Requests for Players’ Opinions

From time to time the Management and Tournament Committees request opinions from players.

Australian Playoff Discussion Paper – February, 2020

At the time of introducing the current playoff structure the Tournament Committee (TC) said they
would consult and review the structure at the end of the 4-year cycle.
This paper is designed to commence the consultation process for Playoffs for the 2022
representative teams onwards.
The paper asks a number of questions and identifies a number of alternatives. This is to facilitate
discussion and input. The TC does not have a preferred position. Interested parties are invited to
comment on alternatives identified and raise other options not considered in the paper.

Please provide written feedback to the TC by 31 July 2020 via the email address playoffsdiscussion@abf.com.au

Funding for international representation

The ABF AGM in April asked for player views to be sought on the funding of international representation.  The driver for this request was the decision by the World Bridge Federation (WBF) to add mixed teams championships to those held for open, women’s and seniors’ teams. 

Earlier feedback from players strongly supported the ABF sending mixed teams to the World Championships and, as required, to the zonal qualifying events.  This has obvious cost implications for the ABF.

What we are now seeking is feedback from players and state and territory associations on how this additional representative team might be funded.  This is to help the discussion at the ABF Council Mid-term meeting to be held on Saturday 27 October.

Please

1. ATTEND one of the two consultation sessions at the Spring Nationals during lunch on Thursday 18 October and Tuesday 23 October

OR

2. Complete the questionnaire below and send it to david.morgan@abf.com.au before 22 October. 

The questionnaire is provided as a pdf and as a word document.  Both can be completed electronically; to do so with the pdf click on the “Fill and sign” option when the document is open in Acrobat.

The Timing and Location of the Open, Women’s and Seniors’ Playoffs

The ABF’s current arrangements for playoffs came into effect in 2016.  The ABF indicated at that time that it would seek player feedback on the format, timing and related issues as the four-year cycle drew to a close.  A detailed consultation will take place in 2019 so that changes – if any – can be introduced with adequate notice.

In advance of that detailed consultation the ABF seeks players’ views on two issues:

1. Should some adjustments be made to the November/December time slot for the playoffs?
   (Please note that players will be consulted next year about whether the playoffs should revert to February/March or some other time slot.)
2. Should the playoffs be held in Canberra?

The ABF intends to use player feedback to help make decisions about the timing and location of the playoffs to be held in 2019.  Please note that the timing and location of this year’s playoffs are as foreshadowed in the ABF calendar.

Please complete the questionnaire and send it via email to playoffsdiscussion@abf.com.au.  The word document can be completed electronically; the pdf can be printed out, filled in manually and attached to an email or posted to ABF headquarters (PO Box 397, Fyshwick  ACT  2609).

Please submit responses by 15 June 2018.

Australian Women’s Team Selection

The ABF is considering alternative methods of selecting the women’s international team. The consultation paper Australian Women’s team selection considers 6 options. Please read and send any feedback to womensplayoffdiscussion@abf.com.au by 2 March 2018.

Australian Women’s Team Selection

Bonus for PQPs earned in Partnerships

The Tournament Committee seeks players’ opinions on proposed changes to the PQP rules. As proposed in this consultation paper Paper on PQPs for pairs, the current rule for entering the playoffs that discounts by 50% PQPs not won in a unit with another member of the proposed team would be revoked. It would be replaced by a modified rule that doubles PQPs won when playing with the partner with which you enter the playoffs. These proposed changes would help strengthen partnerships, a recommendation from the International Player Performance Committee.

Please send any feedback to playoffsdiscussion@abf.com.au before Monday 12 June.

Length of matches in Seniors’ Playoffs

In the recently concluded playoffs the matches in the open and women’s playoffs were 128 boards.  In the seniors’ the matches were 96 boards. The ABF is seeking feedback from all players (especially seniors) about the length of matches in future seniors’ playoffs. Please complete this form Seniors Playoff Questionnaire and email to playoffsdiscussion@abf.com.au.

Players Charter

The Playoffs Charter contains information about and the rationale for the format and timing of the playoffs. It also covers related issues such as security.

Playoffs Charter

The Tournament Committee welcomes feedback on the Charter; please email this feedback to playoffsdiscussion@abf.com.au.

International Team Performance

The Player Performance Survey is now closed. We thank everyone who completed the survey for taking the time to participate. The information will be used to assist the International Player Performance Committee in developing recommendations for consideration at the ABF mid-term meeting in November. If you did not get a chance to complete the survey, but would still like to provide feedback, please contact Kim Frazer at kim.frazer@bigpond.com.

The International Performance Committee is conducting a survey in August to assist in formulating its recommendations to the ABF. The survey is targeted at current and former State Team players with realistic prospects of playing on a national team in the next five years, and current and former National Team players and National Team non-playing Captains.

ANC Open and Women’s Butler Pairs Championships

The ABF Tournament Committee (TC) is seeking player feedback on the format and length of the ANC Open and Women’s Butler Pairs Championships.  In 2016, in response to declining entry numbers and concerns about whether the format was equitable, the format for the Women’s Butler was changed to match that of the Seniors’.  Separately, the TC is aware of growing dissatisfaction with the current format of the Open Butler.  Please let us know what you think of the format and length of these events by completing either or both of the questionnaires available here.  Please email your responses to playoffsdiscussion@abf.com.au by 31 July.  After comments have been considered, the TC will make a recommendation to the ABF Management Committee (MC) for implementation at the 2017 ANC.

Open Butler Questionnaire

Women’s Butler Questionnaire

If you have a contribution to any topic please complete the Player Requests Form.

Player Liaison

The Player Liaison Committee was established by the ABF Management Committee in 2003 to act as a contact between that organisation and the bridge playing public.

It is the duty of the PLC to gather the opinions and criticisms of member players and Affiliated Clubs and to make recommendations to the ABF on the basis of these opinions.

Consequently any feedback concerning the efficiency of ABF administration should be voiced to this body and can be done so on the Player Liaison Form.

The present Committee is:

David Morgan (Chairman)
Nye Griffiths
Jane Rasmussen
NMO

If you have feedback on any general matter please complete the Player Liaison Form.