Grand National Teams
The Grand National Teams North American 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
| Year | Dist | Winners | Dist | Runners-up |
| 1973 | 9 | Russ Arnold, James Beery, Jane Jaeger, Richard Pavlicek, William Seamon, Robert G. Sharp | Dave Smith, Byron Economidy, Jerry Levitt, Roger Lord, Norb Kremer, Ron Smith | |
| 1974 | Larry T. Cohen, Billy Eisenberg, Eddie Kantar, Richard H. Katz, Paul Soloway, John Swanson | 12 | Chuck Burger, Fred Hamilton, Howard Perlman, Stanley Smith, Jeffrey Starr, Dick Yanko | |
| 1975 | 16 | John Fisher, Charles Gabriel, Bob Hamman, Jim Hooker, Charles Weed, Bobby Wolff | Mike Cook, Jim Felts, Doug Hill, Reece Rogers, Ron L. Smith, Bernie Yomtov | |
| 1976 | Billy Eisenberg, Eddie Kantar, Paul Soloway, John Swanson | Marty Fleisher, Charlie Friedman, Ron Gerard, Halina Jamner, Archie McKellar, Neil Nathanson | ||
| 1977 | 16 | Bob Hamman, Dan Morse, Curtis Smith, Eddie Wold, Bobby Wolff | 6 | Bobby Lipsitz, Steve Parker, Steve Robinson, Kit Woolsey |
| 1978 | 13 | Gerald Caravelli, Charles Peres, William Rosen, Milton Rosenberg, Dan Rotman | 9 | Allan Cokin, Bobby Levin, Bud Reinhold, William Seamon, Steve Sion |
| 1979 | 13 | Greg DeFotis, Jerry Goldfein, Arnold Leavitt, Larry Robbins, Claude Vogel | Marty Bergen, Chuck Lamprey, Warren Rosner, Allan Stauber | |
| 1980 | Jack Bitman, Jan Janitschke, Craig Janitschke, Dick Lesko | 9 | Russ Arnold, Edith Kemp, Bill Passell, Cliff Russell, William Seamon, Dave Strasberg | |
| 1981 | 16 | Ira Chorush, Jim Jacoby, Mike Passell, George Rosenkranz, Eddie Wold | 24 | Mike Becker, Brian Glubok, John Lowenthal, Phillip Martin, Michael Rosenberg, Ron Rubin |
| 1982 | 21 | Ron Von der Porten, Hugh Ross, Chip Martel, Lew Stansby, Kyle Larsen, Peter Pender; Jeff Polisner | 12 | Steve Landen, Pratap Rajadhyaksha, Jeff Starr, Frank Bell, Chuck Burger |
| 1983 | 21 | Chip Martel, Hugh Ross, Peter Pender, Lew Stansby | 7 | Lou Blumn, Larry Gould, Randy Joyce, Nick Nickell, Richard Freeman |
| 1984 | 6 | Kit Woolsey, Ed Manfield, Peter Boyd, Bobby Lipsitz, Steve Robinson | 13 | Greg DeFotis, Larry Robbins, Jerry Goldfein, Hal Mouser, Jack Oest, Gerry Caravelli |
| 1985 | 21 | Chip Martel, Hugh Ross, Lew Stansby, Peter Pender; Alfred Sheinwold | 6 | Steve Robinson, Eddie Manfield, Peter Boyd, Bobby Lipsitz |
| 1986 | 16 | Seymon Deutsch, Bobby Wolff, Bob Hamman, Jim Jacoby | 13 | Milt Rosenberg, Ralph Katz, Hal Mouser, Greg DeFotis, Larry Robbins, Howard Weinstein |
| 1987 | 21 | Chip Martel, Hugh Ross, Peter Pender, Lew Stansby, Mike Lawrence | Frank Hoadley, Sidney Lazard, John Onstott, Jack LaNoue | |
| 1988 | 6 | Steve Robinson, Ed Manfield, Peter Boyd, Bobby Lipsitz | 13 | Jack Oest, Steve Garner, Jerry Goldfein, Bart Bramley, Gerry Caravelli, Howard Weinstein |
| 1989 | 25 | Steve Sion, Robert Barr, Harold Stengel, Bernie Miller | Tony Kasday, Paul Ivaska, Gaylor Kasle, Garey Hayden, Roger Bates | |
| 1990 | 11 | Doug Simson, Walter Johnson, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell, Dennis Clerkin | Kay Larsen, Chris Larsen, Joe Kivel, Robert Rosenblum, Evan Bailey | |
