mike, he said ansi sql, TOP is microsoft P-)
queryman, you can't do it in ansi sql unless you give a column to sort on, and then it becomes a variation of the "top ten" query (which, by the way, is not very efficient):
SELECT PERSON, SCORE
FROM SAMPLETABLE XXX
WHERE 10 >
( SELECT COUNT(*)
FROM SAMPLETABLE
WHERE SCORE > XXX.SCORE )
rudy