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Find everything you need to manage your club along with the ways and means of creating a bridge entertainment hub.
- My Club
- Virtual Clubs
- Special Events
- Live For Clubs
- ACBLscore
- Laws & Discipline
- Education & Resources
Post Your Information
Update Your Club Listing
Post Your Club Website
Club and Sanction Applications
- To renew your club game sanction, log into MYACBL and click on the club manager link.
- To sanction new club games, please contact Dana at dana.murray@acbl.org.
Getting Started
Running Your Games
VACB Tools
- Multiple Transfers ID
- Online Player Memo
- Update ACBL #
- BBO Video Chat
Multiple Transfers ID
VACBs may need to transfer BB$ to player accounts. Free plays, refunds, discounts… BBO IDs are only able to transfer BB$ once per six months, according to BBO rules. If a VACB would like to have more flexibility, and be able to transfer at any time, please email VACB@acbl.org and request to have this ability enabled.
Online Player Memo
When ethical issues arise, direct the players to fill out this Player Memo. The details are sent from this form to the National Recorder at ACBL. (Directors can also use the form.)
https://fs3.formsite.com/acbl/g1rqeexvzd/index.html
Update ACBL #
Send players to this link, and ask them to login to it with their BBO name and their BBO password. (This is a direct link to the place on BBO to update the number in their profile.)
https://www.bridgebase.com/mp/orgpoints/update_acbl.php
ACBL Support
- Round Table meetings – we hold Club Manager meetings once per month at 7pm Eastern. All Club Managers, as well as Directors who have requested to attend, are welcome. The tentative dates for these meetings are listed on the same page that archives the past meetings. Go to acbl.org/club-corner/#virtual, and click on Zoom Meeting Repository beneath the My Club header. The perpetual link to these meetings is: https://acbl-org.zoom.us/j/2364960804?pwd=a3QrbW9EMmhLdWE5ZkM5QXArVzQvUT09. If you would like to receive invitations to the meetings, please email vacb@acbl.org to be included.
- Free Guest memberships for your player
- Appendix O – An appendix to the Conditions of Contest for online games.
- Alert Procedures – Recently updated
- Convention Charts
- Masterpoint Book – This document details the awards process for face-to-face games. At this time, the Virtual Club games are awarding 150% of the face-to-face Masterpoint® awards.
- ACBL Codification – Governance, Policies, and Bridge Operations as directed by the ACBL Board of Directors can be found here.
ACBL CODIFICATION
View ACBL Codification
BBO Support
- BBO Tournament Archive – https://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tarchive.php?m=h&h=vacb123456 (change last six digits to club number desired)
- BBO My Hands – Searchable archive of games by player. Login with YOUR BBO ID and password, search any player’s games by date, view the hands.
- Robot Systems – System notes for the GIB robots on BBO. Explains both bidding and defense.
- BBO Points – Explanation of BBO points (to which ACBL Masterpoints won online will contribute!)
Creating Swiss Teams
How to set up Swiss Teams games for your VACB.
- Short version, for experienced VACBs
- Long version, for newer VACBs
- Teams and boards – a quick reference chart.
- Player version, describes differences in registration for Swiss vs. pair games. This will save you having to chase them down at game time if you distribute first!
Player List Management
Friends list: Add to your Friends List by changing a player’s relationship from “neutral” to “follow.” You will be able to see anyone on your Friends List as they login, and from your People tab under Friends at the top. This allows you to greet them.
Include list: The Include and Exclude lists are maintained by each club, and only if the club wishes to use them. By default, any player can register for any club game, regardless of any list. If a club wishes to hold a special game, exclusively for players who have registered for it, the club can create an Include List for the event.
Create a text file (.txt) with each BBO username on a separate line. Click on the Director tab on BBO while logged in as VACB. Then click on Include/Exclude Lists at the bottom. This spawns a new window, where you need to click “Manage List” at the bottom of the one you wish to work with. Enter vacb123456 ← (your club number), and your VACB password. Choose the list you wish to create or adjust, and pick an action – (Replace, Append, Remove, or Download). If you are Replacing or Appending, click on “Choose File” and navigate to the .txt file you wish to add. Then click “Execute.”
Exclude list: These are players that you wish to prevent from registering for your games. Change their relationship from “neutral” to “ignore,” and ensure that your games are set up with “Exclude players ignored by host” checked on the entries tab. If they attempt to register, they will get a message that they are “blacklisted,” and the system will prevent their registration.
If you just wish to just add one player at a time to either list, click the “ + “ sign beside the list name in red.
IMPORTANT: Don’t forget to modify any existing pending tournaments after each time that you change one of these lists. If you fail to do that, unwanted players will still have access to register.
For more detailed “how-to” for your VACB, click here.
Effective 8/1/23
Clubs may hold an ACBL-wide event during a non-sanctioned session upon unit approval. Unit approval is normally automatic, unless there is a Regional in the District or a Sectional within twenty-five miles. Also, the ACBL-wide event should not conflict with a neighboring club that does have a sanctioned session for the date and time specified, and is also hosting the event.
When a sectional (excluding STaCs) or higher rated event (regional or NABC) is being conducted within 25 miles of a club game’s playing site, the club is permitted to hold only its regularly scheduled club masterpoint games. This regulation does not apply to Limited/Restricted Sectionals.
2023 Special Events Schedule 2023 Online Schedule 
Special Events Results Participating Clubs
North American Pairs Resources
More Information | Past Results | Sign Up
In order to participate you must sign up in advance and use the current version of ACBLscore. For more information you may email iccg@acbl.org.
Schedule coming soon
General Information
- You must score your game using ACBLscore 8.27 or higher to participate in these events.
- Set up your game as follows:
- Select “Club Championship (ALL)”
- then “Interclub Championship” from the next pick box
- Clubs must register at least seven days in advance of the game. Click here to sign-up.
- Clubs will receive the material via email 48 hours prior to the game. Arrangements must be made to either print the hands for duplication or have the director duplicate the hands for his or her game. Anyone involved in the hand record process is not allowed to play in the event.
- If you receive hand records from ACBL and decide not to participate in the event, please notify ACBL so that we are not expecting results from your club.
- The strat limits used for the overall masterpoint awards will be as follows, but you may run your game with your normal strats if you prefer. All strats are re-computed before generating overall results. A=1500+, B=500-1500 and C=0-500
- Invitational games will be scored and ranked as Club Championship events with one restriction (20% reduction). Limited masterpoint games will be scored and ranked alone unless a like masterpoint game is held at one or more other ICC game sites. In this case, these games will be scored together for overall rankings and masterpoint awards. Invitational and Limited games may be included in the Open event if they are opened to all players and advertised as such in advance.
- Score correction period for the games is 24 hours after the conclusion of the event.
- Fees for this event are your regular club fees plus $1 per player.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I report the results?
All results are to be emailed to Results. To be included in the overalls, morning and afternoon games must be reported by noon (Central Standard Time) the following day; evening games by 3:00 p.m. (Central Standard Time) the following day. Results not received by that time will not be included in the overall results. Also, if you sign up for the game but cancel it for any reason, please notify us so that we don’t expect results from your club.
Just send the game file (such as 030820.aca) as an attachment to the email.
Why are the posted percentages different than at the club?
Perhaps the most frequently asked question we receive: “I had a 65% game at my club but your list shows us at 62%. How come?” Remember, the scores are re-computed by us and are scored with a much bigger top so it is not unusual for the scores to change. Also, the scores tend to compress a bit with a large number of comparisons.
Perhaps an example will help you understand the principle. Suppose at your club the board is played nine times with an 8 top. You are the only pair (thanks to fantastic bridge judgment and a bidding misunderstanding) to bid and make a slam. You receive a top on the board.
Let us further suppose that it turns out that 50% of the field at other clubs also bid and made the slam. You will receive about 75% of the matchpoints on the board. Thus, your “top” has been reduced to a 6 (on an 8 top). This “field effect” tends to improve your zeros too.
Masterpoint Awards Chart
Club Masterpoint Games
- Open
- 200 or more / Invitational
- 0 - 200
- 0-50 and 0-100
- 0-20
- 0-10
- 0-5
- Introductory and Pupil Game Session Awards
Club Swiss Teams
Club and Unit Championship Overall Awards
Awards Chart for Championship-rated games
Special Fund Game
Club Masterpoint Game - Knockout Teams
For detailed masterpoint calculations please consult the MP Book.
ACBL Live for Clubs is an online tool just for clubs and their members. It’s a better way for players to see how they did at the club. Club members will love the new benefits, like a personal results page and optional automated emails with results information, and clubs will enjoy a simplified process and added customization abilities.
