RR-r14 b16	1NT W	MILNE	7/7	+0	10	7.8	+0.80	0%	made	+0.00	−90	−114	+1
RR-r14 b17	5D E	COUTTS	9/10	+1	0	·	·	·	set	·	·	·	·
RR-r14 b19	4H W	MILNE	10/11	+1	8	11.0	+1.00	0%	made	+0.00	−620	−650	+1
RR-r14 b20	3NT E	COUTTS	10/9	−1	15	9.7	−0.33	0%	made	+0.00	−630	−620	+0
RR-r14 b22	2S E	COUTTS	9/9	+0	17	8.8	−0.18	0%	made	+0.00	−140	−135	+0
RR-r14 b23	3NT W	MILNE	11/11	+0	20	10.8	−0.25	0%	made	+0.00	−660	−652	+0
RR-r14 b24	3C E	COUTTS	10/10	+0	6	10.0	+0.00	0%	made	+0.00	−130	−130	+0
RR-r14 b27	3C W	MILNE	8/8	+0	1	8.0	+0.00	100%	set	+0.00	+50	+50	+0
RR-r14 b28	2H W	MILNE	9/8	−1	4	7.0	−2.00	50%	made	−0.50	−140	−5	−4
RR-r15 b1	4H E	COUTTS	10/11	+1	20	9.9	−0.05	15%	made	−0.15	−420	−352	−2
RR-r15 b9	4H W	MILNE	8/8	+0	10	8.7	+0.70	100%	set	+0.00	+200	+130	+2
RR-r15 b10	5S E	COUTTS	11/11	+0	8	11.1	+0.13	0%	made	+0.00	−650	−654	+0
RR-r15 b12	6S W	MILNE	12/12	+0	20	12.0	+0.00	0%	made	+0.00	−980	−980	+0
RR-r16 b16	2NT N	COUTTS	7/8	+1	1	7.0	+0.00	100%	set	+0.00	+50	+50	+0
RR-r16 b18	3S N	COUTTS	7/8	+1	0	·	·	·	set	·	·	·	·
RR-r16 b19	6S S	MILNE	11/13	+2	12	11.7	+0.67	33%	set	+0.67	+50	−637	+12
RR-r16 b20	6H N	COUTTS	11/11	+0	16	11.6	+0.56	44%	set	+0.56	+100	−761	+13
RR-r16 b22	5Dx× S	MILNE	11/11	+0	16	11.0	+0.00	0%	made	+0.00	−550	−550	+0
RR-r16 b23	4H S	MILNE	12/11	−1	17	11.1	−0.94	0%	made	+0.00	−680	−652	−1
RR-r18 b15	4H W	MILNE	12/11	−1	18	11.0	−1.00	0%	made	+0.00	−480	−450	−1
RR-r18 b16	2D W	MILNE	9/8	−1	4	8.8	−0.25	0%	made	+0.00	−110	−105	+0
RR-r18 b21	4Sx× W	MILNE	8/7	−1	0	·	·	·	set	·	·	·	·
RR-r18 b22	3NT W	MILNE	11/10	−1	0	·	·	·	made	·	·	·	·
RR-r18 b23	4S W	MILNE	9/9	+0	5	9.0	+0.00	100%	set	+0.00	+100	+100	+0
RR-r18 b24	4H W	MILNE	8/8	+0	3	8.0	+0.00	100%	set	+0.00	+100	+100	+0
RR-r18 b26	4S E	COUTTS	10/10	+0	18	10.0	+0.00	0%	made	+0.00	−620	−620	+0
RR-r18 b27	5S W	MILNE	10/10	+0	9	10.0	+0.00	100%	set	+0.00	+50	+50	+0
RR-r18 b28	4H W	MILNE	11/11	+0	20	10.9	−0.05	0%	made	+0.00	−450	−448	+0
RR-r19 b2	3NT E	COUTTS	9/10	+1	13	9.9	+0.92	0%	made	+0.00	−400	−428	+1
RR-r19 b5	3H W	MILNE	8/8	+0	10	8.1	+0.10	90%	set	+0.10	+50	+31	+0
RR-r19 b8	3H E	COUTTS	9/8	−1	12	8.7	−0.33	33%	made	−0.33	−140	−77	−2
RR-r19 b9	4S E	COUTTS	8/8	+0	15	8.8	+0.80	80%	set	+0.20	+200	+1	+5
RR-r19 b10	6S E	COUTTS	12/13	+1	1	12.0	+0.00	0%	made	+0.00	−1430	−1430	+0
RR-r19 b14	5S E	COUTTS	9/9	+0	3	9.0	+0.00	100%	set	+0.00	+100	+100	+0
RR-r2 b15	3NT S	MILNE	11/11	+0	7	11.1	+0.14	0%	made	+0.00	−660	−664	+0
