North American Pairs

Details for 2012 North American Pairs will appear sometime after April 2012.

NAP History

North American Pairs or NAP has been a major ACBL pair championship since 1979. The event was originally known as the Grand National Pairs. The Grand National Pairs became the North American Pairs in 1987 and a special form of the event for non-Life Masters was also added. Winners of the North American Pairs are awarded the Baldwin Trophy. The trophy honors Russell Baldwin, former director and treasurer of the ACBL and coinventor, with Bill McKenney, of the McKenney-Baldwin movements used in tournament bridge.

This highly prestigious “grass roots” event is staged in qualifying rounds at the club, unit and district levels. It culminates in a final held in conjunction with the 2011 LOUISVILLE, KY Spring NABC. This event is also run as a flighted event A (Open), B (2000), C (0-500 Non-Life Masters).

The NAP games are held during the months of June-July-August with players qualifying at the Club level, continues with the District 8 finals in early November, and ends with players qualifying to go to the National Finals (a 2-day event) the following year at the Spring NABC.

Each club can hold two games per sanctioned session during each month. No special sanction is required. These games award 50/50 red/black 100% sectional rated masterpoints. Please read the Conditions of Contest carefully. This year's NAP cycle finals will be held in at the Spring NABC the following year. First and second place district finishers in all flights receive monetary awards that will be distributed at the tournament.

Flight C: open to all players with < 500 MPs who are Non Life Masters.

Grassroots qualifying begins at the club level, in specially designated games during June, July, and August. Players qualify by finishing in the top half of their field (rounded up and including ties) or by having a 50% or better game. Players may compete as often as desired and with any partner. Players who qualify in these club games are entitled to go directly to the four-session District 8 Finals held the second weekend in November in SPRINGFIELD, IL.

A fixed amount prize is awarded in each flight as follows:
In District 8, the 1st place qualifiers will receive $700 per person and the 2nd place qualifiers will receive $300 per person. The 3rd place qualifiers will be invited to participate in the national level finals, but does not receive a prize.

The top THREE winning PAIRS in each flight are entitled to compete in the NAP Finals at the Spring Nationals (Memphis, TN in March, 2012).

Masterpoint qualifications are based upon the member's standing as of June 1, 2011.  (Usually, this means the mid-May MP update.)  Masterpoints won after June 1 do not "count" towards the Flight restrictions.

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2011 District 8 North American Pair Finals

Second Saturday

November 12, 2011

1 & 7 PM

2 sessions in one day for all flights

Springfield Eagle's Club, 2700 E. Ash

Springfield, IL  62703-5603

(217) 544-9849

Directions:  The Eagles Club is on the south side of East Ash Street, just off Dirksen Parkway.
From the south and west -- Take I-72/I-55 to the Stevenson Drive exit (west) and turn right on Dirksen Parkway. Drive north 1.3 miles and turn left on East Ash Street.
From the north and east -- Take I-72/I-55 to the South Grand exit (west) and turn left on Dirksen Parkway. Drive south .7 miles and turn right on East Ash Street.

    Google map (with links for driving directions). 

NAP Coordinator:  Martha Leary   Phone: 217-766-6294    martha@marthaleary.com 

The District 8 Board has changed the Finals Qualification system.

Our Unit 143 NAP Coordinator, Ed Hale, will no longer submit the names of NAP qualifiers from our Unit clubs to District 8 Coordinator

to confirm everyone who is eligible to play.

 You WILL NOT be required to present a qualifying slip as proof of qualification.

You will NOT receive a postcard with details of the event. 

Flights:  Separate events will be held in three flights: A (2000+);  B (0-2000) and C (non-Life Master, 0-500 pts.). Eligibility for each flight is determined by your masterpoint holding on June 1, 2011. 

ACBL prizes:  The top two pairs in each flight will win cash travel awards to play in the national finals in Memphis TN in March 2012. The third-place pair will also qualify for the national finals, but will not receive a travel award.

NAP Coordinator:  Martha Leary   Phone: 217-766-6294    martha@marthaleary.com 

District 8 Conditions of Contest

1. The District 8 adopts the National Conditions of Contest.

2. District 8 elects not to have Unit Finals.

3. Each player must qualify at the club level to be eligible to play in the District Final.

4. The District 8 Final for all three flights is held annually on the second weekend of November. In all flights, the event will be two sessions (one day). Starting time is 1:00 pm.

Unit 143 Coordinator: Ed Hale

(573) 364-7307

ehale@mst.edu

2011 Club Qualifying:

• Club qualifying begins on June 1, 2011 and ended August 31, 001.
• Each club could hold two NAP games per sanctioned session during each of the months of June, July and August.

History

For 2011 District 8 Final results, click here.  Flight C  -William Maack and Jack Britton

For 2010 District 8 Final results, click here

For 2009 District 8 Final results, click here.  Jack Bryant and Rod Van Wyk.

For 2008 District 8 Final results, click here.  En Xie and Jacque Sincoff, Tom Kniest (playing with Karen Walker), & Maureen Swihart and Linda Mize competed in Houston March 12 - 22.

Nov 10-11, 2007 winners, eligible to play in Detroit 6 - 16, 2008