Grand National Teams


The Grand National Teams national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship.
The Grand National Teams is a team knockout event. The event is broken into four flights. 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 6,000 masterpoints. No player on a flight B team can have more than 2,500 masterpoints. No player on a flight C team can have more than 500 masterpoints, or be a Life Master.
All flights typically begin play on Wednesday, two days before the main NABC events.
The 2011 host district won Flights B and C in Toronto and thereby won the unofficial GNT Cup.

History

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 extended, grass-roots tournament was re-established in 1973, when about 1500 teams participated. Initial stages were contested in the 25 geographically defined ACBL Districts. Champions of eight Zones were determined in a semifinal stage, who qualified for the final stage at one of the North American NABC meets.
By 1980 there were 6032 teams in the first stage, although the distinct Canadian National Teams championship was introduced by the Canadian Bridge Federation that year, leaving only the 23 U.S. or partly U.S. districts in the GNT.
The Zonal stage was eliminated in 1985; since then every District champion qualifies for the final at the Summer NABC. Conditions within the Districts differ; some now hold a single weekend tournament. Winners received some money to pay expenses in part.
Also in 1985, the event was divided in three Flights called A, B, and C. The Championship Flight was added in 2001. That is, Flights B and C were added to the Open Flight in 1985, with player eligibility restricted by upper limits on career masterpoints. In 2001 the previously Flight A was renamed "Championship" or "Superflight" and Flight A was restricted to players with fewer than 5,000 career masterpoints. the other ceilings were 2,000 points for Flight B players and 500 points for Flight C. In 2014 the cutoff for Flight A was raised to 6,000 masterpoints and the cutoff for Flight B was raised to 2,500 masterpoints.
The Open winners have their names engraved on the Morehead Trophy, donated by The New York Times in memory of its longtime bridge editor Albert H. Morehead.