RR-r2 b16	3NT S	MILNE	6/6	+0	4	6.0	+0.00	100%	set	+0.00	+150	+150	+0
RR-r2 b18	4H N	COUTTS	12/12	+0	2	12.0	+0.00	0%	made	+0.00	−680	−680	+0
RR-r2 b19	3NT S	MILNE	12/12	+0	16	11.8	−0.19	0%	made	+0.00	−490	−484	+0
RR-r2 b22	3NT S	MILNE	11/11	+0	13	11.1	+0.08	0%	made	+0.00	−460	−462	+0
RR-r2 b23	1NT S	MILNE	7/8	+1	22	8.9	+1.86	0%	made	+0.00	−90	−146	+2
RR-r2 b24	6Sx× S	MILNE	8/8	+0	4	8.8	+0.75	100%	set	+0.00	+800	+575	+6
RR-r2 b26	3NT N	COUTTS	10/9	−1	6	9.7	−0.33	0%	made	+0.00	−630	−620	+0
RR-r2 b27	4S N	COUTTS	11/11	+0	16	11.2	+0.19	0%	made	+0.00	−450	−456	+0
RR-r20 b15	3H W	MILNE	9/8	−1	13	9.1	+0.08	0%	made	+0.00	−140	−142	+0
RR-r20 b18	3NT W	MILNE	9/9	+0	7	9.4	+0.43	0%	made	+0.00	−400	−413	+0
RR-r20 b20	3H W	MILNE	10/11	+1	1	10.0	+0.00	0%	made	+0.00	−170	−170	+0
RR-r20 b23	3NT E	COUTTS	10/11	+1	12	10.7	+0.67	0%	made	+0.00	−630	−650	+1
RR-r20 b24	4H W	MILNE	10/10	+0	5	10.0	+0.00	0%	made	+0.00	−420	−420	+0
RR-r20 b28	2D W	MILNE	7/7	+0	0	·	·	·	set	·	·	·	·
RR-r22 b18	4S N	COUTTS	10/11	+1	13	9.8	−0.23	31%	made	−0.31	−620	−401	−5
RR-r22 b19	4Cx× N	COUTTS	8/8	+0	9	8.0	+0.00	100%	set	+0.00	+300	+300	+0
RR-r22 b20	3C N	COUTTS	9/9	+0	6	9.0	+0.00	0%	made	+0.00	−110	−110	+0
RR-r22 b22	5Hx× S	MILNE	10/10	+0	4	10.0	+0.00	75%	set	+0.25	+100	−37	+4
RR-r22 b23	5Cx× S	MILNE	9/9	+0	3	9.0	+0.00	100%	set	+0.00	+500	+500	+0
RR-r22 b25	4H S	MILNE	11/11	+0	11	10.1	−0.91	0%	made	+0.00	−450	−423	−1
RR-r22 b27	4S N	COUTTS	11/10	−1	1	11.0	+0.00	0%	made	+0.00	−450	−450	+0
RR-r23 b3	5C S	MILNE	11/11	+0	0	·	·	·	made	·	·	·	·
RR-r23 b5	4S S	MILNE	10/10	+0	7	10.0	+0.00	0%	made	+0.00	−620	−620	+0
RR-r23 b6	1NT N	COUTTS	7/6	−1	16	7.0	+0.00	13%	made	−0.13	−90	−76	+0
RR-r23 b7	3C S	MILNE	9/8	−1	1	9.0	+0.00	0%	made	+0.00	−110	−110	+0
RR-r23 b9	4NT S	MILNE	11/11	+0	1	11.0	+0.00	0%	made	+0.00	−460	−460	+0
RR-r23 b10	4S S	MILNE	8/7	−1	5	7.6	−0.40	100%	set	+0.00	+200	+240	−1
RR-r23 b14	3D S	MILNE	9/9	+0	15	9.1	+0.13	13%	made	−0.13	−110	−88	−1
RR-r3 b1	4H E	COUTTS	10/9	−1	17	9.7	−0.35	35%	made	−0.35	−420	−254	−4
RR-r3 b4	4H W	MILNE	11/11	+0	16	12.4	+1.44	0%	made	+0.00	−650	−693	+1
RR-r3 b6	4H E	COUTTS	10/11	+1	0	·	·	·	made	·	·	·	·
RR-r3 b9	3NT E	COUTTS	7/8	+1	5	8.2	+1.20	80%	set	+0.20	+200	−40	+6
RR-r3 b12	2S E	COUTTS	9/10	+1	7	9.3	+0.29	0%	made	+0.00	−140	−149	+0
RR-r3 b13	2D E	COUTTS	7/8	+1	2	7.5	+0.50	50%	set	+0.50	+100	+5	+3
RR-r5 b1	6Dx× S	MILNE	9/9	+0	1	9.0	+0.00	100%	set	+0.00	+500	+500	+0
