Changes to the Masterpoint Scheme since March 2004

Additional B4c Red point sessions for clubs in remote areas - June 19th 2004

Clubs that are situated more than 40 kilometres from their nearest neighbouring affiliated club will, on application, be granted an additional three B4c sessions each year. Clubs should apply each year to their State Masterpoint Secretaries, who in turn need to advise the Masterpoint Centre by September 30th. - see 2.5 GRADE B4c

GNOT qualifying final placing points - May 30th 2005

Final placing points to be given to those players competing in a GNOT qualifying event where the winners go directly to the National Final. - see 7.5.7 Grand National Open Teams

Congresses with two or more events of the same type - June 6th 2005

A congress can have only one competition of the each format (i.e. Teams, Butler pairs, or Matchpoint Pairs) for each 10 sessions. Should a congress have more than this number then the additional competition(s) shall not be entitled to the Congress acceleration factor. - see 5.4.2 Congress Acceleration Factor

Eligibility for Masterpoints - September 21st 2005

Every effort should be made to ensure that all players in a duplicate session play as high a proportion of the boards in play in their section as possible. To be eligible for session awards this must not be less than 75%, however boards missed because of a sit out can be counted - see 4.4.4 Movements

FINES - October 7th 2005

4% per month penalty will be charged whenever the credit file for a gold or red point event (other than club, or GNOT qualifying) is lodged more than 30 days after the competition ended
A 10% per quarter penalty will be charged for all accounts overdue by more than 90 days. - see 8.5 Fines

YOUTH PLAYERS CLUB - March 2007

Players under the age of 26 as at the 1st of January can obtain free registration with the ABF for the coming year, through membership of the Youth Players’ Club. Membership of the ABF Youth Players Club previously expired on the player's 26th birthday.  - see 1.3.6 Youth Players Club

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS for Gold Point Events - June 2007

Entry to these competitions is limited to players who are registered with the ABF, or else are visitors from overseas. - see 7.1 Entry Requirements and 5.1.4 ABF Super Congresses

TEAMS MASTERPOINT AWARDS FOR MATCHPOINT PAIRS COMPETITIONS - June 2007

Teams masterpoint awards can be given for matchpoint scoring events where each match is of 7 or more boards duration - see 4.2.3 Single Session Teams and Butler Pairs

GRAND NATIONAL PAIRS -January 2008

Procedures for masterpointing the Grand National Open Pairs - see 7.5.8 Grand National Pairs

INTRODUCTION OF EMERALD GRAND MASTER & DIAMOND GRAND MASTER RANKINGS - August 2009

Details for requirements for the two new rankings are at 1.8 Master Rankings

CHANGES TO MASTER FACTORS - January 2010

The new master factors are at 4.4.9 Master Events

CHANGES TO ANC BUTLER AWARDS - February 2010

Accounting for the fact that the event will only have two stages from 2010, instead of the previous three. Details are at 7.5.4 Australian Butler Pairs

CHANGE TO MINIMUM NUMBER OF SESSIONS FOR A B5i INTERCLUB EVENT - July 2010

A B5i Interclub competition no longer needs to be of two or more sessions. See 2.6 GRADE B5i RED

REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADE B4 BRIDGE FESTIVAL - August 2010

See 5.1.5 Bridge Festivals (grade B4)

GRAND NATIONAL PAIRS - January 2011

Award rate reduced by 25%, session awards to only go to the top 50% of the field (rounded down) - see 7.5.8 Grand National Pairs

ADDITIONAL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS - January 2011

The Daytime Teams Championship, Daytime Pairs Championship, and Teams of Three have each been added to the schedule of possible State events.