Championship Flight

YearDistWinnersDistRunners-up-
19739Russ Arnold, James Beery, Jane Jaeger, Richard Pavlicek, William Seamon, Robert G. SharpDave Smith, Byron Economidy, Jerry Levitt, Roger Lord, Norb Kremer, Ron Smith-
1974Larry T. Cohen, Billy Eisenberg, Eddie Kantar, Richard H. Katz, Paul Soloway, John Swanson12Chuck Burger, Fred Hamilton, Howard Perlman, Stanley Smith, Jeffrey Starr, Dick Yanko-
197516John Fisher, Charles Gabriel, Bob Hamman, Jim Hooker, Charles Weed, Bobby WolffMike Cook, Jim Felts, Doug Hill, Reece Rogers, Ron L. Smith, Bernie Yomtov-
1976Billy Eisenberg, Eddie Kantar, Paul Soloway, John SwansonMarty Fleisher, Charlie Friedman, Ron Gerard, Halina Jamner, Archie McKellar, Neil Nathanson-
197716Bob Hamman, Dan Morse, Curtis Smith, Eddie Wold, Bobby Wolff6Bobby Lipsitz, Steve Parker, Steve Robinson, Kit Woolsey-
197813Gerald Caravelli, Charles Peres, William Rosen, Milton Rosenberg, Dan Rotman9Allan Cokin, Bobby Levin, Bud Reinhold, William Seamon, Steve Sion-
197913Greg DeFotis, Jerry Goldfein, Arnold Leavitt, Larry Robbins, Claude VogelMarty Bergen, Chuck Lamprey, Warren Rosner, Allan Stauber-
1980Jack Bitman, Jan Janitschke, Craig Janitschke, Dick Lesko9Russ Arnold, Edith Kemp, Bill Passell, Cliff Russell, William Seamon, Dave Strasberg-
198116Ira Chorush, Jim Jacoby, Mike Passell, George Rosenkranz, Eddie Wold24Mike Becker, Brian Glubok, John Lowenthal, Phillip Martin, Michael Rosenberg, Ron Rubin-
198221Ron Von der Porten, Hugh Ross, Chip Martel, Lew Stansby, Kyle Larsen, Peter Pender; Jeff Polisner 12Steve Landen, Pratap Rajadhyaksha, Jeff Starr, Frank Bell, Chuck Burger-
198321Chip Martel, Hugh Ross, Peter Pender, Lew Stansby7Lou Blumn, Larry Gould, Randy Joyce, Nick Nickell, Richard Freeman-
19846Kit Woolsey, Ed Manfield, Peter Boyd, Bobby Lipsitz, Steve Robinson13Greg DeFotis, Larry Robbins, Jerry Goldfein, Hal Mouser, Jack Oest, Gerry Caravelli-
198521Chip Martel, Hugh Ross, Lew Stansby, Peter Pender; Alfred Sheinwold 6Steve Robinson, Eddie Manfield, Peter Boyd, Bobby Lipsitz-
198616Seymon Deutsch, Bobby Wolff, Bob Hamman, Jim Jacoby13Milt Rosenberg, Ralph Katz, Hal Mouser, Greg DeFotis, Larry Robbins, Howard Weinstein-
198721Chip Martel, Hugh Ross, Peter Pender, Lew Stansby, Mike LawrenceFrank Hoadley, Sidney Lazard, John Onstott, Jack LaNoue-
19886Steve Robinson, Ed Manfield, Peter Boyd, Bobby Lipsitz13Jack Oest, Steve Garner, Jerry Goldfein, Bart Bramley, Gerry Caravelli, Howard Weinstein-
198925Steve Sion, Robert Barr, Harold Stengel, Bernie MillerTony Kasday, Paul Ivaska, Gaylor Kasle, Garey Hayden, Roger Bates-
199011Doug Simson, Walter Johnson, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell, Dennis ClerkinKay Larsen, Chris Larsen, Joe Kivel, Robert Rosenblum, Evan Bailey-
199113Larry Robbins, Jerry Goldfein, Jack Oest, Peter Nagy, Steve Garner, Howard WeinsteinMarty Bergen, Larry N. Cohen, Fred Stewart, Steve Weinstein-
19926Steve Robinson, Peter Boyd, Bobby Lipsitz, Ed Manfield9Mike Becker, Ron Rubin, Richard Pavlicek, Bill Root, Bobby Levin, Jeff Wolfson-
199321Ravindra Murthy, Brad Moss, Lew Stansby, Chip Martel, Hugh Ross, Jeff FerroBrian Ellis, Asim Ulke, Florine Walters, Richard Finberg, Jay Apfelbaum, Piyush Vakil-
199424Jimmy Cayne, Alan Sontag, David Berkowitz, Larry N. Cohen11Doug Simson, Walter Johnson, Eric Rodwell, Jeff Meckstroth-
199513Steve Garner, Jack Oest, Larry Robbins, Jerry Goldfein, Gerald Caravelli, Gary CohlerBilly Cohen, Marc Jacobus, Harold Lilie, Peter Nagy-
199621Ralph Buchalter, Hugh Ross, Kyle Larsen, Ron Smith, Chip Martel, Lew Stansby12Chuck Burger, Geoff Hampson, Allan Falk, Perry Johnson-
19979Jeffrey Wolfson, Bobby Levin, Jeff Meckstroth, Neil Silverman, Richard Pavlicek, Michael Seamon10Hjördis Eythorsdottir, Curtis Cheek, Steve Beatty, John Onstott-
