The Edgar Kaplan Blue Ribbon Pairs (or simply the Blue Ribbon Pairs) is a national bridge championship held at the fall American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) North American Bridge Championship (NABC). The event is restricted to those that have won a blue ribbon qualification (usually by placing in the top two of an unrestricted regional event)[1] and is generally considered, with the Norman Kay Platinum Pairs, as one of the two hardest pairs event on the ACBL calendar.
The Blue Ribbon Pairs is a six session MP pairs event, two qualifying sessions, two semi-final sessions and two final sessions that takes place over three days, typically starting on the first Tuesday of the NABC.
Along with the Von Zedtwitz Life Master Pairs at the summer NABC and the Norman Kay Platinum Pairs at the spring NABC, the events provide one marquee pairs championship at each of the three NABCs. Each is open to all players whose past performances qualify them, without regard to age, gender, nationality, or ACBL membership. In addition, the North American Pairs, contested in the spring, is for ACBL members who have qualified in one of its 25 Districts, some of which require qualification in local Units.