[maris oren]

Do only paid tournaments accord master points? what is the difference between bbo and ACBL master points abd do you need to be a member of ACBL to receive them?

[pilowsky]

Only paid tournaments award masterpoints. On BBO, you will only get masterpoints if you pay money and join the tournament - not as a sub. All points are equal in BBO world but are separate for different jurisdictions. You can look up your points and anybody else's points by following this link and typing in their name. The full detail of where and when points were obtained then appears. This is not the same as the number (which is the rank - like junior master etc), letter, or symbol next to the name.
http://www.bridgebas...oints/index.php
The masterpoints awarded on BBO are significantly inflated compared to those awarded in Australia. I'm not sure about other countries.
In any event, they are not an index of skill. Many excellent players have no masterpoints. They are just poor and don't want to waste money. Gambling, as a good friend of mine once said is a tax on stupid people. BBO is incorporated in Nevada! I try to earn masterpoints to track improvement and to make sure that I am not fooling myself I am mainly interested in open events where the competition is most fierce.

[maris oren]

do i need to be a member of ACBL to receive their master points? the same with other bridge clubs?

[pilowsky]

It depends on the Club. I did join the ACBL because it was quite good value when I was starting out. Pre-pandemic, they were hosting their games on BBO. You will have to judge for yourself. Many of the other clubs can just ask to be a member of but you do have to pay for each tournament. There are many online bridge platforms apart from BBO - just use google to find them. BIL is hosted on BBO if you are like me, a Beginner/Intermediate. There are also more advanced Clubs. As you play more and read the Forum you will start to get a feel for BBO world. BBO also has a Facebook page that can be helpful. As of course does ACBL and other local organisations. There is so much stuff out there you will not have time to play bridge.
Basically, there are tons of ways to spend money on bridge.

[SelfGovern]

maris oren, on 2020-June-20, 04:05, said:

do i need to be a member of ACBL to receive their master points? the same with other bridge clubs?

You can accrue ACBL masterpoints even if you are not a member of the ACBL -- but neither you nor anyone else will be able to see them until you join the ACBL (with the minor exception that the link https://www.bridgebase.com/points/ will show your pending ACBL points even if you are not a member). When you join the ACBL and add your ACBL number to your BBO profile, BBO shoots a notification to the ACBL and your points get recorded and visible on the ACBL site.

You must be a member of the ACBL to play in some games, like the ACBL regional held at the end of June.

Other clubs and organizations have their own rules.

If you live in the US and want to improve your game, the ACBL magazine you get with your membership is well worth the cost of joining. There are numerous columns by experts who are excellent writers that are tailored for players from beginners up through advanced. Most of the columnists are regulars, so they can take a topic and explore it in depth over several issues (not just a simple "after 1NT opening, 2!H asks opener to bid 2!S", but what happens after that, why play Texas transfers, how to show slam interest, how to find the right game, how to deal with interference, etc.). There is a special introductory rate of $8 for one month for new members to get a feel for how useful the magazine would be to you (and, I suppose, to let you enter a particular event that required you be a member).

If you are under 26 years of age, the ACBL 1-year membership is only $5/year. THAT is a STEAL. (access to the ACBL magazine at this rate is online only, but I believe you have all other benefits of membership)

Let me know by BBO email if you have more questions about joining the ACBL.