From July 24 to August 3, the American Contract Bridge League brought the Summer North American Bridge Championships (NABC) to Philadelphia – Pennsylvania’s biggest city and the cradle of American independence. Keep reading to discover more about the city, dive into event highlights, meet the major winners, and explore our exclusive photo gallery.
Philladelphia
Philadelphia, often called the “City of Brotherly Love,” is a city rich in history, culture, and energy. Famous as the birthplace of American independence, it’s home to landmarks like the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, alongside a thriving food, arts, and sports scene. Its central location and welcoming atmosphere make it a natural gathering point for major events, including bridge, and it’s no surprise that Philadelphia is one of the frequent hosts of the NABC.
The Venue
As usual, the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown served as the home of the NABC when the championship returned to the city. The elegant venue offers plenty of space for play and is perfectly located in the heart of Philadelphia. Just steps away lies the Reading Terminal Market, one of the oldest and most beloved public markets in the country, where players and visitors can enjoy everything from Philly cheesesteaks to Amish baked goods – a perfect way to recharge between sessions.
The Event
Over the course of 11 days, the NABC in Philadelphia delivered a packed schedule of bridge. Alongside the premier national events, there were also plenty of regional tournaments catering to less-experienced players, ensuring that everyone had a chance to compete. In total, 9,459 tables were played – a figure still below pre-COVID levels, but more than healthy enough to support the full program of events.
Check out our photo gallery from NABC Phily
At the top level, the championships once again attracted some of the very best players from around the world, making for tough and exciting competition. Many familiar names from the Daily Celebrity Challenge were in action, and one of them, Michael Whibley of New Zealand (featured in the Daily on May 23rd and Oct 30th), teamed up with Australian friends to capture the Roth Swiss Teams after three intense days of play. Several other winners from the major events will also be featured soon on the Daily Celebrity Challenge—so stay tuned!
The Winners
Here’s a look at the top performers in the marquee events.
- Spingold
- Team Wolfson (Jeffrey Wolfson, Steve Garner, Kevin Rosenberg, Brian Platnick, Yinghao Liu, Yichao Chen)
- Team Wolfson (Jeffrey Wolfson, Steve Garner, Kevin Rosenberg, Brian Platnick, Yinghao Liu, Yichao Chen)
- Von Zedtwitz Life Master Pairs
- Owen Lien & Harrison Luba
- Owen Lien & Harrison Luba
- Roth Swiss Teams
- Team Hans (Sartaj Hans, Michael Whibley, Nabil Edgtton, Andy Hung)
- Team Hans (Sartaj Hans, Michael Whibley, Nabil Edgtton, Andy Hung)
- Wernher Pairs
- Giorgia Botta & Iulian “Max” Rotaru
Overall Top 3 Players of the Championship
Here are the top three overall performers across all events in terms of Masterpoints earned during the Summer NABC:
- Brian Platnick – 326.00
- Joe Grue – 300.00
- Iulian “Max” Rotaru – 288.94
Creating Community: Our Booth & the ACBL Ranked Games
At our booth, celebrating our partnership with the ACBL and launching ACBL Ranked Games, we offered free ACBL games to anyone who stopped by. Each visit to a US National brings more and more people who’ve tried – and many who genuinely love – IntoBridge. Hearing about your enthusiasm for the Daily Celebrity Challenge and how you love sharing results with friends warmed our hearts. It’s a vivid sign that our vision – a community-based platform – is really taking shape.
Photos
Dive into the most interesting moments and places that IntoBridge’s camera captured while in Philly:
Click HERE
The Fall NABC will be held in San Francisco between Nov 27th and Dec 8th. If you’re coming to the event, make sure to visit the IntoBridge booth!
