Masterpoints® are the exclusive currency of the ACBL as the measure of achievement in duplicate bridge competition. Masterpoints are awarded in six “color” categories and are essential to rank advancement. The ACBL has 16 player ranks that require a specific number and color of masterpoints.
Masterpoints are “pigmented” to reflect the level of competition. In general, the larger the field and the more expert the competitors are at a tournament, the greater the Masterpoint awards will be for those who place in the overall. Masterpoints at clubs are usually limited, although special games can increase the payoff.
There are formulas for computing masterpoint awards for all ACBL-sanctioned events. These formulas take into account various factors, such as the class of the event, the size of the field, the number of sessions and the level of competition, thus ensuring maximum uniformity throughout the ACBL in determining masterpoint awards.
Masterpoint Pigments
Black points are awarded for overall positions, section positions, and match awards in ACBL-sanctioned club games, in all unit events and in all other levels of tournament competition except those in which gold, red or silver points or net points are awarded.
Silver points are awarded for success in events at sectional tournaments. Progressive sectionals and Sectional Tournaments at Clubs (STaCs) also award silver points.
Red points are awarded for all regional-rated events at North American Bridge Championships (NABCs) and for all events at a regional tournament when the masterpoints are not gold. Grand National Teams (GNT) events, North American Pairs (NAP) events and other special games afford players the opportunity to earn red points at their local clubs.
Gold points are awarded at NABCs in national-rated events that have an upper limit of at least 750 masterpoints. Gold points are awarded for overall positions and for section firsts in all two-session, regional-rated events with an upper limit of at least 750 masterpoints at NABCs and regional tournaments. Pairs filling in for one session of a two-session event receive any gold points earned. Partial gold-point awards are given for certain special events.
Platinum points are awarded for NABC+ events (which are national-rated events with no upper masterpoint limit) and include the national-rated senior and women’s events.
Crystal (unpigmented) points are awarded for success in online play and are colorless.
Rookie
Junior Master
Club Master
Sectional Master
Regional Master
NABC Master
Advanced NABC Master
Life Master
Bronze Life Master
Silver Life Master
Ruby Life Master
Gold Life Master
Sapphire Life Master
Diamond Life Master
Emerald Life Master
Platinum Life Master
Grand Life Master*
Player Masterpoint Requirements for Rank Advancement
Follow the latest masterpoint race standings in the ACBL’s interactive report. Choose a race below to open its results in a new tab.
National, District & Unit Races
Compete within your masterpoint rank in the Mini-McKenney, Helen Shanbrom Ace of Clubs and Ace of Virtual Clubs races. To be listed, you must be a paid member in good standing. For local standings, select your district under Dist./Unit, or expand a district to select a unit.
Results are posted as they are received here at ACBL headquarters. This means that tournaments are normally posted on the Monday or Tuesday following the tournament and will show up on your record the day after they are posted. Club masterpoints are reported as the game files are uploaded by the club.
When do rank changes occur? I know I have made the grade but my record doesn't show the change.
On the evening of the sixth of each month, we run the “masterpoint computer cycle.” It is at this time that masterpoints earned in the previous month are accrued and ranks change if masterpoint rank requirements are met.
I am a new member. Can I receive credit for the points I won before joining the ACBL?
New members can accrue up to 20 Masterpoints earned prior to joining the ACBL. Please ask your club to send the attendance records to ACBL (Instructions for Club Managers/Directors).
How do I earn masterpoints for the Ace of Clubs, Ace of Virtual Clubs, and Mini-McKenney Races?
Mini-McKenney
In 1974, the ACBL Board of Directors voted to recognize the masterpoint achievements of all players and the Mini-McKenney races were established. The winners at each level of achievement are recognized by the ACBL each year in the April issue of the Bridge Bulletin and at the district and unit levels. Eligibility is determined by each player’s masterpoint holding at the beginning of the calendar year. All points earned during the year count with the exception of online games that award “colorless” masterpoints. The home unit of each winner may purchase a Mini-McKenney medallion to present to the player. Standings are updated monthly.
