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The Grand National Teams (GNT) national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) North American Bridge Championship (NABC).
The Grand National Teams is a team knockout event. The event is broken into four flights (Championship, A, B, C). The event is restricted to those who have qualified in their local ACBL district. No player on a flight A team can have more than 5,000 masterpoints. No player on a flight B team can have more than 2,000 masterpoints. No player on a flight C team can have more than 500 masterpoints, or be a lifemaster (which requires only 300 masterpoints).
All flights typically begin play on Wednesday, two days before the main NABC events, so that players on first- and second-day lo losing teams participants.
The 2011 host district won Flights B and C in Toronto and thereby won the unofficial GNT Cup.[1]
The United States Bridge Association, established by Ely Culbertson and his staff, conducted a Grand National Team-of-Four championship from 1934 to 1937 (the lifetime of the organization before merger created the ACBL).
The event began in 1973 as a grass-roots event. The initial stages are contested over the course of several months in the 25 geographically defined ACBL Districts where conditions differ; some now hold a single weekend tournament. The district champions play for the North American championship at the Summer NABC.
Originally, all 25 districts of the ACBL participated. Currently only the 23 U.S. or partly U.S. districts compete.
In 1985, the event was divided in three Flights called A, B, and C. That is, Flights B and C were added to the Open.
In 2001, the Championship Flight was added. That is, the previously Flight A was renamed "Championship" or "Superflight" and Flight A was restricted to players with fewer than 5000 career masterpoints. As of 2012 the other ceilings are 2000 points for Flight B players and 500 points for Flight C.
The winners in each year's Open Event have their names engraved on the Morehead Trophy, donated by The New York Times in memory of its longtime bridge editor Albert H. Morehead.
In the latest rendition, July 2012, the defending champion District 9 defeated District 24 by seven IMPs, 118 to 111.[2] The champions represent Florida and the runners-up, approximately, New York City.[3]
Florida has won nine of 16 tournaments from 1997 to 2012, with Jeff Meckstroth a member of all nine teams and his partner Eric Rodwell a member of eight. Gary Cohler has played three times from 2004; Mike Becker, David Berkowitz, and current captain Warren Spector four times from 2007.
The latest rendition concluded July 2012 in Philadelphia, hosted by District 4 (most of Pennsylvania and New York states).[3]
In the Flight A final, District 23 (greater Los Angeles) defeated District 6 (Virginia–DC–Maryland) by 132 to 107.[2]
In Flight B, District 5 (spanning West Virginia to far western New York) defeated District 3 (New Jersey and far eastern New York) by 139 to 116.[2]
In Flight C, District 6 (Virginia–DC–Maryland) defeated District 25 (approximately New England) by 142 to 92.[2]
List of previous winners for Championship Flight and Flight A, Pages 8, 9
List of previous winners for Flight B and Flight C, Pages 6, 7
2009 winners, Page 1
2010 winners, Page 1
United States, Italy, France, Austria, Sweden
North American Bridge Championships, World Team Olympiad, Bermuda Bowl, Mitchell Board-a-Match Teams, Contract bridge
Oclc, North American Bridge Championships, Contract bridge, World Team Olympiad, World Bridge Federation
North American Bridge Championships, Contract bridge, Bermuda Bowl, World Team Olympiad, Indianapolis
North American Bridge Championships, Bermuda Bowl, Contract bridge, World Team Olympiad, Florida