ACBLscore® is software used by clubs to score duplicate bridge and report results to the ACBL. ACBLscore® will handle almost any variation of movement, including individual. It can rank a stratified game with up to three strata, and can score by matchpoints, IMPs or Swiss Teams. It supports a database of players so that it will compute handicaps, print mailing labels, etc.
For installation or technical questions email ACBLscore@acbl.org.
Four is Enough Tutorial
Eight is Enough Tutorial
Report Special Games 
Post Results/Recap Sheets Sending Attendance Reports
Specifications
Note: A previous version of ACBLscore® is not needed to install.
Note: The ACBL is no longer producing a DOS version of ACBLscore.
System SpecificationsNew in version 8.33
Requirements:
- Operating Systems Supported: Windows XP, Windows 7 – 32 bit, Windows 10 – 32 bit (DOS), Windows 10- 64 bit (Windows)
- Printer: Any is acceptable. A wide-carriage printer (132 columns) dot matrix will produce recaps that may be easier to read, but a narrow dot matrix, laser or inkjet will be adequate. These printers will work with ACBLscore only in Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000 or XP.
- Keyboard: Should have a numeric keypad separate from the letter keys for easier numeric entry. A separate set of arrow keys is also helpful.
To report bugs, or if you have installation or technical questions: email ACBLscore@acbl.org or phone 662-253-3165.
Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
Reminder: Club managers can order a full database refresh by logging into MyACBL and selecting Order Member Rosters via email.
Update Instructions – Windows
Just open ACBLScore® , go to Database, Import/Merge, and again option 5. With Windows, the program will ask if you would like it to access the file for you. All you will need to do is provide the District number.
District Files
| Link | District |
|---|---|
| D00MP | All Districts. Note: This file will not fit on one diskette |
| D01MP | E Canada |
| D02MP | Ontario, Manitoba, Bermuda |
| D03MP | E New York (not New York City), N New Jersey |
| D04MP | C New York, E Pennsylvania, Delaware, S New Jersey |
| D05MP | W New York, W Pennsylvania, NE Ohio, N West Virginia |
| D06MP | Virginia, Maryland |
| D07MP | Carolinas, E Tennessee, Georgia |
| D08MP | N Indiana, Illinois (not Chicago), E Missouri |
| D09MP | Florida |
| D10MP | W Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas |
| D11MP | S Ohio, S Indiana, Kentucky, S West Virginia |
| D12MP | Michigan, NW Ohio |
| D13MP | Wisconsin, Chicago, Upper Michigan |
| D14MP | Dakotas, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska |
| D15MP | W Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, N Texas |
| D16MP | Texas (not N or El Paso), Mexico |
| D17MP | E Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, S Nevada |
| D18MP | Saskatchewan, Alberta, Montana, Idaho, Utah, W Wyoming |
| D19MP | Washington, British Columbia, Alaska |
| D20MP | Oregon, N Nevada, N California, Hawaii |
| D21MP | San Francisco area |
| D22MP | S California (not Los Angeles) |
| D23MP | Los Angeles |
| D24MP | New York City |
| D25MP | Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island |
| D99MP | All areas outside North America |
LAWS / CHANGES /VIDEOS
Duplicate Decisions
Laws of Duplicate Laws of Rubber Bridge
Options Under the Laws
- Law 1B: The back of each card must be symmetric (Law 1C) and the ACBL encourages the use of packs where the face of each card is also symmetric.
- Law18F: The ACBL Board of Directors authorizes tournament organizers in ACBL sanctioned events to use bidding boxes. Any alternative method which is necessary to enable a person with a disability to compete is authorized subject to the approval of the Director.
- Law 40B1 and Law 40B2(a): An opening bid of 1NT and an opening bid of one in a suit, which by partnership agreement could show fewer than 8 high-card points, is designated a special partnership agreement. These two special partnership agreements are disallowed in all ACBL sanctioned events.
- Law 40B2(a): Both members of a partnership must employ the same system that appears on the convention card.
- During a session of play, a system may not be varied, except with permission of the Tournament Director. (A Director might allow a pair to change a convention but would not allow a pair to change its basic system.)
- At the outset of a round or session, a pair may review its opponents’ convention card and alter its defenses against the opponents’ special understandings and preemptive bids. This must be announced to its opponents. The opponents may not vary their system after being informed of these defensive alterations.
- A partnership, by prior agreement, may not vary its understanding during the auction or play following a question asked a response to a question or any irregularity. >
- Law 40B2(b): Whenever written defenses are required or permitted, they may be referred to by any player whenever it would be appropriate to refer to an opponent’s convention card.
- Law 40B2(c): In addition, a player is permitted to consult an opponent’s convention card at his RHO’s turn to call.
- Law 93C1: A further appeal to the Regulating Authority (ACBL) may be allowed only as follows:
- On a point of law to and at the discretion of the ACBL Laws Commission.
- On an allegation of bias of a committee member or members to and at the discretion of the ACBL Appeals and Charges Committee. The appellant is required to present evidence that the bias was not known at the time of the hearing.
- The appeal must be filed within thirty (30) days of the decision of the Bridge Appeals Committee that heard the issue.
- Law 93C3(a): Except as noted in 7 above, the responsibility of dealing finally with any appeal of a Director’s decision is that of the tournament’s specified tournament body.
Laws Changes
Changes in the Laws Other Laws Changes Resources
Club Discipline & Zero Tolerance Policy
View the Zero Tolerance Policy
Club Discipline Regulations
The purpose of this article is to discuss the impact upon sanctioned games at clubs of the most recent changes to the ACBL Code of Disciplinary Regulations (CDR).
The basic rules governing discipline by clubs have been changed very little. A club’s disciplinary process is its own. ACBL only has jurisdiction and rules governing discipline imposed by a club in very limited circumstances. Please refer to the ACBL Handbook of Rules and Regulations (HB), Chapter Four, Section Three, IV, H Club Discipline for specifics.
Club Discipline
Club management should deal promptly and fairly with all cases of improper conduct that occur during an ACBL-sanctioned masterpoint game in the club, including cases of unethical practices. The club manager should either handle these situations personally or establish a standing committee to review all disciplinary problems. Clubs holding non-sanctioned games may deal with problems arising in these games as they see fit.
The club manager can handle many behavior problems by discussing them with the offenders, by issuing a warning, or declaring a period of probation. In extreme cases or cases of repeat offenses, the manager can bar the player from the club game for a stipulated period of time, or permanently.
No open club may bar a player or players as a class, based upon the player’s race, creed, religion, political affiliation, sexual orientation, national origin, and physical handicap or on his proficiency at bridge.
Unless a non-ACBL member is currently suspended or expelled from participation in an ACBL sanctioned event at that club is at the sole discretion of the club management and ACBL has no jurisdiction. Therefore, except for a barring alleged to be for the above discriminatory reasons, these regulations do not apply (i.e. the ACBL requirements and rights enumerated in this section do not extend to non-ACBL members).
Except as detailed in the previous paragraph, a club may bar a player for whatever reason it deems proper and consistent with ACBL Rules and Regulations and the Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge. An obnoxious or incompatible partnership may be barred as a pair, but each may be permitted to play with other partners.
To bar a ACBL member, club management must notify the player in writing and send a copy of the notification to the ACBL Club Membership Department.
The notification must include the player’s name and player number and the reason for the barring.
An open club can bar players from its regularly scheduled club masterpoint games, membership games, ACBL-wide games, club championships, charity and international fund club championships, and other special events specifically allocated to clubs as outlined above.
These regulations also apply to a club with an invitational sanction except that the club has the additional authority to refuse admittance to an invitational game to someone who does not meet the criteria upon which the invitational sanction is based (e.g. a player who has 500 masterpoints is denied admittance to an invitational game that is limited to players with less than 300 masterpoints).
If the member feels that his barring does not comply with these regulations prohibiting barring players as a class, religious or political affiliations, race, creed, sexual orientation, national origin, physical disability or proficiency at bridge, he may appeal the barring to the unit disciplinary committee. Appeals from the unit disciplinary committee may be filed in accordance with and under the authority of the ACBL Code of Disciplinary Regulations. Until the appeal is lodged and heard, the player remains barred unless reinstated by the club unless a stay is granted by the Unit Disciplinary Chairperson.
A club may extend the barring of an ACBL member from Grand National teams, North American Pair events, STaCs, qualifying sessions of a progressive sectional, ACBL-wide games, unit or district competitions, and/or unit-wide or district-wide championships held at the club. A member so barred may appeal the extension of the barring under the process described in the previous paragraph. In such cases, the written notice to the member barred must include the member’s right to appeal the action to the Unit Disciplinary Committee in which the club is located within thirty days of the action taken by the club. Such written notice is required, otherwise the barring shall not be effective.
Unless the discipline includes suspension or expulsion from the sanctioned game, ACBL rules and regulations regarding discipline imposed by the club do not apply. These “minor” sanctions are completely between the player and club management.
