North American Bridge Championships

North American Bridge Championships (NABC) are three annual bridge tournaments sponsored by the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL). The "Spring", "Summer", and "Fall" NABCs are usually scheduled in March, July, and November for about eleven days. They comprise both championship and side contests of different kinds (e.g. matchpoint pairs and knockout teams, one-day and two-day) in many classes of competition (e.g. open/women/senior or defined by masterpoints®). Host cities in the United States and Canada are selected several years in advance.

Competitions and awards

Open team competitions – the premier events

Vanderbilt Cup

Awarded to the National Knock-out Team championship winners at the spring North American Bridge Championship (NABC)s. It was donated in 1928 by Harold S. Vanderbilt, who won in 1932 and 1940. The event was contested annually in New York as a separate championship until 1958, when it was incorporated into Spring NABCs.[1]

Spingold Trophy

Awarded to the Master Teams championship winners at the summer North American Bridge Championship (NABC). Knockout Teams have been held since 1930, when players competed for the Asbury Park Trophy. In 1934, 1936 and 1937, there was a separate Masters Teams-of-Four event. The two events were merged in 1938 and renamed Spingold Master Knockout Teams. The trophy was donated by Nathan Spingold in 1934.[2] Since 2001, there has also been a Mini-Spingold I (0–5000), restricted to those with less than 5,000 masterpoints, and a Mini-Spingold II (0–1500) ("Micro-Spingold") restricted to those with less than 1,500 masterpoints.

Reisinger Memorial Trophy

Awarded to the Open Board-a-Match Teams winners at the fall North American Bridge Championship (NABC), it was donated by the Greater New York Bridge Association in 1965 in memory of Curt H. Reisinger, a great benefactor and official of the ACBL, and replaced the Chicago Trophy.[3] Reisinger teams is the only major team competition with board-a-match scoring. It is an open team event scored with two qualifying sessions, two semifinal sessions and two final sessions

Soloway Knockouts

Announced in fall 2017 to be inaugurated at the fall 2019 North American Bridge Championship (NABC), the Soloway championship will begin as a two-day Swiss teams after which the top 32 teams with their placement as their seed will enter a knockout tournament to determine the winners.[4]

Other competitions, awards and trophies

Over the years the format of competition and masterpoint accumulation has changed. Accordingly, some trophies, originally awarded for particular achievements in specific categories, have been reassigned or retired. Below is a summary of past and current trophies at the national level.

