GREAT BRIDGE LINKS ACBL FACTOIDS

MASTERPOINTS

The Bridge Bulletin, October 1998

Masterpoints are a reward for winning or placing at duplicate bridge. Masterpoints, also referred to as points or MPs, come in many sizes and colours.

Black Points:

Black Points are awarded at club and unit games. Also referred to as club masterpoints, 100 club masterpoints are the equivalent of one (1.00) masterpoint.

Silver Points:

Silver Points are awarded at sectional tournaments, progressive sectionals and STaCs (sectional tournament at clubs).

Red Points:

Red Points are awarded at regional tournaments and the three annual NABCs (North American Bridge Championships).

Gold Points:

Gold Points are awarded at regionals and NABCs for topping a section or placing overall in an event of two or more sessions with an upper masterpoint limit of 750 mps or more.

RANK
As an ACBL member accumulates points, certain milestones - or ranks - will be reached that indicate the member's progress. Each rank requres that the member have a certain number and type of points. See the chart at right.
Additional Life Master designations have been established and are available to players who have achieved Life Master. These include: Bronze LM (500-1000); Silver LM (1000-2500); Gold LM (1500-5000); Diamond LM (5000+); and Grand LM (at least 10,000 MPs with at least one win in a North American championships event that has no maximum masterpoint restriction).

Rank MPs Colour Requirements

Rookie 0-4.99 None

Junior Master 5 None

Club Master 20 None

Sectional master 50 5 silver

Regional Master 100 5 red or gold, 15 silver

NABC Master 200 5 gold, 15 red or gold, 25 silver

Life Master 300 25 gold, 25 red or gold, 50 silver

MASTERPOINT CONTESTS

ACBL conducts the annual MINI-MCKENNEY and ACE OF CLUBS contests for players in each rank.

The Bridge Bulletin recognizes leaders ACBL-wide. At the unit level, winners in each cetegory receive recognition and special medallions.

The Mini-McKenney tallies all points won within a calendar year while the Ace of Clubs contest is limited to points won in club games within a calendar year.

In addition to the regular ranks, players in other categories - Youth (age 20 and younger), Junior (age 26 and younger), and Senior (age 55 and older) - are recognized.

OTHER MASTERPOINT PLANS

Comparable masterpoint plans are in effect in many other bridge-playing countries, although rankings and requirements differ from country to country. In addition, the World bridge Federation (WBF) has adopted its own masterpoint plan for the ranking of players of international calibre.

If you would like your site listed on Great Bridge Links, send URL and brief description to
webmaster<at>greatbridgelinks.com