The following games at clubs are the current games to which the extension of the barring applies. If a game is not listed, it comes under the club barring.
- NAP
- GNT
- STaC
- Progressive Qualifier
- District-wide Championship
- Unit Championship
- Unit-wide Game
- Unit Extended Team Game
- Unit Charity Game
- Unit-wide Charity Game
If the discipline imposed is barring (suspension for a specified time or lifetime expulsion), ACBL rules and regulations (per the ACBL Handbook) come into play. See chart below for a short summary of these rules.
| Action | Notifications in writing | Notification must include | Appeal Rights | Appellate Body |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barring from club sponsored games | 1. Barred person 2. ACBL Club Department | 1. Barred person’s name and ACBL player number. 2. Reason for barring. | Only if the barring is alleged to be for religious or political affiliation, race, national origin, physical disability or bridge proficiency. | Unit Disciplinary Committee |
| Barring from ACBL, unit or district sponsored games | 1. Barred person 2. ACBL Club Department | 1. Barred person’s name and ACBL player number. 2. Reason for barring. 3. Person’s right to appeal to the Unit Disciplinary Committee within 30 days. | No limitations on reasons, but the appellant should include reason why the appeal is being made. Appeal must be submitted within 30 days of the action being taken | Unit Disciplinary Committee |
Change to Code of Disciplinary Regulations (CDR)
Irrespective of discipline imposed by a club, the unit has jurisdiction over participants in ACBL sanctioned games conducted in its geographical area. A unit has no authority over a club’s disciplinary process and only limited appellate jurisdiction over a club’s decision to bar a person from its games.
The changes made to the CDR affect the jurisdiction of units, districts and ACBL over participants in ACBL sanctioned games held by a club. One of the main goals is to extend the club the opportunity to resolve matters within the club and eliminate the right of a participant to go elsewhere when dissatisfied with the club’s resolution.
Convention Cards & How to Fill Them Out
CONVENTION CARDS
Bridge Bulletin Standard
Useful Documents
Handbooks Player Movements and Games Guides ACBL Codification Convention Charts
Other Resource Sites
Continuing Education
Club Director Course Local Sectional Director Course Club Refresher and Cruise Director Course
Become a Club Director
Opening a new bridge club or starting a new game is an exciting venture for bridge players. Clubs are like families, and you as the director have the opportunity to be the perfect host. The atmosphere of fun and competition is yours to create.
What does it take to be a good club director? These are the essential requirements:
- Technical skills needed to run bridge games of all types.
- Knowledge and understanding of the Laws of Duplicate Bridge and ACBL regulations.
- Knowledge of Live for Clubs, ACBLscore, and ability to work with required software and hardware.
- Public relations skills to balance the roles of referee, judge, teacher, psychologist and entertainment director.
First, however, you need to prepare for the Club Directors Exam.
Preparation
You can prepare for this exam by studying on your own or by enrolling in the Club Directors Course, which is given regularly at the North American Bridge Championships, online and at number of regional tournaments. It is an open-book, online test. You must answer at least 65 percent of the questions correctly to pass the test and become a certified ACBL Club Director.
These materials will help in your preparation for the exam:
- ACBL Laws of Duplicate Bridge. (view or purchase)
- ACBL Club Directors Handbook (view or purchase)
- Updated Duplicate Decisions (view or purchase)
- ACBLscore – Download this FREE MS Windows-based software. No authorization code is required
- Live for Clubs tutorials
Taking the Exam
Registration for taking the exam can be found at https://my.acbl.org/events/lookup. Look for the “Test Only” sign-up.
You can also register for the full club directors’ course at the link above.
Questions?
Email Melody Euler at melody.euler@acbl.org.
What’s Next?
Check out the other resources on this page to make the most of every game at your club.
Starting in 2023, the ACBL introduced a new kind of sectional tournament, the Local Sectional. These sectionals award partial silver points, and the unit can hire either a retired or part-time ACBL TD or a specially certified club director or tournament assistant (a Local Sectional Director) instead of a regular tournament director.
Becoming a Local Sectional Director requires a level of knowledge and performance higher than what is normally required from a club director.
Local Sectional Director CertificationThe certification course is highly reliant on directed self-study. Students will receive a link to written study materials after registration but are also expected to also gather their own resources.
The certification course is highly reliant on directed self-study. Students will receive a link to written study materials after registration but are also expected to also gather their own resources. There is a period of approximately weeks between the end of registration of the course and the final exam, with three Q&A Zoom sessions in the meantime. While attendance at the tutor-led Q&A sessions is strongly recommended, it is not required. Students may also reach the tutor via email at training@acbl.org. Each course is limited to 40 students.
Questions?
Email training@acbl.org for questions on becoming a Local Sectional Director.
Become a TD
Your progression as a director starts by becoming certified as a Club Director. From there, you can progress by becoming a Tournament Assistant (TA) (capable of assisting ACBL directors in Sectional or Regional tournaments) or a Local Sectional Director (LSD) (certified to run Local Sectionals). Neither position is ACBL employment, the sponsor (District or Unit) is responsible for your compensation. To become a TA you need to complete a written exam. To become an LSD you need to complete an online course and pass the corresponding exam. For more information on these follow this link: https://acbl.org/portfolio/director-courses/#local
If you really like directing and want to better understand our great game and earn some extra income, consider the next step (part-time employment as an ACBL Tournament Director). An applicant should be a certified club director with at least one year of experience, a TA or an LSD. While a tournament is, in some cases, simply a larger club game, it differs in many key aspects. Apart from the size, the players and the sponsoring organization take a tournament much more seriously than a club game. All the skills practiced while working alone in a club will be important—but not as important as being a good team member and sharing common goals.
Job Requirements: The Essentials- Technical skills needed to run bridge games of all types and sizes.
- Thorough knowledge and understanding of the Laws of Duplicate Bridge and ACBL regulations.
- Thorough knowledge of ACBLscore and ability to work with required software and hardware.
- Ability to be a sales person and accountant, able to sell entries and balance large sums of money.
- Public relations skills to balance the roles of referee and judge, schoolteacher, psychologist and entertainment director.
- Ability to work in a busy and noisy atmosphere while maintaining an even and friendly disposition.
A thorough understanding of the Convention Charts and Alert procedures is crucial. Keeping up to date on bidding conventions and current trends is strongly encouraged as well as reading the NABC+ casebooks and articles dealing with rulings. Discuss potential rulings with other TDs and ask questions so that you know and understand what others think. Ask the leading players at your tournament for bridge judgment opinions per the instruction of the director-in-charge. Know your responsibilities if called upon to present a case to an Appeals Committee. While it is not crucial to be an expert player, it is important to understand as much as possible the game situations being discussed and the reasoning behind the rulings.
Knowledge of MovementsIt is essential to have a complete knowledge of all movements one might encounter at a tournament (Mitchell, Howell, Board-a-Match, etc.). In addition, a TD must know all movements dealing with half tables and have the ability to add tables after a game has started regardless of the movement being used. It is important to know how to repair movements that have gone off track (such as pairs or boards going to the wrong table) with a minimum of delay. In addition, TDs must know to conduct Swiss and Knockout Team events of all sizes.
Technical SkillsA complete knowledge of ACBLscore is essential for a tournament director. Directors must be thoroughly aware of how to set up and score all types of games. In addition you should be aware of all secondary aspects of the program such as bulletin, summary, Edmov, all Set commands, etc. TDs should be comfortable entering names and scores for up to four two-board sections. In addition, they should have a working knowledge of computers, software, hardware and printers in use and be able to resolve minor problems.
The ACBL is also involved in online bridge. Eventually, work may be available directing online bridge, so a working knowledge of how this form of the game works will also come in handy.
Customer ServiceWhile the items mentioned above are important in developing the skills necessary to be a Tournament Director, none is as important as the ability to deal with people. Obviously, players are drawn to a bridge tournament by the competitive side of the contest. The desire to win is very important to them. Never forget that the social side of the game is also very important.
A TD must be aware of the personal needs of our customers; this is an even more important aspect of directing than running the contests in a technically correct manner. Equally crucial is maintaining order, discipline and assuring all contestants that they will be spending their time in a pleasant and comfortable atmosphere. While it is vital that we deal with rulings and penalties in a manner consistent with our laws and regulations, it is even more important to do so in a manner that shows that we realize that these players are our customers and have many other options for spending their leisure time. Presentation is everything.
Contests must be run smoothly, on time and with little or no disturbance to the customers from the staff or other contestants. You must be consistent and impartial. When you do make a mistake, admit it, apologize and fix it as best you can. It is crucial that the players consider you someone they can rely on to be competent, fair and objective. Try very hard to treat all contestants equally, be they expert or newcomer.