  • Baldwin Trophy – Awarded to the North American Pairs Flight A winners at the spring North American Bridge Championship (NABC).
  • Baze Trophy – Awarded to the Senior Knockout Teams winners at the fall North American Bridge Championship (NABC).
  • Bean Trophy – Awarded to the Red Ribbon Pairs winners at the summer North American Bridge Championship (NABC). Prior to 2015, the event was held at the spring NABC.
  • Bruce Trophy – Awarded to the Bruce LM-5000 Pairs winners at the summer North American Bridge Championship (NABC).
  • Cavendish Trophy – Since 1963, awarded to the Edgar Kaplan Blue Ribbon Pairs winners, now at the fall North American Bridge Championship (NABC); prior to that it was awarded to the National Open Pairs winner.
  • Chicago Trophy – Currently awarded to the Mixed Board-a-Match Team winners, at the summer North American Bridge Championship (NABC). Donated by the Auction Bridge Club of Chicago in 1929, the trophy was originally awarded by the American Bridge League to the winners of the National Contract Championships Open Contract Team-of-Four (board-a-match scoring),[5] which became the North American Open Teams Championship held by the American Contract Bridge League. In 1965, this historic trophy[6] was replaced by the Reisinger Memorial Trophy and the Chicago Trophy began to be awarded to the winners of the Mixed Board-a-Match Teams.
  • Barry Crane Top 500 – The masterpoint race which recognizes the 500 individual players who accumulate the most masterpoints in the calendar year. The winner of the race receives the McKenney Trophy.
  • Fishbein Trophy – Awarded every year to the player winning the most masterpoints in the summer North American Bridge Championship (NABC).
  • Goren Trophy – Awarded to the player winning the most masterpoints at the fall North American Bridge Championship (NABC). Prior to 2008, it was known as the Herman Trophy.
  • Golder Cup – Awarded to the North American Pairs Flight B winners at the spring North American Bridge Championship (NABC).
  • Herman Trophy – renamed the Goren Trophy.
  • Jacoby Trophy – Awarded to the Open Swiss Teams winners; now at the spring North American Bridge Championship (NABC).
  • Keohane Trophy – Awarded to the North American Swiss Teams winner at the fall North American Bridge Championship (NABC).
  • Lebhar Trophy – Awarded to the IMP Pairs winners; now at the spring North American Bridge Championship (NABC).
  • Leventritt Trophy – Awarded to the Silver Ribbon Pairs winners at the spring North American Bridge Championship (NABC).
  • Machlin Trophy – Awarded to the Women's Swiss Teams winners at the spring North American Bridge Championship (NABC).
  • McKenney Trophy – Awarded to the individual player who accumulates the most masterpoints in the calendar year – i.e. the winner of the Barry Crane Top 500 race.
  • Manfield Trophy – Awarded to the Non-life Master Pairs winners at the fall North American Bridge Championship (NABC)
  • Marcus Cup – Awarded to the Senior Masters open teams board-a-match winners from 1953 to 1967 at the summer nationals. Preceded by the Faber Cup from 1946 to 1952. Relegated as a secondary championship in 1968[7] and discontinued after 1978.
  • Helen Sobel Smith Trophy – Awarded to the Life Master Women's Pairs winners, now at the fall North American Bridge Championship (NABC).
  • Morehead Trophy – Awarded since 1973 to the winners of the Grand National Teams, a major team championship held at the summer North American Bridge Championship (NABC)s. Since 2001, it consisted of four flights. From 1967 to 1972, it had been awarded to the winners of a now defunct special knock-out team event that followed the Reisinger team contest at the fall NABCs.
  • Mott-Smith Trophy – Awarded every year to the player winning the most masterpoints in the spring North American Bridge Championship (NABC).
  • Nail Trophy – Awarded to the Life Master Open Pairs winners at the fall North American Bridge Championship (NABC).
  • Norman Kay Platinum Pairs – Platinum Pairs event at the spring North American Bridge Championship (NABC).
  • President's Cup – Awarded to the North American Pairs Flight C winners at the spring North American Bridge Championship (NABC).
  • Richmond Trophy – Awarded annually to the Canadian who wins the most masterpoints during a calendar year.
  • Rockwell Trophy – Awarded to the Mixed Pairs winners at the spring North American Bridge Championship (NABC).
  • Silodor Trophy – Awarded to the winners of the Open Pairs I, now at the spring North American Bridge Championship (NABC).
  • Sternberg Trophy – Awarded to the Women's Board-a-Match Teams winners at the fall North American Bridge Championship (NABC). Superseded the Coffin Trophy in 2001.
  • Truscott Trophy – Awarded to the Senior Swiss Teams at the summer North American Bridge Championship (NABC).
  • Von Zedtwitz Gold Cup- Awarded to the Life Master Pairs winners at the summer North American Bridge Championship (NABC)
  • Wagar Trophy – Awarded to the Women's Knockout Teams at the summer North American Bridge Championship (NABC).
  • Whitehead Trophy – Awarded to the Women's Pairs winners at the spring North American Bridge Championship (NABC) – .
  • Wernher Trophy – Awarded to the winners of the Open Pairs II at the summer North American Bridge Championship (NABC).
  • Young Trophy – Awarded to the Young LM-1500 Pairs winners at the summer North American Bridge Championship (NABC).