RR-r5 b4	2S N	COUTTS	8/8	+0	12	7.6	−0.42	42%	made	−0.42	−110	−22	−2
RR-r5 b7	1NT S	MILNE	8/8	+0	3	9.3	+1.33	0%	made	+0.00	−120	−160	+1
RR-r5 b8	3NT S	MILNE	9/6	−3	12	8.1	−0.92	33%	made	−0.33	−400	−217	−5
RR-r5 b9	4H S	MILNE	11/10	−1	17	10.3	−0.65	0%	made	+0.00	−450	−431	+0
RR-r6 b15	3S W	MILNE	9/10	+1	9	9.6	+0.56	11%	made	−0.11	−140	−139	+0
RR-r6 b16	5H W	MILNE	11/11	+0	11	11.6	+0.64	0%	made	+0.00	−650	−669	+0
RR-r6 b17	3S W	MILNE	7/7	+0	1	7.0	+0.00	100%	set	+0.00	+100	+100	+0
RR-r6 b18	2S E	COUTTS	9/8	−1	5	7.6	−1.40	40%	made	−0.40	−140	−46	−3
RR-r6 b19	2Hx× W	MILNE	8/5	−3	3	5.0	−3.00	100%	made	−1.00	−670	+800	−16
RR-r6 b21	3NT W	MILNE	10/9	−1	8	10.0	+0.00	0%	made	+0.00	−430	−430	+0
RR-r6 b22	1NT E	COUTTS	6/6	+0	13	6.0	+0.00	100%	set	+0.00	+100	+100	+0
RR-r8 b16	3NT W	MILNE	8/9	+1	12	8.0	+0.00	75%	set	+0.25	+100	−38	+4
RR-r8 b17	5Dx× E	COUTTS	10/10	+0	0	·	·	·	set	·	·	·	·
RR-r8 b19	4S W	MILNE	11/10	−1	12	10.8	−0.25	8%	made	−0.08	−650	−585	−2
RR-r8 b20	2S W	MILNE	7/7	+0	7	7.7	+0.71	29%	set	+0.71	+100	−50	+4
RR-r8 b23	4S W	MILNE	11/11	+0	22	10.8	−0.18	0%	made	+0.00	−650	−645	+0
RR-r8 b24	2H W	MILNE	8/8	+0	6	8.0	+0.00	0%	made	+0.00	−110	−110	+0
RR-r8 b25	3C W	MILNE	10/10	+0	5	9.2	−0.80	0%	made	+0.00	−130	−114	+0
RR-r8 b26	3Cx× E	COUTTS	7/7	+0	2	5.5	−1.50	100%	set	+0.00	+500	+950	−10
RR-r8 b27	4H E	COUTTS	8/9	+1	2	8.5	+0.50	100%	set	+0.00	+100	+75	+1
RR-r8 b28	2S W	MILNE	8/8	+0	2	8.5	+0.50	0%	made	+0.00	−110	−125	+0
RR-r9 b1	6H S	MILNE	10/11	+1	1	10.0	+0.00	100%	set	+0.00	+100	+100	+0
RR-r9 b2	5C S	MILNE	10/10	+0	7	10.0	+0.00	100%	set	+0.00	+100	+100	+0
RR-r9 b8	3H N	COUTTS	9/9	+0	11	9.2	+0.18	0%	made	+0.00	−140	−145	+0
RR-r9 b9	5Dx× S	MILNE	9/9	+0	0	·	·	·	set	·	·	·	·

Reconciliation — matches the COUTTS / MILNE row in the Open table.
F1 −0.03 · F2 Σ-0.2 ÷ 99 = +0.00 · F3 −0.02 · F4 Σ+0 ÷ 99 = +0.00
on lead: COUTTS −0.03 (n 38) · MILNE +0.02 (n 61)

How the on-lead split reads. Every defended board has exactly one partner on opening lead, so the two right columns partition the pair's boards and their board-weighted average is the pair's F4. A big gap between the two means one partner's leads (and the defences they start) are landing far better than the other's. Defence only; declaring and bidding are separate. Everything is vs the full division field, so a positive number beats a typical table at the championship.