Each year the ABF runs an inter-club team knockout competition on RealBrigde. The event is played one evening a month over several months with separate divisions for open, under 750 MP, under 300 MP, under 100 MP and under 50 MP. It is a great opportunity for players at all levels top compete against other players from around the country. As a national event, it is also one of the rare opportuntities to earn gold masterpoints locally.
August was the conclussion of the qualifying rounds in most divisions, with the top eight teams going into the quarter finals. Teams who did not qualify can play in a consolation Swiss event for the remaining rounds.
The TBA has two teams in the Open division playing in different pools in teh qualifying - Green (Maggie Crawford, Julia Corr, Phil Beck and Jo Beck) and Maroon (Tania Lloyd, Hugh Grosvenor, Mardi Grosvenor and John Grosvenor). Maroon squeaked into fourth position in their pool and will be playing Arafura in the quarter finals. Green placed eigth in their pool.
Hobart City is the only other Tasmanian club represented in the competition. Their Open team (David Brooks, Darryl Smith, Maruta Boyd and Barbara Holland) qualified third in their pool and will play Newcastle in the quarter finals.
In the Under 750 MP division the TBA team (Nigel Brookes, Jeremy Reid, Erica McCoull, Jane Edler, Simon Edler and Pam Murphy) placed sixth. They will be playing Central Coast Leagues in the quarter finals. Simon pointed out tis remarkable hand got to play in the August round, a rare hand where either direction can make 12 tricks (6C or 6D North-South, 6H East-West).
The TBA team in the Under 300 MP division (Geraldine Carey, Anne O'Rourke, Laura Bauermeister, Leonie Atkins and Paul Fredheim) came 11th at end of. qualifying.
The TBA team in the Under 100 MP division (Anne Travers, Steve Thollar, Roger Hooley, Judy Hooley) can 6th and will be playing South Perth in the quarter finals.
Best of luck to all Tasmanian teams for the quarter finals and consolation Swiss in September.