North American Bridge Championships' seasonal itinerary

The following are the current general itineraries of the NABCs.

Spring Summer Fall
The spring championship, formerly called the Spring Nationals, is held in March (occasionally April), and first convened in 1958. It is contested over 11 days.[8]

The following national events are/were contested at the Spring NABC:

The summer championship, formerly called the Summer Nationals, have been held since 1929 and take place in July or August. In the thirties, they were played in Asbury Park, NJ, and lasted eight days. Now the location rotates and they are played over 11 days.[10]

The following national events are/were contested at the Summer NABC:

The fall championship, held since 1927 takes place in November or early December. The Fall Championship began in 1937 as a four-day tournament and is now nine and one-half days.[12]

The following national events are/were contested at the Fall NABC:

Discontinued championships

Past tournaments (1928–1951)

From 1928 to 1951, there were only 1 or two NABCs a year. The table count is unknown and not listed in the table.

Year Summer Fall
1927 n/a Chicago IL
1928 n/a Cleveland OH
1929 Chicago IL Chicago IL
1930 Asbury Park NJ Cleveland OH
1931 Asbury Park NJ Philadelphia PA
1932 Asbury Park NJ New York NY
1933 Asbury Park NJ Cincinnati OH
1934 Asbury Park NJ New York NY
1935 Asbury Park NJ Chicago IL
1936 Asbury Park NJ Chicago IL
1937 Asbury Park NJ Washington DC
1938 Asbury Park NJ Cleveland OH
1939 Asbury Park NJ Pittsburgh PA
1940 Asbury Park NJ Philadelphia PA
1941 Asbury Park NJ Richmond VA
1942 New York NY Syracuse NY
1943 New York NY New York NY
1944 New York NY Atlantic City NJ
1945 New York NY Atlantic City NJ
1946 New York NY Hollywood FL
1947 New York NY Atlantic City NJ
1948 Chicago IL Philadelphia PA
1949 Chicago IL Philadelphia PA
1950 Columbus OH New Orleans LA
1951 Washington DC Detroit MI

Past tournaments (1952–)

During each event, the ACBL publishes a Daily Bulletin highlighting attendance, results, schedules, people profiles and interesting hands.[15][16][17]

