Special Events

In this section, we hope to give you an understanding of how the point structure works, etc.

What are these Events

CNTC

Part of the Canadian Bridge Federation (CBF) mandate is to facilitate the selection of Canadian representatives to annual World Championships. To do that the CBF holds annual championships, usually in May, to select the following teams:

Open Teams (CNTC Flight A)
Women’s Teams (CWTCs, now a stand-alone event held in the summer)
Seniors Teams (CSTCs)

A lot of people do not realize that there are other events held during the eight days of the Championship:

1. Flight B Championship (CNTC Flight B, under 2500 master points)

2. Flight C Championships (CNTC Flight A, under 1000 master points)

3. Canadian IMP Pair Championships (CIPCs) Cash prize for the top two.

4. Canadian Open Pair Championships (COPCs) Cash prize for the top three.

5. One day Swiss Read More

All of these five events are open to all bridge players in Canada who are CBF members. Our Unit has a formula to subsidize Unit 181 members who decide to attend the Championships. In addition, it is possible for all players to compete in multiple events held during the week. The CNTCs and the COPCs are a grass-root event with qualifying games at the club level in the fall and winter (even if you do not qualify at the local games you may still attend and compete in the above events at the CBCs).

The CBCs location is rotated throughout Canada, and will be held in Winnipeg in 2017.

For more information please email Neil Kimelman at Nkimelman@bridgemanitoba.org

Click Here to view the Unit Final format.

NAP

Every year at the Spring Nationals, there is a pairs competition for Flights A, B and C. Every District in the ACBL chooses 3 pairs in each flight to represent their district at the finals. Qualifying games at the club level are held in June, July and August. District level finals are usually held in October or November and the format is decided by the District representatives. First and second place winners in each flight receive a cash prize--$700 for each member of the first place winning pair, $300 for second place winners; third place pairs do not receive reimbursement but are invited to attend. Our District No. 2 (which includes Bermuda and all of Ontario except Ottawa) holds a final in the Fall and requires at least 5 tables in each flight in order for a location to hold the final event.

Unit 181 pays a significant amount of the additional card fees in order to play in this event. This event is for players at all levels so come out and win a chance to represent our District.

Tournaments

We have 4 tournaments per year

Erin Berry

The Erin Berry Rookie-Master Game is held each fall in clubs across Canada. This is a special game with an emphasis on fun designed to help introduce new players to the game of duplicate bridge. A Rookie is anyone with less than 50 masterpoints who doesn't have much experience at playing duplicate bridge. The games are run using computer hands so that players across the country play the same deals. The pair with the best percentage score in Canada is declared National Winners and receive a trophy. The pairs with the top percentage score in each Zone receives a plaque. All club winners receive certificates.

Since this game is designed to introduce new players to duplicate bridge, the use of limited conventions is encouraged. Following the game, hand analysis sheets prepared by top players in Canada are provided to all players. This game is organized by the Canadian Bridge Federation. For more information about this game and other CBF activities, please visit their website at www.cbf.org

Instant MP

The Instant Matchpoint game is held across the world.

Bridge Scoring -- How Events are Divided by Groups

Stratified
Flighted
Matchpoint
Imps
Swiss Teams
Knockout Teams
BAM Teams
Life Master
Masterpoint

This is a type of game movement where all players are assigned to a group (strat) based on their current masterpoint holdings. Each contestant plays against players of all point ranges. Masterpoints are awarded to leaders of each strat. If a Strat C player scored better than one of the leaders in Strat B (a higher ranked strat), the C player will be awarded the points for Strat B.
In a ﬂighted event, contestants compete only against other pairs/teams within the same point range. For example, if Flight C is 0–200 masterpoints, no player with more than 200 masterpoints may be included in the group. A player may always play up in ﬂighted events (e.g., a Flight B player could elect to enter Flight A), if the player wishes. The higher the ﬂight, the more difﬁcult the competition and the more masterpoints awarded to the winners.
A matchpoint is a unit used in a method of scoring duplicate contests in which two or more scores are compared. A pair receives one point for each result it bests and one-half point for each result it ties.
An IMP is an International Matchpoint, a unit of scoring used according to a schedule established by the Laws of Duplicate Bridge. In a team game, a difference in trick and bonus scores of the North-South pair and the East-West pair on the same team is used to determine IMPs from a chart. IMPs are sometimes converted to Victory Points by way of a chart based on either a 20- or 30-point Victory Point scale. A copy of the IMP and VP scales is printed inside each ACBL Convention Card.
In a Swiss team event, each team will play approximately 6 to 9 board matches against a number of teams during the event. Matches are arranged by pairing teams with approximately equal records as the game progresses.
A Knockout Team event is one where one team plays an entire session against one other team. The winning team from each match advances to play the next round and the defeated team is eliminated. In Bracketed Knockout Teams event, the event is run as a knockout team event with one exception. All teams will play against similarly rated opponents. Each team’s bracket is determined by averaging the entire team’s masterpoint holdings. This is the most popular event in which to play to earn gold points at regionals and NABCs.
Board-a-Match is a form of duplicate scoring used in team contests in which one matchpoint is awarded for winning the board and 1/2 matchpoint is awarded for a tie. Each board is compared only to team you played the board against.
Life Master is the most highly sought level of bridge achievement. A Life Master is a player who has earned 300 or more recorded masterpoints, of which at least 50 must be silver, at least 25 must be gold and at least another 25 must be red or gold. New members as of 1/1/99 must also earn at least 50 black points as part of their total 300 points. Please note that no more than 100 mps earned on the Internet may count toward the points necessary to achieve LM status. Note: Effective January 1, 2010 anyone who joins the ACBL or rejoins after a lapse in membership, must earn 500 masterpoints to become a Life Master. (Of these 50 must be gold or platinum, 50 red, gold or platinum, 75 silver and 75 black.
This is the unit which measures bridge achievement in duplicate play. Masterpoints come in black, silver, red, gold, platinum and unpigmented, and they are awarded for different levels of play.
- Black points at club and unit games
- Silver points at sectionals, progressive sectionals and STaCs
- Red points in all events at regionals and the three NABCs
- Gold points for section tops and placing overall in regional events and in events of two or more sessions with either no MP restriction or a minimum MP limit of 750 points or more (not Strat C). Partial gold points are awarded in some special events
- Platinum points for all NABC+ championship events
- Unpigmented points for online play on the Internet
See “ranks” for the number and color of points needed to attain various levels of recognition: Rookie, Junior Master, Club Master, Sectional Master, Regional Master, NABC Master, Life Master and upper levels beyond Life Master

Special Events--What are they?

What are these Events

Bridge Scoring -- How Events are Divided by Groups