These events receive 75% of the full Grade B award, details are at - see 6.2.2 State Events

NEW WEBSITE ADDRESS www.abfmasterpoints.com.au - January 2012

GREEN POINT ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS - January 2012

The Green point achievement awards were discontinued from January 1st 2012 - see 1.7.1 Green point achievement awards

INTRODUCTION OF ONLINE PROCESSING - January 2012

See 1.4.1 Responsibilities of the Centre, 1.4.2 Information supplied to the Centre, 1.4.3 Information supplied by the Centre, Appendix C , Appendix D, Appendix E, Appendix F & Appendix G

GRAND NATIONAL PAIRS DISCONTINUED - January 2013

ALL GRADE A3 EVENTS UPGRADED TO A2 - May 2013

RE-ACTIVATION FEE ABOLISHED - October 2013

NEW METHOD OF CALCULATING SESSION AWARDS FOR DUPLICATE CONGRESS, STATE, & NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS - October 2014

See 4.2.2 Placing awards for Duplicate Congress, State, and National Events

RESTRICTED CONGRESSES NO LONGER NEED A COMPANION OPEN EVENT - October 2015

See 5.3.2 Restricted Events

TEAMS MASTERPOINTS CAN BE AWARDED FOR MATCHES OF 5 OR MORE BOARDS - January 2016

See 4.2.3 Single session Teams and Pairs Matches of 5 or more boards

AMENDED GREAT BRITAIN EXCHANGE RATE - January 2016

See 1.3.4 Reciprocity with New Zealand and Great Britain

AMENDED MASTER FACTORS FOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS AND GOLD POINT COMPETITIONS - January 2017

See 4.4.9 Master Factors

NO LONGER COMPULSORY TO RECORD MP CREDITS FOR SUPERVISED SESSIONS - August 2017

UP TO TWO CLUB B4c SESSIONS CAN BE HELD AT OTHER THAN THE REGULAR SESSION TIMES - SUBJECT TO CONSENT OF THE STATE ASSOCIATION - July 2018

See 2.6 Grade B4c

WHERE NO OVERSEAS MP RECORDS CAN BE FOUND, IMMIGRANTS MAY BE GRANTED NATIONAL, LIFE, OR GRAND MASTER STATUS BASED ON THEIR ABILITY

See 1.3.4 Reciprocity with Foreign Countries

COMPETITORS PLAYING LESS THAN 40% OF THE BOARDS IN A NATIONAL FINAL - January 2019

See 4.4.5 Eligibility for Masterpoints

APPROVAL OF SUPER CONGRESSES - February 2019

Authority now with State Masterpoint SecretarySee 5.1.3 Super Congresses

APPLICATION OF THE 75% OF THE BOARDS IN PLAY RULE - June 2019

See 4.4.4 Movements

FOREIGN PLAYERS - October 2019

Overseas visiting players with significant top level experience will be allocated sufficient masterpoints to give them a Grand Master Ranking.

See Foreign Players

MINIMUM NUMBER OF BOARDS FOR A DUPLICATE SESSION - April 2020

The minimum number of boards that need to be played in a duplicate session for masterpoints to be awarded reduced to 12.

See Sessions

ONE THOUSAND CLUB - December 2020

Recognition of players who have earned 1,000 masterpoints, regardless of the number of red and gold points earned.

See One Thousand Club

CHANGE TO RANKING TITLES - December 2020

Single * in a ranking title to be changed to Bronze, ** in a ranking title to be replaced with Silver.

See Master Rankings

ADVERTISING CONGRESSES INTERSTATE - January 2021

Promotional congress literature should only be forwarded to interstate clubs with the permission of the State or Territory Association concerned.

ELIGIBILTY TO PLAY IN STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS - January 2021

Entry to State Championships should be limited to members of clubs affiliated with the State or Territory Association concerned. Registered players who are visitors from interstate or overseas are also allowed to play.

ELIGIBILITY TO PLAY IN GNOT QUALIFIERS - January 2021

Entry to a GNOT Qualifying event should be restricted to members of that club or, where applicable, to members of clubs within that GNOT Region.

PLAYERS FROM NON-AFFILIATED CLUBS - April 2021

Players from non-affiliated clubs to be treated in the same manner as those from overseas.

See Players from non affiliated clubs

CLUB ANNIVERSARIES - March 2022

Clubs having an anniversary that is a multiple of 25 years are entitled to the necessary number of extra B4c sessions to hold a Bridge Day, This is subject to the approval of the State Masterpoint Secretary, who will ensure that the attendance at any nearby congresses isn’t likely to be affected.

See Grade B4c

MASTER FACTOR GRADE A2 - June 2023

now the same as for Grade B.

See Master Events