Year Spring Summer Fall Annual Total
Location Tables[8] Location Tables[10] Location Tables[12]
1952 Not held n/a Cincinnati 3,093.00 Miami 2,017.00 5,110.00
1953 Not held n/a St Louis 3,054.00 Dallas 1,798.00 4,852.00
1954 Not held n/a Washington 4,496.00 Atlanta 1,775.00 6,271.00
1955 Not held n/a Chicago 4,619.00 Miami 2,359.00 6,978.00
1956 Not held n/a New York 5,679.00 New Orleans 2,777.00 8,456.00
1957 Not held n/a Pittsburgh 5,625.00 Los Angeles 6,154.00 11,779.00
1958 Atlantic City 3,076.00 Miami 4,068.00 Detroit 4,046.00 11,190.00
1959 Seattle 4,124.00 Chicago 6,939.00 Coronado 5,838.00 16,901.00
1960 Jackson 3,485.00 Los Angeles 8,462.00 New York 6,391.00 18,338.00
1961 Denver 4,910.00 Washington 7,989.00 Houston 4,967.00 17,866.00
1962 Lexington 4,703.00 Minneapolis 5,820.00 Phoenix 6,468.00 16,991.00
1963 St Louis 6,556.00 Los Angeles 12,486.00 Miami 7,129.00 26,171.00
1964 Portland 6,950.00 Toronto 11,150.00 Dallas 8,686.00 26,786.00
1965 Cleveland 8,128.00 Chicago 14,511.00 San Francisco 11,198.00 33,837.00
1966 Louisville 7,929.00 Denver 10,112.00 Pittsburgh 8,896.00 26,937.00
1967 Seattle 7,098.00 Montreal 10,926.00 New Orleans 8,904.00 26,928.00
1968 New York 13,535.00 Minneapolis 9,857.00 Coronado 7,858.00 31,250.00
1969 Cleveland 8,958.00 Los Angeles 11,470.00 Miami 9,069.00 29,497.00
1970 Portland 7,025.00 Boston 12,584.00 Houston 7,994.00 27,603.00
1971 Atlanta 9,706.00 Chicago 13,566.00 Phoenix 6,600.00 29,872.00
1972 Cincinnati 8,100.00 Denver 11,449.00 Lancaster 11,545.00 31,094.00
1973 St Louis 8,415.00 Washington 16,043.00 Las Vegas 13,464.00 37,922.00
1974 Vancouver 8,329.00 New York 15,310.00 San Antonio 8,419.00 32,058.00
1975 Honolulu 10,234.00 Miami 10,368.00 New Orleans 11,705.00 32,307.00
1976 Kansas City 8,790.00 Salt Lake City 10,722.00 Pittsburgh 8,787.00 28,299.00
1977 Pasadena 12,713.00 Chicago 13,170.00 Atlanta 10,701.00 36,584.00
1978 Houston 9,388.00 Toronto 18,408.00 Denver 9,467.00 37,263.00
1979 Norfolk 8,273.00 Las Vegas 18,517.00 Cincinnati 9,262.00 36,052.00
1980 Fresno 9,669.00 Chicago 11,889.00 Lancaster 13,521.00 35,079.00
1981 Detroit 8,216.00 Boston 14,079.00 San Francisco 11,377.00 33,672.00
1982 Niagara Falls 9,020.00 Albuquerque 9,776.00 Minneapolis 7,465.00 26,261.00
1983 Honolulu 11,697.00 New Orleans 10,519.00 Miami 10,555.00 32,771.00
1984 San Antonio 8,829.00 Washington 15,228.00 San Diego 12,071.00 36,128.00
1985 Montreal 10,184.00 Las Vegas 19,827.00 Winnipeg 5,533.00 35,544.00
1986 Portland 9,222.00 Toronto 21,075.00 Atlanta 11,285.00 41,582.00
1987 St Louis 10,828.00 Baltimore 17,072.00 Anaheim 13,948.00 41,848.00
1988 Buffalo 9,156.00 Salt Lake City 11,500.00 Nashville 13,214.00 33,870.00
1989 Reno 13,807.00 Chicago 14,901.00 Lancaster 12,580.00 41,288.00
1990 Ft Worth 11,302.00 Boston 15,325.00 San Francisco 13,239.00 39,866.00
1991 Atlantic City 11,279.00 Las Vegas 24,221.00 Indianapolis 9,267.00 44,767.00
1992 Pasadena 12,505.00 Toronto 16,680.00 Orlando 14,980.00 44,165.00
1993 Kansas City 10,132.00 Washington 18,270.00 Seattle 11,456.00 39,858.00
1994 Cincinnati 11,003.00 San Diego 15,800.00 Minneapolis 7,181.00 33,984.00
1995 Phoenix 11,945.00 New Orleans 12,840.00 Atlanta 10,269.00 35,054.00
1996 Philadelphia 10,995.00 Miami 9,395.00 San Francisco 12,984.00 33,374.00
1997 Dallas 11,101.00 Albuquerque 11,355.00 St. Louis 8,632.00 31,088.00
1998 Reno 13,967.00 Chicago 13,022.00 Orlando 12,035.00 39,024.00
1999 Vancouver 13,180.00 San Antonio 12,281.00 Boston 12,749.00 38,210.00
2000 Cincinnati 10,830.00 Anaheim 13,712.00 Birmingham 8,214.50 32,756.50
2001 Kansas City 9,370.50 Toronto 16,079.50 Las Vegas 16,818.00 42,268.00
2002 Houston 10,656.50 Washington, DC 14,650.00 Phoenix 12,458.50 37,765.00
2003 Philadelphia 10,840.00 Long Beach 12,246.50 New Orleans 12,402.50 35,489.00
2004 Reno 14,954.50 New York 13,351.00 Orlando 14,651.50 42,957.00
2005 Pittsburgh 9,593.00 Atlanta 13,463.00 Denver 10,141.75 33,197.75
2006 Dallas 10,318.50 Chicago 13,373.00 Honolulu 8,606.00 32,297.50
2007 St. Louis 10,232.00 Nashville 12,879.00 San Francisco 14,858.50 37,969.50
2008 Detroit 8,553.50 Las Vegas 19,720.00 Boston 10,636.00 38,909.50
2009 Houston 9,728.50 Washington, DC 14,115.00 San Diego 12,927.00 36,770.50
2010 Reno 12,196.50 New Orleans 10,995.50 Orlando 12,647.50 35,839.50
2011 Louisville 9,547.00 Toronto 13,194.00 Seattle 11,429.00 34,170.00
2012 Memphis 9,626.00 Philadelphia 11,913.00 San Francisco 13,410.50 34,949.50
2013 St. Louis 9,661.00 Atlanta [18] 12,363.50 Phoenix 12,565.00 34,589.50
2014 Dallas 9,891.00 Las Vegas 16,616.50 Providence 9,573.50 36,081.00
2015 New Orleans 11,402.00 Chicago 13,684.50 Denver 9,058.50 34,145.00
2016 Reno 11,642.50 Washington, DC 12,812.00 Orlando 10,592.00 35,046.50
2017 Kansas City 8,691.00 Toronto 13,289.00 San Diego 11,747.50 33,727.50
2018 Philadelphia 10,317.50 Atlanta 11,268.50 Honolulu 6,034.50 27,620.50
2019 Memphis 9,644.00 Las Vegas 13,622.00 San Francisco 10,373.50 33,639.50
2020 Columbus Canceled Montreal Canceled Tampa Canceled NA
2021 St. Louis Canceled Providence Canceled Austin 5,256.00 5,256.00
2022 Reno 6,204.00 Providence 7,463.00 Phoenix 6,677.50 20,344.50
2023 New Orleans 7,124.50 Chicago 8,343.00 Atlanta 6,643.00 22,110.50
2024 Louisville 6,757.00 Toronto 9,560.50 Las Vegas 10,301.00 26,618.50

