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Bridge near the crossroads: Memphis Spring NABC in 2019

Memphis is known for the birthplace of blues and the location of the famed crossroads – but it’s also known for hosting the North American Bridge Championship for the year 2019, which took place between the 21st to the 31st of March. It’s one of the largest bridge events of the year, and was certainly packed full of excellent plays (and the who’s-who of bridge!).

The play

Memphis

The ACBL Headquarters is currently based in Mississippi, just a stone’s throw and little over an hour’s drive from the famed crossroads in Clarkesdale – and not too far at all from Memphis.  This year, the play took place at the Memphis Cook Convention Centre in Memphis, TN; the perfect spot for blues, nightlife and bridge.

If you missed the event, the full schedule is available from the ACBL’s website in pdf – and results for individual tournaments (and planning for your next ones) can be found at websites like

BridgeScanner, or here on Bridge Base.

You can also take a look at the Tennessee Bridge Association’s website for more information on the event itself, and some local games if you’re passing through the great state of bridge, blues and rock.

Aces & Knaves in Memphis

The world premiere for the long-awaited bridge documentary Aces & Knaves also took place at the event in Memphis, attended by some of the greatest names in bridge – many of which are featured in the documentary.

The film explores bridge like it’s never been seen before, and it’s something that every single bridge player should watch (and screen to anyone they would like to introduce to the game!).

Filmmaker and bridge player Jackie Paré had this to say about the premiere at the Orpheum Theatre:

“The ACES & KNAVES premiere vastly exceeded my expectations. The house was packed, the venue was beautiful, and many of the bridge champions featured in the film were in the audience. The ACBL Bulletin called it ‘A gem! …humorous, frank, and personal!’ I couldn’t have asked for more.”

The NABC Robot Individual

For people who can’t attend the tournament in person, there’s also the NABC Robot Individual played through Bridge Base Online, with free practice tournaments leading up to the actual event itself.

Have you ever played your way through an NABC?