These events (grades B4c and B5i) are described in clauses 2.6 and 2.7.
These are tournaments with a strong field involving players from several clubs e.g. a strong interclub event or a State-wide contest. This category will frequently be used for major events which do not qualify as State Championships because there is another similar event in existence (see clause 6.2.2). The prior approval of the State Masterpoint Secretary is required for these events.
State Associations are entitled to run each calendar year up to 10 sessions of B4s events, plus an additional session for each 500 members (or part thereof) registered in the State at September 30th of the previous year.
Allocation of masterpoints (allowing for the grade weighting of 2.5) follows the procedure described in clause 2.5.
NOTE: Any single session Statewide tournament should be reported as a Congress (see clause 5.4.1). Grade B4 masterpoint levies apply.
Each State Association may run the following championships every year:
* These championships may also be run as separate competitions restricted by age (juniors, seniors), or sex (men, women, mixed). Veterans State Teams and Pairs Championships may also be held.
+ These championships receive 75% of the full Grade B Award.
States may not conduct more than one of the above Championships as an eclectic event.
State Associations wishing to run competitions other than those listed as State Championships should seek the written permission of the ABF Masterpoint Unit.
Duration of these championships shall be limited as follows:
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.
Where events are concurrent, e.g. Open & Women’s Trials, the events are counted as one for the purpose of the above number of session restrictions.
Grade B events are masterpointed in the standard manner (allowing for a grade weighting of 5.0) following the procedure described in clause 5.4.1 for Grade B4/B3 Congresses.
A special case occurs when a State Play-off takes place as the final stage of the State Team selection (e.g. between the Butler Team and the winner of the Teams Championship); masterpointing is similar to that described for the National Play-offs (see clause 7.5.3) but at the grade B level.
These events are limited to the Australia-Wide Pairs contests (including the Worldwide Pairs), all of which are single session competitions. Reporting procedures as described in the Note to clause 6.2.1 apply. Grade B4 masterpoint levies will be levied.
The placing awards are:
Events of this nature customarily award prizes to the North-South winners, and to the East-West winners, although several of the smaller venues usually run Howell movements. If there is separate recognition for the top Howells placegetter then all the Howell sections should be combined into their own group for masterpointing purposes. Otherwise the Howell section scores should be added to the North-South or East-West fields, e.g. first section to N-S, second to E-W, third to N-S, etc.
If the convenors of the event are awarding masterpoints in accordance with the above formula then no other points should be given out – local clubs should not also be giving out their own session awards.
If instead the convenors are not giving out any masterpoints, or are only giving points to the top place-getters (e.g. pairs with scores in excess of 60%), then local clubs may also issue their own session awards which, if red, should come from the club’s B4c allocation.