Using Masterpoints

Introduction

The ABF Masterpoint Scheme is intended to:

  • Stimulate interest in contract bridge
  • Provide means of measuring player achievements
  • Assist with the financing of the ABF’s national and international commitments

Masterpoints provide a means of comparing chievements between players and for players to compare their achivevements from one year to another. They are particularly useful to provide graded tournaments for players from across Australia.

Players often comment that masterpoints don’t mean much to them, but the same players will question when they think masterpoints they think they are due haven’t been awarded.

The Masterpoint Scheme

The ABF Masterpoint Manual provides a complete guide to masterpointing. The manual is not an easy document to read, especially for those unfamiliar with the scheme, so we have produced the Bridge NSW Club Masterpoint Secretary’s Handbook to assist Club Masterpoint Secretaries in their duties.

Masterpoints are awarded in three colours that reflect the organisational level awarding the points.Additionally, events have different weightings for the points awarded (intended to broadly correspond to the standard of the event). Some types of event (e.g. those that restrict entry in some fashion) also have points factored down. The three different types of masterpoints available are:

  • Green points are issued at regular club sessions – weightings typically in range 1.0 to 1.5
  • Red points are issued at State Championships, Congresses and major club events – weightings typically in range 2.5 to 5.0
  • Gold points are only issued at National Championships – weightings typically in range 5.0 to 10.0

The Masterpoint Centre

The scheme is administered by the ABF Masterpoint Centre, where details of all player accumulated credits are recorded. Masterpoints may only be issued through clubs that are affiliated with their State Body. The Centre is managed by the ABF Masterpoint Centre Manager who can be contacted by email at masterpoints@abf.com.au

The ABF Masterpoint Centre gives each club sign on detailes to the Administration login part of the website. This login enables clubs to

  • Edit your club details
  • Add players, cancel players, and edit player details
  • Upload masterpoints files

The club details provides for the name and address of both the Club Secretary and the Club Masterpoints Secretary. These details can be used by anyone who wants mail labels for all clubs. Bridge NSW is not collecting club secretary data directly and will rely on the data provided to the ABF Masterpoints Centre. This reduces the workload on clubs.

 The Club Masterpoint Secretary

Each club needs to appoint a Club Masterpoint Secretary. This person has the following responsibilities:

  • To ensure the correct masterpoint awards are made for all sessions conducted by the club
  • To upload results to the ABF Masterpoint Centre and print relevant reports for your members
  • To ensure that details the ABF Masterpoint Centre maintains about your club’s membership are kept up-to-date

Bridge NSW has produced a handbook to help Club Masterpoint Secretaries in their duties. It explains how masterpoint awards are calculated for both pairs and teams events and includes many example calculations.
Procedures and responsibilities relating to the ABF Masterpoint Centre, such as uploading awards, downloading reports and maintaining your membership are also explained.

All new Club Masterpoint Secretaries should read the Bridge NSW Club Masterpoint Secretary’s Handbook. 

Club Masterpoint Secretaries may seek support from the members of the Club Support Team.

The State Masterpoint Secretary

The NSW State Masterpoint Secretary is David Weston – masterpoints@bridgensw.com.au

Masterpoints for Congresses and Events

The Congress Licence Fee (“CLF”) is payable to Bridge NSW and is calculated based on the total number of masterpoints issued at a congress. This amount will be invoiced by the NSWBA to the host club of the congress once they have submitted their results and awards file to the State Masterpoint Secretary (SMPS), and those awards have been submitted to the ABF Masterpoint Centre (ABFMPC) for their processing. The actual masterpoint costs themselves are payable to the ABFMPC and clubs will receive invoices from the ABFMPC for those.

Warning: Host clubs up to 1 month to submit their events to the ABFMPC, otherwise a late fee is applied by the ABFMPC at 4% per month late, or part thereof.

Clubs should therefore submit their results/masterpoint file within 2 weeks of the end of the event, allowing the SMPS 2 weeks to process the event and submit it to the ABFMPC within their allowed deadline.