Even when you are unable to satisfy a player’s immediate needs, let him or her know that you will pass the message along to the right parties. Also tell them to advise you if the problem has not been rectified in a reasonable amount of time so that you can look once again into resolving it. Remember that people making complaints will usually be in an agitated state. It is therefore crucial for TDs to maintain their cool and to be as sensitive as possible to the players’ concerns.
TeamworkIt also is important for TDs to recognize they are a member of a team. They will be judged, invariably, by the performance of the group—not an individual action. You should make every effort to perform the tasks assigned in a competent and professional manner. It is just as important for a TD to always be on the lookout for how to help fellow staff members perform to their best.
WorkloadIt is reasonable to expect it to take a couple of years to become established. Your workload will increase over time as your skills develop. Some areas have a greater need for directors than others.
Employment PolicyNo ACBL employee (full time or part time) may stand for election or serve as an elected member of any ACBL unit, district or conference body, ACBL Board of Governors or ACBL Board of Directors. Further, no employee may serve as an appointed voting member of any of these bodies.
More InformationThis is a job where technical ability and classroom study account for a small percentage of the necessary prerequisites for success. It is a profession that is constantly evolving. A TD must understand that the education process never ends. We are always on the lookout for the right people. For more information, please contact ACBL HR department, at 662-253-3109.
Cooperative Advertising Program
CAP/Facebook Ads
You do the advertising. We’ll help pay!
The Cooperative Advertising Program (CAP) partially reimburses bridge teachers, club, units and districts for advertising expenses so long as they promote programs and lessons designed for bridge newcomers and/or to recruit ACBL members. CAP will refund 50% of eligible advertising costs with a maximum amount of $500. Qualifying advertisements must be date-specific and use approved ACBL logos. Note: Teachers cannot take advantage of both Boost and CAP for the same course.- Complete CAP reimbursement form located here.
- Tear sheets from newspaper or magazine, printed flier or brochure
- Dated PAID invoice or receipt
- Written request for CAP reimbursement that includes the Club #, Club name, district #, unit # and contact information
NOTE: IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT ALL ADS AND/OR COLLATERAL ARE SUBMITTED FOR PRE-APPROVAL TO ENSURE THEY MEET THE REIMBURSEMENT REQUIREMENTS IN A TIMELY MANNER.
- The advertisement must be for date-specific newcomer programs, beginner bridge lessons, social bridge recruitment events or ACBL membership recruitment.
- All advertisements must contain the full CAP approved logo. No exceptions.
- Reimbursements are made on a per Date-Specific Ad Campaign basis. A “Date-Specific Ad Campaign” for purposes of this program is defined as follows:A planned program that uses an advertising message (or a combination of multiple advertisements, commercials, and related promotional materials and activities) that may or may not be communicated across multiple media channels (newspaper, radio, TV, etc.) and are designed to be used during the same period of time as part of a coordinated advertising plan to meet a specified objective.
- The cost of a Date-Specific Ad Campaign is defined as being the total advertisement placement costs for all mediums used (radio, newspaper, fliers, etc.) for a specifically dated set of beginning bridge lessons, or specifically dated newcomer program, social bridge recruitment event or a specifically dated ACBL membership recruitment drive. The maximum dollar amount you would be reimbursed is $500. Reimbursements will be in US Dollars.An example of ONE (1) Date-Specific Ad Campaign would be: Planned Program: Beginning Bridge Lessons Period of time: May 1, 2021 Media Channels: Newspaper ads, Radio Spot, FliersExample of how the cost for the above Date-Specific Ad Campaign might be reimbursed: Cost of Newspaper ads: $500 Radio Spot: $500 Fliers: $200 Total Cost: $1,200 The above example would be considered one (1)Date-Specific Ad Campaign using multiple mediums. And the reimbursement would be calculated as follows:50% of $1,200 = $600 MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT AMOUNT = $500 Since 50% of the above Date-Specific Ad Campaign cost exceeds the $500 maximum reimbursement allowed, the reimbursement for the above Date-Specific Ad Campaign would be the maximum allowed of $500.
- Copies of actual ads, dated receipts and/or detailed paid invoices must be submitted WITHIN 60 days of the date the ad ran. Copies of cancelled checks or credit card statements are not acceptable. Members and clubs must be in good standing in the ACBL to receive reimbursement.
- The ACBL staff reserves the right to judge eligibility for reimbursement and may, at their sole discretion, deny reimbursement for any and all submissions that they deem to be ineligible.
- Newspapers
- Magazines
- Direct mail pieces (Excluding Postage)
- Catalogs
- Posters/fliers for public distribution
- Billboards
- Television
- Radio
- Online commercial websites
- Targeted Facebook ads
- Ads placed in the Bridge Bulletin
- Calendars
- Tournament schedules, fliers or emails
- Email campaigns such as Pianola or Constant Contact
- Teacher, club, unit or district newsletters or emails
- Postage
- Club, unit or district directories
- Supplies (i.e., labels, envelopes, printer ink cartridges, etc.)
- Building signage
- Promotional or specialty items (i.e., pens, pencils, coffee mugs, T-shirts, etc.)
- Business cards and letterhead
- Submit proposed ad, flier, etc to be pre-approved via email to marketing@acbl.org with “Attention: CAP Approval”.
- You will receive notification that your request has been approved or disapproved via email.
- Allow five (5) business days for approval/disapproval notification.
How to Submit Reimbursement Documentation:
- Complete CAP reimbursement form located here.
- Send a copy of the dated paid invoice(s) and/or receipt(s) along with the following to the ACBL Marketing Department:
- The advertisement tear sheet(s) for newspaper ads. Do not cut out the ad or make a copy of the ad. We require the entire actual page(s) from the newspaper, magazine or other media containing the ad. PDF versions of tear sheets may be submitted via email.
- The actual brochure or flier that was printed.
- A copy of the script for radio (from the station) and a DVD if for television.
- A copy of the link or insertion order for online commercial websites.
- Your Name, ACBL member, club, unit or district NUMBER and daytime phone number or email address where you may be contacted and to whom the reimbursement check should be made payable. Remember, the check that is made payable to a club, unit or district will only be mailed to the person who is profiled in the ACBL data base under that club, unit or district -no exceptions.
Ad Templates Logos Clip Art
I ♥ Bridge (Square)
I ♥ Bridge (Small)
Join the ♣ (Square)
Join the ♣ (Small)
Join the ♣ (8.5×11)
Game Face (Small)
Come Play (Small)
Come Play (Square)
Come Play (8.5×11)
Learn New Tricks (Square)
Learn New Tricks (Small)
Learn New Tricks (8.5×11)
Get in the Mix
Get in the Mix (Large)
Facebook Ads Webinar
Please use the primary logo if the logo can be at least 1½ inches wide and the logo seal for anything smaller than 1½ inches.
Recruitment Incentives
ACBL Recruiter
ACBL recruiters keep bridge thriving, and we want to show our appreciation. With our new Recruitment Incentives, we’ll award up to US$30 for each new member a registered recruiter brings to the ACBL!
Bigger bonuses paid more quickly
Under this new reward initiative, recruiters receive a US$10 bonus for each new ACBL member*, plus US$10 more when the member renews after the first year, and another US$10 if the member renews a second time. (Accordingly, a new three-year membership pays a one-time US$30 bonus.)At least twice a year, we’ll issue a check for the recruitment incentives balance.
* Incentives are not available for recruiting junior (under 26).
Who are our recruiters?
Teachers, Club Managers and active Club Directors are automatically registered as recruiters. In order to have the monetary incentives credited to their account, recruiters need to ensure that their member number is entered in the New Member Application form (either online or printed forms).
We depend on our recruiters to promote bridge at the local level as we work to serve all members. Together we can ensure a bright future for the game. —Joseph Jones, ACBL Executive Director
ACBL’s previous incentives will be gradually phased out (check the FAQ, question 4), so ACBL recruiters will be eligible to receive both incentive rewards for a certain period! Note that the upgraded club championship game awarded to recruiting clubs for every 10 new members is still available.
Questions or suggestions? Please contact us at recruiter@acbl.org.
- Only active ACBL members (up-to-date with their membership dues/fees) can be ACBL recruiters
- Full-time ACBL employees are not eligible for recruitment incentives
- At present, monetary recruitment incentives can only be paid to individuals. We are evaluating the possibility of paying out to clubs in the future.
Recruiter FAQ
- Only active ACBL members (up-to-date with their membership dues/fees) can be ACBL recruiters
- Full-time ACBL employees are not eligible for recruitment incentives
- At present, monetary recruitment incentives can only be paid to individuals. We are evaluating the possibility of paying out to clubs in the future.
