In ACBL-sanctioned games, masterpoints are awarded by section and by stratum (A, B, or C), based on players’ masterpoint holdings at the start of the game.
- The top third of pairs (by masterpoints) are placed in Stratum A
- The middle third in Stratum B
- The bottom third in Stratum C
Each section is treated as its own group for scoring and masterpoint awards. This means two players with the same score, but in different sections, may receive different awards.
Stratification adds another layer:
- All players are eligible for Stratum A awards
- B and C players are also eligible for Stratum B awards
- Only C players can earn Stratum C awards
So, even if another pair had a lower score than yours, they may have earned points:
- Because they placed well within their own section, or
- Because they were eligible for stratum-specific awards you were not
This is why it’s possible for players with a lower score to win more masterpoints compared to others in the same game.