Helen Shanbrom Ace of Clubs
The vast majority of ACBL members play in local club games. To recognize achievement at the club level, the Ace of Clubs competition was created in 1984. These club champions are recognized at the unit level and ACBL-wide. All points won at the club level are counted in this contest with the exception of those won in STaCs. This award was renamed in 2011 in honor of Grand Life Master Helen Shanbrom of Tamarac FL. Shanbrom was one of the most active players in the ACBL for decades and won the top category of the Ace of Clubs more times than any other member in ACBL history.
Ace of Virtual Clubs
Beginning in January of 2023, all sanctioned games held at ACBL Virtual Clubs (VACB), are to be counted in the Ace of Virtual Clubs Masterpoint Races at Unit, District and ACBL-wide levels, and are not to be counted in the Helen Shanbrom Ace of Clubs.
For detailed masterpoint calculations please consult the MP Book.
MEMBERS WHO JOINED AFTER JANUARY 1, 2010
Title
Masterpoints Required
Rookie
Fewer than 5
Junior Master
5
Club Master
20
At least 5 are black
Sectional Master
50
At least are 10 black
At least 5 are silver
Regional Master
100
At least 15 are black
At least 15 are silver
At least 5 are red/gold/platinum
NABC Master
200
At least 20 are black
At least 25 are silver
At least 20 are red/gold/platinum, of which 5 or more are gold/platinum
Advanced NABC Master
300
At least 50 are black
At Least 50 are silver
At least 50 are red/gold/platinum, of which 25 or more are gold/platinum
Life Master
500
At least 75 are black
At least 75 are silver
At least 100 are red/gold/platinum, of which 50 or more are gold/platinum
Bronze Life Master
A Life Master with 750 *
Silver Life Master
A Life Master with 1000 *
At least 200 are silver/red/gold/platinum
Ruby Life Master
A Life Master with 1500 *
At least 300 are silver/red/gold/platinum
Gold Life Master
A Life Master with 2500 *
At least 500 are silver/red/gold/platinum
Sapphire Life Master
A Life Master with 3500 *
At least 700 are silver/red/gold/platinum, of which 350 or more are gold/platinum
Diamond Life Master
A Life Master with 5000 *
At least 1000 are silver/red/gold/platinum, of which 500 or more are gold/platinum
Emerald Life Master
A Life Master with 7500 *
At least 1500 are silver/red/gold/platinum, of which 750 or more are gold/platinum
Platinum Life Master
A Life Master with 10000 *
At least 2000 are silver/red/gold/platinum, of which 1000 or more are gold/platinum and at least 100 are platinum
Grand Life Master
A Platinum Life Master with a victory in an eligible event **
* A member who became a Life Master prior to January 1, 1990, will be exempt from the pigmented point requirements for this rank (with the exception of Platinum points). Each player who has attained the rank of Life Master as of December 31, 2011, will not have to fulfill the pigmented point requirements for their next rank advancement. After attaining their first rank after January 1, 2012, all players will be required to fulfill the pigmented point requirements for subsequent rank advancement (this also applies to the new ranks added in 2015). For example, a current Silver Life Master on December 31, 2011, would retain the current requirements for Gold Life Master, would not have any pigmented requirements for Ruby Life Master, but would need to fulfill the new requirements for Sapphire and Diamond Life Master.
** This is the highest rank in the ACBL. It requires 10,000 masterpoints and one victory in a North American Bridge Championship with no upper masterpoint restriction or an Open Team Trials (includes CNTC) or a Women’s Team Trials (includes CWTC), a Mixed Team Trials (includes CMTC) or a Senior Team Trials (includes CSTC) or any of the following WBF events: Bermuda Bowl, Venice Cup, Rosenblum Cup, McConnell Cup, Open Pairs, Women’s Pairs, Olympiad, Women’s Team Olympiad, WBF Senior Pairs event, WBF World Swiss Teams, WBF World Mixed Teams and WBF Senior Teams.
† A Member who had red masterpoints or a fraction thereof prior to January 1, 1969, is required to possess at least 50 red or gold/platinum masterpoints in any combination to become a Life Master.
‡ Any new Member or player in an unpaid status for six months or more after January 1, 1999, will be required to earn 50 black points to become a Life Master.