Club Director Update Course
The ACBL Club Director Update Course is presented at NABC tournaments to inform about recent changes in ACBL Laws, masterpoint awards, Alert procedures, and club regulations. Click here for the current schedule of courses or contact directorcourses@acbl.org for more information.Clubs and tournament chairs may schedule an in-person Club Director Update Course by contacting Debbie Vicknair in the Bridge Administration Department. She will work with you and the Tournament Department to ensure that a qualified instructor is available. Requests must be made six months in advance for scheduling purposes.
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ACBL Club Director Update Course |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start | End | Time | City/State | Location | Contact | Fee |
| October 11 | October 14 | Evenings | Online via Zoom | Register | melody.euler@acbl.org | $50 |
| November 6 | November 7 | All day | Online via Zoom | Register | melody.euler@acbl.org | $50 |
| November 15 | November 19 | Evenings | Online via Zoom | Register | melody.euler@acbl.org | $50 |
This comprehensive course prepares candidates for directing club and bridge cruise games. Anyone interested in becoming a club director or a director aboard a cruise ship is invited to participate. Study materials may be purchased through Baron Barclay Bridge Supply.
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ACBL Club Director Refresher Course |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start | End | Time | City/State | Location | Contact | Fee |
| Recorded Session | Now | Online | Watch the Recorded Course |
FREE | ||
Club Corner Handbooks and Guides Lightboxes
ACBL CODIFICATION
View ACBL Codification
Live for Clubs FAQ
We’ve added several new features for clubs and players. Clubs have a customizable homepage where you can add a logo and leave a message for players. Players will see improvements like a personal results page, creating a list of favorite clubs for faster searches and an easier-to-navigate interface.
There is no need to keep uploading to Club Results if you start using Live for Clubs. A link to Live for Clubs will be placed on your club’s old Club Results page so that players can find your new results pages.
See our detailed instructions for more information.
How do I share my members’ results with third parties (e.g., The Common Game)?
See our detailed instructions to turn on third-party sharing.
Please contact our club support team at liveforclubs.support@acbl.org.
Special Events Hand Records and Analysis
The hand records and analysis are being provided for your use. They can be viewed or printed. We hope you enjoyed the games.
| ACBL-wide Junior Fund Game ♠ Monday, August 21 | Analysis | Hand Records |
| Summer Instant Matchpoint Game ♠ July 10 | Analysis | Videos |
| ACBL-wide Charity Game #2 ♠ Wednesday Afternoon, April 26 | Analysis | Hand Records |
| ACBL-wide Charity Game #1 ♠ Tuesday Afternoon, March 28 | Analysis | Hand Records |
| ACBL-wide Senior Pairs Game ♠ Monday, March 6 | Analysis | Hand Records |
| ACBL-wide International Fund Game ♠ Saturday, February 4 | Analysis | Hand Records |
| ACBL-wide Junior Fund Game ♠ Friday, January 27 | Analysis | Hand Records |
| ACBL-wide Senior Pairs Game ♠ March 2, 2020 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide International Fund Game ♠ February 1, 2020 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Junior Fund Game ♠ January 24, 2020 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide International Fund Game ♠ December 16, 2019 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Instant Matchpoint Game ♠ October 31, 2019 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| Olympiad Fund Game #2 (Canada) ♠ October 10, 2019 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Senior Pairs Game ♠ October 4, 2019 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide International Fund Game ♠ September 12, 2019 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Junior Fund Game ♠ August 6, 2019 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Charity Game #2 ♠ April 3, 2019 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Senior Pairs Game ♠ March 11, 2019 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Charity Game ♠ February 20, 2019 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide International Fund Game ♠ February 2, 2019 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Junior Fund Game ♠ January 22, 2019 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide International Fund Game ♠ December 17, 2018 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Instant Matchpoint Game ♠ October 31, 2018 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| Canada-wide Olympiad Game ♠ October 11, 2018 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Senior Pairs ♠ October 5, 2018 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide International Fund Game ♠ September 13, 2018 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Junior Fund Game ♠ August 7, 2018 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Summer IMG ♠ July 9, 2018 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| Canada-wide Olympiad Fund Game ♠ June 13, 2018 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| The Worldwide Bridge Contest ♠ June 1, 2018 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| The Worldwide Bridge Contest ♠ June 2, 2018 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Charity Game ♠ April 25, 2018 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Senior Pairs ♠ March 19, 2018 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Charity Game ♠ February 21, 2018 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide International Fund Game ♠ February 3, 2018 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Junior Fund Game ♠ January 23, 2018 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Charity Game ♠ November 22, 2016 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Charity Game ♠ April 14, 2016 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Charity Game ♠ November 30, 2015 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Charity Game ♠ April 2, 2014 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Charity Game ♠ November 5, 2014 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Charity Game ♠ April 8, 2014 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Charity Game ♠ November 25, 2013 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Charity Game ♠ March 12, 2013 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| Canada-wide Olympiad Fund Game ♠ March 11, 2013 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Charity Game ♠ November 26, 2012 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| Canada-wide Olympiad Fund Game ♠ October 22, 2012 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Charity Game ♠ March 21, 2012 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| Canada-wide Olympiad Fund Game ♠ March 6, 2012 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Senior Pairs ♠ March 5, 2012 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide International Fund Game ♠ January 28, 2012 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Charity Game ♠ November 28, 2011 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| Canada-wide Olympiad Fund Game ♠ October 19, 2011 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide International Fund Game ♠ May 11, 2011 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Charity Game ♠ March 15, 2011 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Senior Pairs ♠ February 28, 2011 | Hand Records | Analysis |
ACBL-wide International Fund Game ♠ February 5, 2011| Hand Records |
Analysis |
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| ACBL-wide Charity Game ♠ November 29, 2010 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| Canada-wide Olympiad Fund Game ♠ October 21, 2010 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide International Fund Game ♠ Game July 23, 2010 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide International Fund Game ♠ Game May 13, 2010 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| Canada-wide Olympiad Fund Game ♠ March 23, 2010 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Charity Game ♠ March 17, 2010 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide Senior Pairs ♠ February 22, 2010 | Hand Records | Analysis |
| ACBL-wide International Fund Game ♠ February 6, 2010 | Hand Records | Analysis |
Coming Soon!
Sending attendance reports to ACBL
Clubs should send the attendance record in a text file to masterpoints@acbl.org. Once the text file is received, masterpoints will automatically post to the member’s record. Step-by-step instructions:
- Go into ACBLscore
- Arrow to database, press enter
- Arrow to update/find player, press enter
- Type F for find and enter the player’s name
- When you get to the player, type in F4 to view the attendance records
- Hit F7 to print the attendance records
- Choose text file format
- Send file to masterpoints@acbl.org
Report Special Games
Masterpoints and fees for most special games will be included with the month-end report. DBADD all games after the scores are finalized. Special games for which the fees are not in U.S. dollars, or for which the fees go to an organization other than ACBL, will require a printed report. After you print the report, complete and remit it along with any money due. The majority of special games do not require a printed report.
Set up the game as you would a normal club game. When you get to the screen with the pick box titled “Select event rating” in the upper right corner, select the rating based on the list below. This also applies if you wish to change the masterpoint rating of a game that is already set up.
Regular Club Championship
Select Club Championship (ALL) then Regular Club Championship from the next pick box. DBADD before month-end reports are produced. No special report is needed.
Upgraded Club Championship
Select Club Championship (ALL) then Upgraded Club Championship from the next pick box. DBADD before month-end reports are produced. No special report is needed.
Charity Club Championship
Select Club Championship (ALL) then Charity Club Championship from the next pick box. If the donation is for the ACBL charitable fund in U.S. dollars, DBADD before month-end reports are produced. No report will be printed, and fees will be included with the month-end report. If for a local charity, DBADD the game and specify the name of the local charity. No report will be printed. In Canada: DBADD, print and complete the game report, and submit to ACBL in Memphis along with your donation in Canadian dollars. In all cases, masterpoints for this game will be included with the month-end report.
International Fund Club Championship
Select Club Championship (ALL) then International Fund Club Championship from the next pick box. If the donation is for the ACBL international fund in U.S. dollars, DBADD before month-end reports are produced. No report will be printed, and fees will be included with the month-end report. In Canada: DBADD, print and complete the game report, and submit to CBF along with your donation. In all cases, masterpoints for this game will be included with the month-end report.
Interclub Championship Games
Select Club Championship (ALL) then Interclub Championship from the next pick box. If this game is administered by ACBL or ACBL Online and hand records are used, answer Y(es) to “Is this Interclub game administered by ACBL?” If so, e-mail the game file to iccg@acbl.org after completion for overall ranking. There is $4 per-table additional sanction fee. Overall masterpoints will be issued by ACBL.
Unit Championship
This is a regular unit game (not unit-wide). Select Unit Game (ALL) then 1 Unit Championship from the next pick box. DBADD before month-end reports are produced. No report will be printed.
