The Cribbage Club of West Palm Beach was formed in 1997. We are an official Grass Roots Club, sanctioned as Club Number 241. All of our members are American Cribbage Congress (ACC) members.
As a Division One Grass Roots Club, we play a regular season from September through May. During this time we play 36 weeks – a total of 36 tournaments. The Club Champion receives an invitation to play in the National Tournament of Champions. This is an invitation only tournament in Reno, Nevada, held each February. From May through September, the Club continues to play weekly, and holds a summer tournament among its members. You need not be a Grass Roots member or an ACC member to play with us during the summer.
The American Cribbage Congress ("ACC") was established in 1980. It is a non-profit organization created to increase the enjoyment of the game for others, and to protect the game and players. Today, the ACC sponsors over 170 tournaments throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico, generating large fields wherever tournaments are held.
The ACC tracks players' performances in these tournaments and awards points for high placings, with awards being given out for top point earners at the end of each season, and for lifetime achievements. Similar to the FIDE (Word Chess Federation) rankings, players can achieve Master, Grand Master, and Life Master status within the ACC.
The ACC supports local (Grass Roots) clubs all across the country. These clubs meet once a week or every other week and conduct 9-game tournaments that last between 2 and 3 hours. It's a great way to meet new people and play some cribbage without needing to travel very far.
In addition to the over 170 tournaments the ACC sponsors yearly, the ACC also coordinates local clubs in the Grass Roots system. These clubs meet every 1-2 weeks and run 9-game tournaments. These tournaments last around 3 hours or so. This system generates a base group of cribbage players in the area, which results in camraderie and fun for all.
Each week, all players play nine (9) games against different opponents. You receive two (2) game points for winning the game, and an extra game point (three points total) if win by 31 points or more, thereby "skunking" your opponent. You keep track of wins and losses as well as the margin of victory for each game.
At the end of the night, all of the scorecards are tallied. The standings are ranked first by the number of game points, then by the number of victories, and then by your cumulative margin of victory/defeat. For example, a player that has won 7 games (14 game points) will be ranked ahead of a player that has won 6 games, 2 of which were skunks (also 14 game points).
The cost of registering for the weekly tournament is $11. Of that $11, $1 goes to the club for administrative costs (playing cards, scoresheets, etc) and $1 goes to the waitstaff and Moose Club. The other $9 goes towards the prize pool. The prize pool is paid out to the top 25% of the players in a tiered structure, where first place receives more than second place, and so on.
Those players who finish in the top 20% (along with ties based solely on game points) also receive club points equal to the number of game points they earned for that tournament. These points are totalled throughout the season, and the top point earner will earn the title of Club Champion. Grass Roots Club Points accumulate across seasons towards titles similar to that of the ACC rating system.
There are two special tournaments held each season, the Regionals and the Nationals. Both of these tournaments are one-day events, and both are 18-game tournaments. However, instead of results being compared within the club, results are compared within the region and nationally, respectively. These tournaments are extra opportunities to earn Grass Roots Club points for the season and lifetime totals.