History
The event was introduced in 1963 and ranks with the von Zedtwitz Life Master Pairs (Summer NABC) as the most prestigious -- and toughest -- pair events on the ACBL calendar.
Entry is restricted to winners and runners-up in regional championships -- plus high finishers in North American championships, members of current Grand National district championship teams, members of current official teams representing ACBL and the top 100 lifetime masterpoint holders.
The Blue Ribbon Pairs was renamed the Edgar Kaplan Blue Ribbon Pairs in 1999 to honor one of bridge’s all-time great players, writers and administrators. Kaplan was recognized as the world’s foremost authority on the laws of duplicate and rubber bridge. He became co-chairman of the ACBL Laws Commission in 1978 and was co-chairman of the WBF Laws Commission at the time of his death. He was named ACBL Honorary Member in 1993. In 1995 he was inducted into the ACBL Bridge Hall of Fame and the WBF Hall of Fame.
The event is contested for the Cavendish Trophy, awarded for the National Open Pair Championship and donated by the Cavendish Club of New York in 1928. Since 1963, the trophy has been awarded to winners of the Blue Ribbon Pairs.
Read more about this topic: Edgar Kaplan Blue Ribbon Pairs
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