Unit Charity
Select Unit Game (ALL) then 2 Unit Charity from the next pick box. If the donation is for the ACBL charitable fund in U.S. dollars, DBADD before month-end reports are produced. No report will be printed, and fees will be included with the month-end report. If for a local charity, DBADD the game and specify the name of the local charity. Also, if for a local charity, ACBL sanction fees of $1.20 per table will be included with the month-end report. No report will be printed. In Canada: DBADD, print and complete the game report and submit to ACBL in Horn Lake. Send your donation in Canadian dollars to Ina Demme, 1 Pietro Dr. Maple, ON, L6A 3J4. In all cases, masterpoints for this game will be included with the month-end report.
Unit International Fund
Select “Unit Game (ALL)” then “Unit International Fund” from the next pick box. No report will be printed and fees will be included with the month-end report. In Canada: DBADD and print and complete the game report and submit to CBF together with your donation. In All cases, masterpoints for this game will be included with month-end report.
Unit Junior Fund
Select “Unit Game (ALL)” then “Unit Junior Fund” from the next pick box. No report will be printed and fees will be included with the month-end report. In Canada: DBADD and print and complete the game report and submit to CBF together with your donation. In All cases, masterpoints for this game will be included with month-end report.
>Unit Education Foundation
Select “Unit Game (ALL)” then “Unit Education Foundation” from the next pick box. No report will be printed and fees will be included with the month-end report. Masterpoints for this game will be included with month-end report.
Unit-wide Championship
Overalls are ranked across all sites. Select Unit Game (ALL) then Unit-wide Championship from the next pick box. DBADD this game, print the game report and press report and submit to your local coordinator for this game. Masterpoints will be issued by ACBL from the submitted press and will not be included with the month-end report.
ACBL-wide Charity
Select Fund (Charity, International, Junior, etc.) then ACBL-wide Charity (or ACBL-wide Charity: no hand records if the game was not held during the designated session) from the next pick box. If the donation is for the ACBL charitable fund in US dollars, DBADD before month-end reports are produced. No report will be printed, and fees will be included with the month-end report. In Canada: DBADD, print and complete the game report, and submit to ACBL in Memphis along with your donation in Canadian dollars. In all cases, masterpoints for this game will be included with the month-end report.
ACBL-wide International Fund
Select Fund (Charity, International, Junior, etc.) then ACBL-wide International Fund (or ACBL-wide International fund: no hand records if the game was not held during the designated session) from the next pick box. If the donation is for the ACBL international fund in US dollars, DBADD before month-end reports are produced. No report will be printed, and fees will be included with the month-end reports. In Canada: DBADD, print and complete the game report, and submit to CBF along with your donation. In all cases, masterpoints for this game will be included with the month-end report.
Junior Fund
Select Fund (Charity, International, Junior, etc.), then Junior Fund from the next pick box. If for the ACBL Junior fund in U.S. dollars, DBADD before month-end reports are produced. No report will be printed, and fees will be included with the month-end reports. In Canada: DBADD, print and complete the game report, and submit to CBF along with your donation. In all cases, masterpoints for this game will be included with the month-end report.
NABC Promotional Game
Select “Fund (Charity, International, Junior, etc.)” then “NABC Promotional Game” from the next pick box. DBADD before month end reports are produced. Also, the report needs to be printed and completed and forwarded to your district NABC coordinator together with any included with month end report.
GNT Fund
Select Fund (Charity, International, Junior, etc.) then GNT Fund from the next pick box. DBADD before month-end reports are produced. Also, print and complete the report and forward it to your district GNT coordinator along with any money due to the district GNT fund. Masterpoints for this game will be included with the month-end report.
North American Pairs
Select North American Pairs or Teams (Club or Unit level), then North American Pairs – Club level for club qualifying games or North American Pairs – Unit level for unit finals. DBADD before month-end reports are produced. The sanction fees and masterpoints will be included with the month-end report. No report will be printed. Use the PCON command to print qualification slips for the next level. If you want to produce a report of all qualifiers from your club NAP games, answer Y(es) to “Add group codes to the database for qualifiers” when you DBADD. A report of qualifiers can then be produced (Data Base, Reports/Export, List of qualifiers from NAOP, GNT, etc.) by restricting the report to the qualifying group codes.
Education Foundation
Select Fund (Charity, International, Junior, etc.) then Education Foundation from the next pick box.
Grand National Teams
Select North American Pairs or Teams (Club or Unit level), then Grand National Teams – Club level for club qualifying games or Grand National Teams – Unit level for unit finals. DBADD before month-end reports are produced. A $1.25 per-table sanction fee will be included with the month-end report. Also, print and complete the report and forward it to your district GNT coordinator along with any money due to the district GNT fund. Masterpoints for this game will be included with the month-end report. If you want to produce a report of all qualifiers from your club GNT games, answer Y(es) to “Add group codes to the database for qualifiers” when you DBADD. A report of qualifiers can then be produced (Data Base, Reports/Export, 13 List of qualifiers from NAOP, GNT, etc.) by restricting the report to the qualifying group codes.
Club Appreciation Game
Select Club Championship (all) then Club Appreciation from the next pick box. DBADD before month-end reports are produced. Masterpoints for this game will be included with the month-end report.
Club Appreciation Team Game
SelectClub Championship (all) then Club Appreciation Team game from the next pick box. DBADD before month-end reports are produced. Masterpoints for this game will be included with the month-end report.
ACBL Membership Game
Select ACBL Membership. DBADD before month-end reports are produced. Masterpoints for this game will be included with the month-end report.
Worldwide Simultaneous Pairs
Select ACBL/World/District-wide (Instant, Seniors, etc.) then Worldwide Simultaneous Pairs from the next pick box. To take part in worldwide matchpointing and ranking, use the World command to create files for sending via the Internet to the WBF. No report will be printed.
ACBL-wide Instant Matchpoints
Select ACBL/World/District-wide (Instant, Seniors, etc.) then ACBL-wide Instant Matchpoints from the next pick box. It is important to select a movement that will play 24 boards. Insert the disk for this game. No report will be printed.
ACBL-wide Seniors
Select ACBL/World/District-wide (Instant, Seniors, etc.) then ACBL-wide Seniors from the next pick box. No report will be printed.
Sectional Tournament at Clubs (STAC)
Select Sectional Tournament at Clubs and Progressive Sectional then Sectional Tournament at Clubs from the next pick box. E-mail a copy of game files (use Back command) to Director in Charge (DIC).
Progressive Sectional
Select Sectional Tournament at Clubs and Progressive Sectional then Progressive Sectional from the next pick box. DBADD this game, print and complete the game report, and submit the report and a copy of the press sheet to the unit coordinator of this event, along with the appropriate fee. Masterpoints for this game will be included with the month-end report.
Canadian Special Events:
Canada-wide Olympiad Fund
Select Canadian Events (ALL) then Canada-wide Olympiad Fund from the next pick box. DBADD this game, print and complete the game report, and submit it along with the donation to the CBF. Masterpoints for this game will be included with the month-end report.
Helen Shields Rookie/Master
Select Canadian Events (ALL) then Rookie/Master from the next pick box. DBADD this game, print and complete the game report, and submit it along with the fees to the CBF. Masterpoints for this game will be included with the month-end report.
Canadian Open Pairs Championship
>
Select Canadian Events (ALL) then COPC – Club level from the next pick box. DBADD this game, print and complete the game report and press report, and submit them along with the fees to the CBF. Masterpoints for this game will be included with the month-end report. If you wish to produce a report of all qualifiers from your club COPC games, answer Y(es) to “Add group codes to the database for qualifiers” when you DBADD. A report of qualifiers can then be produced (Data Base, Reports/Export, List of qualifiers from NAOP, GNT, etc.) by restricting the report to the qualifying group codes.
Canadian National Teams Championship
Select Canadian Events (ALL) then CNTC – Club level for club qualifying games or CNTC – Unit level for unit finals. DBADD this game, print and complete the game report and press report, and submit them along with the fees to the CBF. Masterpoints for this game will be included with the month-end report. If you want to produce a report of all qualifiers from your CNTC games, answer Y(es) to “Add group codes to the database for qualifiers” when you DBADD. A report of qualifiers can then be produced (Data Base, Reports/Export, List of qualifiers from NAOP, GNT, etc.) by restricting the report to the qualifying group codes.
CNTC Master/Non-Master
Select Canadian Events (ALL) then CNTC Master/Non-Master from the next pick box. DBADD this game, print and complete the game report and press report, and submit them along with the fees to the CBF. Masterpoints for this game will be included with the month-end report. If you want to produce a report of all qualifiers from your CNTC games, answer Y(es) to “Add group codes to the database for qualifiers” when you DBADD. A report of qualifiers can then be produced (Data Base, Reports/Export, List of qualifiers from NAOP, GNT, etc.) by restricting the report to the qualifying group codes.