Future tournament locations

For specifics of upcoming tournaments, refer to the ACBL website.

Year[19] Spring Summer Fall
2024 Las Vegas
2025 Memphis Philadelphia San Francisco
2026 St. Louis Minneapolis San Diego
2027 Dallas Las Vegas Seattle
2028 Reno
2029 New Orleans
2030 Philadelphia

Notes

  1. ^ Francis et al, page 562.
  2. ^ Francis et al, page 433.
  3. ^ Daily Bulletin (PDF), vol. 80, November 30, 2007
  4. ^ Daily Bulletin (PDF), vol. 90, November 27, 2017
  5. ^ Culbertson, page 66
  6. ^ Francis et al, page 376
  7. ^ Marcus Cup becomes a secondary event.
  8. ^ a b Francis et al, page 435.
  9. ^ Francis et al, page 300.
  10. ^ a b Francis et al, page 503.
  11. ^ Francis et al, page 157.
  12. ^ a b Francis et al, page 147.
  13. ^ Francis et al, page 182.
  14. ^ Honolulu Minutes (PDF), November 21, 2018
  15. ^ Data for 1974–1993.
  16. ^ 1968,1971 Spring
  17. ^ Daily Bulletin archive directory at the ACBL website. Archived 2011-09-06 at the Wayback Machine
  18. ^ 388 tables at concurrent World Championship not included in this total- http://www.worldbridge.org/repository/tourn/atlanta.13/microsite/Results.htm
  19. ^ Upcoming NABCs, ACBL website

References