American Cribbage Congress
The American Cribbage Congress (ACC) is a non-profit organization with the stated goals of making the game of cribbage fun and fair for people of all ages.
The ACC's efforts have included the national standardization of cribbage rules and the establishment of scoring systems allowing sanctioned players to earn points for their play throughout the official cribbage season, which begins each fall. Throughout the season, statistics are maintained for each player's performance in local clubs (called Grass Roots), national tournaments and online play, with champions crowned in each area. The ACC maintains its national website at cribbage.org.
The ACC's Grass Roots clubs meet locally each week to play nine-game tournaments. The ACC's Youth Program encourages school-aged children to play the game as well. The Congress sponsors over 150 sanctioned tournaments a year throughout North America, including an annual Grand National event. Winners of these tournaments can earn cash prizes.
Origins
While traveling to Raleigh, North Carolina to participate in Nick Pond's National Open Cribbage Tournament, Joseph P. Wergin thought AbOUT the many Cribbage tournaments that were springing up and the possibility that some tournament directors might exploit the players. He also thought about the thousands of Cribbage games being played across the country under slightly different rules. Upon his arrival in Raleigh, Wergin shared these thoughts with Pond. Later, during the course of the tournament, several players came to both Wergin and Pond and VOICED their concern about a west coast cribbage association because it was structured to sell STOCK for personal profit. As a result of this widespread concern, Wergin and Pond decided to invite a group of prominent Cribbage players to a breakfast meeting on August 6, 1979, the last day of the sixth annual National Open. The first purpose of the meeting was to determine a way to promote Cribbage tournaments for the benefit of the players rather than for the benefit of the promoters. The second was to standardize the slightly different playing rules that had developed across the nation. The American Cribbage Congress was born at that Monday morning breakfast meeting.
The following decisions were made:
1. Organize to protect Cribbage players from exploitation, to standardize Cribbage rules, and to promote the game of Cribbage.
2. Name the organization the American Cribbage Congress.
3. Vest in an Executive Committee the management of the Congress until the Constitution was approved at a General Meeting.
4. Appoint officers and directors
Membership
ACC membership is available for an individual or a couple. The membership is yearly and includes a monthly subscription to Cribbage World which contains information about playing tips, tournament results, and future tournaments around the U.S. and standings in the three regions of the U.S. of the tournament players. For local play the ACC has a system of local clubs, called Grass Roots clubs. The Grass Roots has its own website.
Any one earning 2,000 lifetime points is honored as a Master player; 4,000 points earns Grand Master and 6,000 are needed for Life Master status.
Lifetime awards are presented yearly to those players who have earned them.
The ACC season runs from August 1 - July 31. The player who earns the most points in a season is crowned as the National Champion. Also, the top ten players in points rankings are the year's All-American team.
Cribbage World
One of the benefits of joining the American Cribbage Congress is a free subscription to Cribbage World. Cribbage World keeps members in touch with what's going in the world of cribbage. It includes recaps of tournaments around the country, schedules of upcoming tournaments, player point standings as well as interesting stats and asides. You can also view it in electronic format.
Internet Cribbage
The ACC has an Internet Cribbage Tournament program. Individuals from around the world play cribbage on the Internet several times a week.
Youth Program
The American Cribbage Congress acknowledges the importance of teaching the children of our country the wonderful game of cribbage. Not only are they learning a game which will provide immeasurable enjoyment for the rest of their lives, they are also enhancing valuable educational skills such as mathematics, critical thinking, and cooperative learning.
The ACC has targeted the school classroom as the most efficient and effective way to promote cribbage. Dan Zeisler, a school principal and former junior high school teacher from Northern California, has taught over 900 kids how to play cribbage in schools over the past 15 years. He has written a highly successful manual on how to teach large groups of students the game of cribbage. The manual includes: a five day lesson plan to follow, information on conducting youth tournaments, two quizzes, and much, much more. Already, more than 450 manuals have been sent out all over the country.
Cribbage Tournaments
In addition to playing in a local Grass Roots club, all members have the option to travel to any of the nation wide sanctioned tournaments to participate.
Organization
Local Clubs
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.