Canadian Women’s Team Championship
Select Canadian Events (ALL) then CWTC from the next pick box. DBADD this game, print and complete the game report and press report, and submit them along with the fees to the CBF. Masterpoints for this game will be included with the month-end report.
Post Results/Recap Sheets
Posting results on ACBL Live for Clubs
Upload Game files to Live for Clubs to allow players to view results online. Optionally turn on e-mail notifications to players and automatic sharing with other websites.
Click the link below to access the ACBL Live for Clubs website:
To generate and post recap sheets:
- At the command prompt, enter LR.
- Choose html.
- Note the file location and name the file.
You can then link to that file from a calendar page, for example, or any way you choose to point to the file.
Changes in the Laws
Questions about the recent changes in the Laws of Bridge? In the list of documents below, each Law is broken down individually, highlighting the differences between the 2007 and 2017 versions.
- Definitions
- Index
- Law 1 — The Pack
- Law 2 — The Duplicate Boards
- Law 3 — Arrangement of Tables
- Law 4 — Partnerships
- Law 5 — Assignment of Seats
- Law 6 — The Shuffle and Deal
- Law 7 — Control of Boards and Cards
- Law 8 — Sequence of Rounds
- Law 9 — Procedure Following an Irregularity
- Law 10 — Assessment of Rectification
- Law 11 — Forfeiture of the Right to Rectification
- Law 12 — Director's Discretionary Powers
- Law 13 — Incorrect Number of Cards
- Law 14 — Missing Card
- Law 15 — Play of a Wrong Board
- Law 16 — Authorized and Unauthorized Information
- Law 17 — The Auction Period
- Law 18 — Bids
- Law 19 — Doubles and Redoubles
- Law 20 — Review and Explanation of Calls
- Law 21 — Call Based on Misinformation
- Law 22 — Procedure After the Bidding Has Ended
- Law 23 — Comparable Call
- Law 24 — Cards Exposed or Led Prior to Play Period
- Law 25 — Legal and Illegal Changes of Call
- Law 26 — Call Withdrawn, Lead Restrictions
- Law 27 — Insufficient Bid
- Law 28 — Calls Considered to be in Rotation
- Law 29 — Procedure After Call Out of Rotation
- Law 30 — Pass Out of Rotation
- Law 31 — Bid Out of Rotation
- Law 32 — Double or Redouble Out of Rotation
- Law 33 — Simultaneous Calls
- Law 34 — Retention of Right To Call
- Law 35 — Inadmissible Calls
- Law 36 — Inadmissible Doubles and Redoubles.
- Law 37 — Action Violating Obligation to Pass
- Law 38 — Bid of More Than Seven
- Law 39 — Call After the Final Pass
- Law 40 — Partnership Understandings
- Law 41 — Commencement of Play
- Law 42 — Dummy's Rights
- Law 43 — Dummy's Limitations
- Law 44 — Sequence and Procedure of Play
- Law 45 — Card Played
- Law 46 — Incomplete or Erroneous Call of a Card From Dummy
- Law 47 — Retraction of Card Played
- Law 48 — Exposure of Declarer's Cards
- Law 49 — Exposure of Defender's Cards
- Law 50 — Disposition of a Penalty Card
- Law 51 — Two or More Penalty Cards
- Law 52 — Failure to Lead or Play a Penalty Card
- Law 53 — Lead Out of Turn Accepted
- Law 54 — Faced Opening Lead Out of Turn
- Law 55 — Declarer's Lead Out of Turn
- Law 56 — Defender's Lead Out of Turn
- Law 57 — Premature Lead or Play
- Law 58 — Simultaneous Leads or Plays
- Law 59 — Inability to Lead or Play as Required
- Law 60 — Play After an Illegal Play
- Law 61 — Failure to Follow Suit - Inquires Concerning a Revoke
- Law 62 — Correction of a Revoke
- Law 63 — Establishment of a Revoke
- Law 64 — Procedure After the Establishment of a Revoke
- Law 65 — Law 65 - Arrangement of Tricks
- Law 66 — Inspection of Tricks
- Law 67 — Defective Trick
- Law 68 — Claim or Concession of Tricks
- Law 69 — Agreed Clam or Concession
- Law 70 — Contested Claim or Concession
- Law 71 — Concession Cancelled
- Law 72 — General Principles
- Law 73 — Communication
- Law 74 — Conduct and Etiquette
- Law 75 — Mistaken Explanation or Mistaken Call
- Law 76 — Spectators
- Law 77 — Duplicate Bridge Scoring Table
- Law 78 — Methods of Scoring and Conditions of Contest
- Law 79 — Tricks Won
- Law 80 — Regulation and Organization
- Law 81 — The Director
- Law 82 — Rectification of Errors of Procedure
- Law 83 — Notification of the Right to Appeal
- Law 84 — Rulings on Agreed Facts
- Law 85 — Rulings on Disputed Facts
- Law 86 — In Team Play or Similar
- Law 87 — Fouled Board
- Law 88 — Award of Indemnity Points
- Law 89 — Rectification in Individual Events
- Law 90 — Procedural Penalties
- Law 91 — Penalize or Suspend
- Law 92 — Right to Appeal
- Law 93 — Procedures of Appeal
ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY
Zero Tolerance Policy
The ultimate purpose of the Z-T policy is to create a much more pleasant atmosphere in our NABCs. We are attempting to eradicate unacceptable behavior in order to make the game of bridge more enjoyable for all. Below are some examples of commendable behavior, which, while not required, will significantly contribute to the improved atmosphere:- Being a good 'host' or 'guest' at the table.
- Greeting others in a friendly manner.
- Praising the bidding and/or play of the opponents
- Having two clearly completed convention cards readily available to the opponents (This one is a regulation, not just a nicety)
The following are some examples of behavior which will not be tolerated:
- Badgering, rudeness, insinuations, intimidation, profanity, threats, or violence.
- Negative comments concerning opponents' or partner's play or bidding.
- Constant and gratuitous lessons and analyses at the table.
- Loud and disruptive arguing with a director's ruling.
- At the start of each event, the director shall make an announcement that the tournament will be observing ZERO TOLERANCE for unacceptable behavior. It is requested that the director be called whenever behavior is not consistent with the guidelines outlined above.
- The director, when called, shall make an assessment of the situation. If it is established that there was unacceptable behavior, an immediate ¼ board disciplinary penalty (3 IMP in team games) shall be assigned to all offenders. This may involve any one or all four players at the table irrespective of who initiated the unacceptable behavior. If both members of a partnership are guilty, the penalties are additive (¼ board EACH = ½ board!). The Board of Directors strongly believes that assignment of disciplinary penalties will improve the overall behavior at our tournaments.
- If it is determined that the same offender is responsible for a second offense in the same event, then the offender(s) shall be ejected from future competition in that event. An offender removed from an event shall be deemed to have not played in the event, no masterpoints will be awarded and no refunds will be made. All previously-obtained results shall, however, remain valid as to their effect upon other competitors. In the case of a serious offense and in the case of multiple offenses (three) during a tournament, a disciplinary committee may be convened to determine whether the offender(s) should be allowed to play in other events at the tournament and/or whether additional sanctions may be appropriate.
- Warnings are strongly discouraged and will be given only when there is no clear violation or in cases where the facts cannot be determined. Offenders are to receive immediate penalties. Regardless of who may have initiated unacceptable behavior, ALL offenses are punishable. Retaliatory behavior is a punishable offense. Frivolous accusations will also be considered as offenses under this policy.
- In accordance with the Laws of Duplicate Bridge, a director's decision to impose a disciplinary penalty is final; however, all such decisions may be appealed. An appeals committee may not overturn the director's decision, but could recommend that the director reconsider the imposition of a penalty. It should be noted that the committee may feel that the penalty assessed was not severe enough and may refer the matter to a disciplinary committee.
- The DIC shall provide a summary report of all behavioral penalties to the Tournament Chairman and/or Recorder.
Recruitment FAQ
Because the maximum payout per each new member is US$30, three-year memberships have a different payment schedule. If the member initially joins with a three-year membership, US$30 is given, and there is no tail. If a member first joins with a one-year membership and then renews with a three-year membership, the recruiter receives US$10 for the first year and the remaining US$20 at renewal.
The previous incentives will be gradually phased out as described below:
• US$100 gift certificate to Baron Barclay Bridge Supply for every 25 new members recruited in a calendar year. This incentive will be available to all recruiters until they earn the next gift certificate or December 31, 2019, whichever is sooner.
• US$500 bonus check for every 100 new members recruited. This incentive will be available to all recruiters until they earn the next bonus check or December 31, 2021, whichever comes first.
