American Contract Bridge League facts for kids
The American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) is a big organization that helps manage the game of contract bridge in North America. This includes the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda. The ACBL's main goal is to help bridge grow and to support its members who love to play.
The ACBL does many important things:
- It approves games at local bridge clubs and bigger events.
- It trains and certifies bridge teachers and people who direct games.
- It organizes the exciting North American Bridge Championships (NABC).
- It offers learning materials and help for players.
- It keeps track of players' progress using a system called masterpoints.
- It makes sure everyone plays fairly and follows the rules.
- It speaks for its members with other bridge groups around the world.
As of 2025, the ACBL had over 130,000 members!
Contents
History of the ACBL
The ACBL was formed in 1937 when two older bridge groups, the American Bridge League and the United States Bridge Association, joined together.
For a while, the ACBL's tournaments were only open to white players. Another group, the American Bridge Association, held tournaments for Black players. But in 1967, the ACBL made an important change. They added a rule to their official papers that said no one could be stopped from joining because of their race, color, or beliefs. This was a big step forward for fairness in bridge.
Where the ACBL is Based
The ACBL is a group that doesn't aim to make a profit. It started in New York City in 1937. Over the years, its main office moved a few times. First, it went to Greenwich, Connecticut, then to Memphis, Tennessee in 1971. Since 2010, its headquarters have been in Horn Lake, Mississippi.
About 60 people work full-time at the Horn Lake office. Plus, there are around 160 tournament directors who work all over the country. The main office also has a museum and a library about bridge, as well as the ACBL's Hall of Fame, which honors the best bridge players.
North American Bridge Championships (NABC)
Three times a year, in the spring, summer, and fall, the ACBL holds its biggest events: the North American Bridge Championships (NABC). These championships use a special way of scoring called duplicate bridge. This method makes the game much fairer by reducing how much luck is involved.
The NABC usually lasts for about eleven days and includes many different types of bridge games. The location of the NABC changes each time, moving to different major cities. Thousands of bridge players come to these exciting events.
Understanding Masterpoints
For many players, one of the most important things the ACBL does is approve club games and tournaments where players can earn masterpoints. When players do well in an ACBL-approved event, they are given a certain number of masterpoints. The ACBL keeps a record of all these points.
Many players really like to see their masterpoint totals grow. It's a way for them to measure how successful they are at playing bridge. Unlike some other ranking systems, like the one used in chess, masterpoints only go up. A player's masterpoint total never goes down, unless there's a penalty for breaking the rules.
Learning and Support for Players
ACBL members get a monthly magazine called the Bridge Bulletin. This magazine has articles, news, and tips about bridge.
The ACBL also provides many other ways to learn and get information on its official website. This includes the Laws of Duplicate Bridge, which are the official rules of duplicate bridge. They also offer computer programs that help people learn and play the game.
The ACBL has also published a series of books called the ACBL Bridge Series. These books were written by Audrey Grant. They are designed to teach bridge to new players and help more experienced players improve their skills.
ACBL Districts
The ACBL is divided into 25 different areas called Districts. Each District chooses a District Director (DD). This person serves for three years on the main ACBL Board of Directors, helping to make important decisions for the organization.
See also
- ACBL Hall of Fame
- American Bridge Association
- List of American bridge players
- List of Canadian bridge players
- List of Mexican bridge players
- List of bridge governing bodies
- North American Bridge Championships
- Canadian Bridge Federation
- United States Bridge Federation
- 0-10,000 Fast Pairs
- 0-10,000 NABC Pairs