MEMBERS WHO JOINED PRIOR TO JANUARY 1, 2010
Title
Masterpoints Required *
Rookie
Fewer than 5
Junior Master
5
Club Master
20
Sectional Master
50
At least 5 are silver
Regional Master
100
At least 15 are silver
At least 5 are red/gold/platinum
NABC Master
200
At least 25 are silver
At least 20 are red/gold/platinum, of which 5 or more are gold/platinum
Life Master
300
At least 50 black‡
At least 50 are silver
At least 50 are red/gold/platinum, of which 25 or more are gold/platinum†
Bronze Life Master
A Life Master with 500 *
Silver Life Master
A Life Master with 1000 *
At least 200 are silver/red/gold/platinum
Ruby Life Master
A Life Master with 1500 *
At least 300 are silver/red/gold/platinum
Gold Life Master
A Life Master with 2500 *
At least 500 are silver/red/gold/platinum
Sapphire Life Master
A Life Master with 3500 *
At least 700 are silver/red/gold/platinum, of which 350 or more are gold/platinum
Diamond Life Master
A Life Master with 5000 *
At least 1000 are silver/red/gold/platinum, of which 500 or more are gold/platinum
Emerald Life Master
A Life Master with 7500 *
At least 1500 are silver/red/gold/platinum, of which 750 or more are gold/platinum
Platinum Life Master
A Life Master with 10000 *
At least 2000 are silver/red/gold/platinum, of which 1000 or more are gold/platinum and at least 100 are platinum
Grand Life Master
A Platinum Life Master with a victory in an eligible event **
* A member who became a Life Master prior to January 1, 1990, will be exempt from the pigmented point requirements for this rank (with the exception of Platinum points). Each player who has attained the rank of Life Master as of December 31, 2011, will not have to fulfill the pigmented point requirements for their next rank advancement. After attaining their first rank after January 1, 2012, all players will be required to fulfill the pigmented point requirements for subsequent rank advancement (this also applies to the new ranks added in 2015). For example, a current Silver Life Master on December 31, 2011, would retain the current requirements for Gold Life Master, would not have any pigmented requirements for Ruby Life Master, but would need to fulfill the new requirements for Sapphire and Diamond Life Master.
** This is the highest rank in the ACBL. It requires 10,000 masterpoints and one victory in a North American Bridge Championship with no upper masterpoint restriction or an Open Team Trials (includes CNTC) or a Women’s Team Trials (includes CWTC), a Mixed Team Trials (includes CMTC) or a Senior Team Trials (includes CSTC) or any of the following WBF events: Bermuda Bowl, Venice Cup, Rosenblum Cup, McConnell Cup, Open Pairs, Women’s Pairs, Olympiad, Women’s Team Olympiad, WBF Senior Pairs event, WBF World Swiss Teams, WBF World Mixed Teams and WBF Senior Teams.
† A Member who had red masterpoints or a fraction thereof prior to January 1, 1969, is required to possess at least 50 red or gold/platinum masterpoints in any combination to become a Life Master.
‡ Any new Member or player in an unpaid status for six months or more after January 1, 1999, will be required to earn 50 black points to become a Life Master.
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Black points are awarded for overall positions, section positions, and match awards in ACBL-sanctioned club games, in all unit events and in all other levels of tournament competition except those in which gold, red or silver points or net points are awarded.
Silver points are awarded for success in events at sectional tournaments. Progressive sectionals and Sectional Tournaments at Clubs (STaCs) also award silver points.
Red points are awarded for all regional-rated events at North American Bridge Championships (NABCs) and for all events at a regional tournament when the masterpoints are not gold. Grand National Teams (GNT) events, North American Pairs (NAP) events and other special games afford players the opportunity to earn red points at their local clubs.
Gold points are awarded at NABCs in national-rated events that have an upper limit of at least 750 masterpoints. Gold points are awarded for overall positions and for section firsts in all two-session, regional-rated events with an upper limit of at least 750 masterpoints at NABCs and regional tournaments. Pairs filling in for one session of a two-session event receive any gold points earned. Partial gold-point awards are given for certain special events.
Platinum points are awarded for NABC+ events (which are national-rated events with no upper masterpoint limit) and include the national-rated senior and women’s events.
Crystal (unpigmented) points are awarded for success in online play and are colorless.
If you joined before January 1, 2010