199822Ross Grabel, Jon Wittes, Mark Itabashi, Fred Hamilton, Gene Simpson16Bobby Goldman, John Sutherlin, Malcolm Brachman, Mike Passell, Eddie Wold-
19999Joseph Shay, Michael Seamon, Bobby Levin, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell23Jill Meyers, Ed Davis, Mitch Dunitz, Iftikhar Baqai-
20009Joseph Shay, Michael Seamon, Bobby Levin, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell21Rose Meltzer, Peter Weichsel, Ron Smith, Kyle Larsen, Chip Martel, Lew Stansby-
200123Jill Meyers, Ed Davis, Mitch Dunitz, Iftikhar Baqai21Rose Meltzer, Peter Weichsel, Hugh Ross, Kyle Larsen, Chip Martel, Lew Stansby-
20029Russ Ekeblad, Sheila Ekeblad, Jeff Meckstroth, Michael Seamon, Eric Rodwell, Mark Molson17Lou Ann O'Rourke, Roger Bates, Garey Hayden, Billy Miller, Marc Jacobus-
200321Rose Meltzer, Peter Weichsel, Hugh Ross, Kyle Larsen, Chip Martel, Lew Stansby9Larry Griffey, Spike Lay, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell, Michael Seamon, Russ Ekeblad-
20049Jim Mahaffey, Michael Seamon, Gary Cohler, Barnet Shenkin, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell16Malcolm Brachman, Bart Bramley, Sidney Lazard, Mike Passell, Eddie Wold-
200512Howard Perlman, Chuck Burger, Perry Johnson, Michael Zerbini9Jim Mahaffey, Barnet Shenkin, Eric Rodwell, Jeff Meckstroth, Michael Seamon, Gary Cohler-
200616Bob Hamman, Petra Hamman, Hemant Lall, Justin Lall, John Sutherlin, Peggy Sutherlin21Jan Martel, Chip Martel, JoAnna Stansby, Lew Stansby, Kit Woolsey, Sally Woolsey-
20079Mike Becker, Warren Spector, Larry N. Cohen, David Berkowitz, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell24Glenn Milgrim, Chris Willenken, Roy Welland, Bobby Levin-
20089Mike Becker, Warren Spector, Larry N. Cohen, David Berkowitz, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell25Doug Doub, Frank Merblum, John Stiefel, Lloyd Arvedon, Victor King, Sheila Gabay-
200921Rose Meltzer, Kyle Larsen, Chip Martel, Jan Martel, Kit Woolsey, Sally Woolsey24Joe Grue, John Hurd, Kevin Bathurst, Shane Blanchard, Bob Blanchard, Brian Glubok-
201011Walter Johnson, Doug Simson, Dennis Clerkin, Jerry Clerkin23Jill Meyers, Mitch Dunitz, Walter Schafer, Ed Davis-
20119Warren Spector, Mike Becker, David Berkowitz, Gary Cohler, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell6Steve Robinson, Peter Boyd, Steve Landen, Bill Pettis, Bill Cole, Beth Palmer-
20129Warren Spector, Mike Becker, David Berkowitz, Gary Cohler, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell24Jared Lilienstein, Sam Lev, Brian Glubok, John Hurd, Michael Polowan, Joel Wooldridge-
20139Warren Spector, Mike Becker, David Berkowitz, Gary Cohler, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell24Jared Lilienstein, Sam Lev, Brian Glubok, John Hurd, Michael Polowan, Joel Wooldridge-
20149Michael Seamon, Richard Coren, Kevin Bathurst, Kevin Dwyer, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell21Richard Spitalnick, Edward Barlow, Srikanth Kodayam, Nick Bykov, Chip Martel, Kit Woolsey-
20159Warren Spector, Mike Becker, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell, David Berkowitz, Gary Cohler19Dick Yarington NPC, Ken Scholes, Bryan Maksymetz, Dan Jacob, Rock Shi Yan-
201625Douglas Doub, Franklin Merblum, Adam Grossack, Zachary Grossack21Chip Martel, Kit Woolsey, Lew Stansby, Jo Anna Stansby, Debbie Rosenberg, David Grainger-
201721Chip Martel, Kit Woolsey, Lew Stansby, Jo Anna Stansby, Debbie Rosenberg, David Grainger9Richard Coren, Kevin Bathurst, Kevin Dwyer, Russell Ekeblad, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell
20189David Berkowitz, Eric Rodwell, Gary Cohler, Warren Spector, Jeff Meckstroth, Michael Becker17Joshua Donn, Roger Lee, Sylvia Shi, Daniel Korbel-
201917Fred Gitelman, Geoff Hampson, Haig Tchamitch, Roger Lee, Daniel Korbel, Sheri Winestock24Joe Grue, John Hurd, Kent Mignocchi, Gillian Miniter, Joel Wooldridge-

Lower flights