• Upgraded club championship for every 10 new members. At present, there are no planned changes for this club recruitment incentive.
Teachers, Club Managers and active Club Directors are automatically registered as recruiters.
Other members who are actively involved in recruiting may be approved, on a case-by-case basis, to be an ACBL recruiter (apply at recruiter@acbl.org).
- Only active ACBL members (up-to-date with their membership dues/fees) can be ACBL recruiters
- Full-time ACBL employees are not eligible for recruitment incentives
- At present, monetary recruitment incentives can only be paid to individuals. We are evaluating the possibility of paying out to clubs in the future.
The easiest way is to become a certified teacher, club manager or active club director.
Other members who are actively involved in recruiting may be approved, on a case-by-case basis, to be an ACBL recruiter (apply at recruiter@acbl.org).
Recruiters will be paid at least twice a year, via a mailed check. We are investigating other options, like electronic checks (direct deposit to your bank account), that may be implemented in the future.
Please note that ACBL is required to have a completed W-9 form on file (completed W-8BEN form for non-US residents), before we can pay the incentives. (these forms contain tax ID information, so we can report these payments to the Income Revenue Service). At present, recruitment incentives can only be paid to individuals. We are evaluating the possibility of paying out incentives directly to clubs.
The recruiter attributed to in the New Member Application form will be paid. At this moment, clubs, units or districts can’t receive monetary recruitment incentives, only registered individuals.
No. There can only be one recruiter per joining member.
You will receive a monthly statement by email showing your recruits and your payments. In the future, recruiters will be able to check transactions and balances in MyACBL (like in a bank account or credit card website).
We want your feedback! Please send any questions or suggestions to recruiter@acbl.org. We’ll get back to you ASAP, likely the next working day.
Big Games
Big Games must be reported to the Bridge Bulletin. These results are not automatically picked up from club files. The club director, manager or the players themselves may send a notice to biggames@acbl.org.
Requirements:
- 75% or higher scores in a club matchpoint game that is open or non-restricted. (For example, masterpoint-restricted games or country club games restricted by membership do not qualify. Nor do cruise games, sectional or regional games.)
- Five tables with at least 20 boards in play.
- Both players are paid ACBL members in good standing.
A game recap must accompany the report — either via an attached text file or a permanent online link to where the results are posted.
ACBL GNT Conditions of Contest
- District 1
- District 2
- District 3
- District 4
- District 5
- District 6
- District 7
- District 8
- District 9
- District 10
- District 11
- District 12
- District 13
- District 14
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- District 15
- District 16
- District 17
- District 18
- District 19
- District 20
- District 21
- District 22
- District 23
- District 24
- District 25
In addition, some Districts have specific Conditions of Contest:
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- District 1
- District 2
- District 3
- District 4
- District 5
- District 6
- District 7
- District 8
- District 9
- District 10
- District 11
- District 12
- District 13
- District 14
- District 15
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- District 16
- District 17
- District 18
- District 19
- District 20
- District 21
- District 22
- District 23
- District 24
- District 25
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Zoom Repository
Club Manager Zoom Meetings Repository
Upcoming Meetings (tentative)
- November 14
- December 12
- January 9
- February 13
- April 3
- May 8
- June 19
- August 7
- September 11
- October 9
- November 13
- In person special events Club reference (with costs)
- Two more “Back to the Club” weeks are scheduled for 2022. All games can be run as Upgraded Club Championships from November 7 through November 20. Please remember to set all your games those two weeks to the Upgraded Club Championship rating.
- GNT qualifying at the clubs started September 1, and runs through February 28. Please see these important points:
- GNTs will award 50/50 red/black, 81.8% sectional-rated masterpoints. An invitational game will award only black points, at reduced ratings; (see the ACBL Conditions of Contest).
- Each District also has its own GNT Conditions of Contest, so please ensure you’re following your District’s Conditions.
- The ACBL sanction fees for these games will be $2.25 per table. Check with your District; they may add a surcharge for GNT games run by clubs.
- Remember that face-to-face clubs may offer one Club Championship game per sanctioned session per calendar quarter, on top of the extra 8 weeks each club has been allotted for 2022.
- This fall marks the second Royal STaC! Your players will be able to earn 25% gold, 25% silver, 25% red, and 25% black during this event. The Districts are scheduling these STaC weeks, so check with your District for the dates.
- Link to online special events for
- MANAGERS (with costs)
- Link to online special events for PLAYERS (without costs)
- The Virtual Clubs Visitor Policy is no longer being applied to any club that holds fewer than 50 tables in a week. As an aside, we also do not apply the Policy to Newcomer games (0-20). Thank you for your hard work in growing the passion for this great game in those players!
ALL ABOUT ROBOTS
- To seat a robot, simply click on the seat and choose Substitute. On the line, type the word robot.
- You may seat a “tempbot” at the beginning of the game, allowing yourself time to get a sub. It will “stand up and wait” when the first board is over, and you can then seat your sub. (On the sub-select screen, type tempbot instead of typing robot.)
- +hd+ Use this game hack and you will force the human partner of a robot to declare. The system will move the human to the robot seat if robot wins the contract, and will return the human to their own seat after the hand is completed. (This mimics the way that the BBO robot tournaments work.) This will also apply to any robots that you seat once the game begins, so long as the robot is seated before the auction ends. NOTE: this will also work with Tempbots.
- You may seat a sub to replace a robot AT ANY TIME, even in the middle of a hand, and even if the robot is declaring. (Not sure why we’d wish to put a new human in a seat in the middle of hand, when they can’t see what has thus far been played, but it is possible.)
- if the robot you are trying to replace is one that the player paid for at registration, you will be unable to sub this robot at all.
- if you pay for a robot partner, it’s a “smart robot.” If you seat a robot in place of a sit-out, that robot is a “basic robot.”
- Forum discussion about basic vs advanced robots: (Thanks, TDDon) https://www.bridgebase.com/forums/topic/79182-basic-robots-vs-advanced/
- Robot 2/1 systems are described here.
About Saved Deals
Meeting Recordings and Files
Discussion items/Handouts: Face-to-Face Clubs: Special Games at Clubs chart
Virtual Clubs: Online Event Schedule
Audio Only Chat FileDiscussion items/Handouts: A.J. Stephani, District 11 Board member, and member of the ACBL Board of Directors, joined us to introduce EDGAR, a mechanism in the works that will help identify cheating at the virtual bridge table. Please see this link for more in-depth information and discussion: https://bridgewinners.com/article/view/introducing-edgar/. A.J. invites us to email him with questions or comments: ajstephani@gmail.com
Audio Only Chat FileDiscussion items/Handouts:The ACBL is deeply disturbed by the crisis in Ukraine, and we are aiming to contribute to charities working on the ground. We hope you will join us in raising funds for humanitarian relief efforts through the special Ukraine Charity Games Event, taking place March 28-31, 2022.
Audio Only Chat FileDiscussion items/Handouts: If you experience trouble connecting to MyACBL or to Live for Clubs, please clear all cookies. You could also try using a browser that you seldom use, or try the incognito mode. Whenever ACBL deploys new code, this step must be taken. We will get this fixed, but until that time, please try these workarounds
Audio Only Chat FileDiscussion items/Handouts: Tempbot can be seated at start if desired
Audio Only Chat FileDiscussion items/Handouts: Swiss Teams stratifying on BBO fixed (L4C shows all as “A”)
Audio Only Chat FileDiscussion items/Handouts: Replacing a player forces a logout (in case they’re stuck).
Audio Only Chat FileDiscussion items/Handouts: As of 11/18/21, 4 free visitors per game
Audio Only Chat FileDiscussion items/Handouts: As of 11/05/21, partners of members no longer visitors.
Audio Only Chat FileDiscussion items/Handouts: Undos are now enabled for VACB. Use at your discretion.
Chat FileDiscussion items/Handouts: Send hack adjustments/omissions to VACB@acbl.org
Audio Only Chat FileDiscussion items/Handouts: Face-to-face players eligible for Include Lists. We will add.
Chat FileDiscussion items/Handouts: StaC games returning
Discussion items/Handouts: Club Director Slide Presentation (accompanies Club Director Refresher Course)
Audio OnlyDiscussion items/Handouts: Club Director Refresher Course (3.5 hour recording)
Audio Only Chat FileConventional Wisdom
Download as one document
- NEW 1 – Overview & Minors
- NEW 2 – Majors
- NEW 3 – Notrump
- NEW 4 – 2 Level
- NEW 5 – Other
- NEW 6 – Doubles
- NEW 7 – Overcalls
- NEW 8 – Cue Bids & Preempts
- NEW 9 – Slam Conventions
- NEW 10 – NT Overcalls
- NEW 11 – Defenses vs Notrump
- NEW 12 – vs Preempts
- NEW 13 – Carding
- NEW 14 – Leads