| 1991 | 13 | Larry Robbins, Jerry Goldfein, Jack Oest, Peter Nagy, Steve Garner, Howard Weinstein | Marty Bergen, Larry N. Cohen, Fred Stewart, Steve Weinstein | |
| 1992 | 6 | Steve Robinson, Peter Boyd, Bobby Lipsitz, Ed Manfield | 9 | Mike Becker, Ron Rubin, Richard Pavlicek, Bill Root, Bobby Levin, Jeff Wolfson |
| 1993 | 21 | Ravindra Murthy, Brad Moss, Lew Stansby, Chip Martel, Hugh Ross, Jeff Ferro | Brian Ellis, Asim Ulke, Florine Walters, Richard Finberg, Jay Apfelbaum, Piyush Vakil | |
| 1994 | 24 | Jimmy Cayne, Alan Sontag, David Berkowitz, Larry N. Cohen | 11 | Doug Simson, Walter Johnson, Eric Rodwell, Jeff Meckstroth |
| 1995 | 13 | Steve Garner, Jack Oest, Larry Robbins, Jerry Goldfein, Gerald Caravelli, Gary Cohler | Billy Cohen, Marc Jacobus, Harold Lilie, Peter Nagy | |
| 1996 | 21 | Ralph Buchalter, Hugh Ross, Kyle Larsen, Ron Smith, Chip Martel, Lew Stansby | 12 | Chuck Burger, Geoff Hampson, Allan Falk, Perry Johnson |
| 1997 | 9 | Jeffrey Wolfson, Bobby Levin, Jeff Meckstroth, Neil Silverman, Richard Pavlicek, Michael Seamon | 10 | Hjördis Eythorsdottir, Curtis Cheek, Steve Beatty, John Onstott |
| 1998 | 22 | Ross Grabel, Jon Wittes, Mark Itabashi, Fred Hamilton, Gene Simpson | 16 | Bobby Goldman, John Sutherlin, Malcolm Brachman, Mike Passell, Eddie Wold |
| 1999 | 9 | Joseph Shay, Michael Seamon, Bobby Levin, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell | 23 | Jill Meyers, Ed Davis, Mitch Dunitz, Iftikhar Baqai |
| 2000 | 9 | Joseph Shay, Michael Seamon, Bobby Levin, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell | 21 | Rose Meltzer, Peter Weichsel, Ron Smith, Kyle Larsen, Chip Martel, Lew Stansby |
| 2001 | 23 | Jill Meyers, Ed Davis, Mitch Dunitz, Iftikhar Baqai | 21 | Rose Meltzer, Peter Weichsel, Hugh Ross, Kyle Larsen, Chip Martel, Lew Stansby |
| 2002 | 9 | Russ Ekeblad, Sheila Ekeblad, Jeff Meckstroth, Michael Seamon, Eric Rodwell, Mark Molson | 17 | Lou Ann O'Rourke, Roger Bates, Garey Hayden, Billy Miller, Marc Jacobus |
| 2003 | 21 | Rose Meltzer, Peter Weichsel, Hugh Ross, Kyle Larsen, Chip Martel, Lew Stansby | 9 | Larry Griffey, Spike Lay, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell, Michael Seamon, Russ Ekeblad |
| 2004 | 9 | Jim Mahaffey, Michael Seamon, Gary Cohler, Barnet Shenkin, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell | 16 | Malcolm Brachman, Bart Bramley, Sidney Lazard, Mike Passell, Eddie Wold |
| 2005 | 12 | Howard Perlman, Chuck Burger, Perry Johnson, Michael Zerbini | 9 | Jim Mahaffey, Barnet Shenkin, Eric Rodwell, Jeff Meckstroth, Michael Seamon, Gary Cohler |
| 2006 | 16 | Bob Hamman, Petra Hamman, Hemant Lall, Justin Lall, John Sutherlin, Peggy Sutherlin | 21 | Jan Martel, Chip Martel, JoAnna Stansby, Lew Stansby, Kit Woolsey, Sally Woolsey |
| 2007 | 9 | Mike Becker, Warren Spector, Larry N. Cohen, David Berkowitz, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell | 24 | Glenn Milgrim, Chris Willenken, Roy Welland, Bobby Levin |
| 2008 | 9 | Mike Becker, Warren Spector, Larry N. Cohen, David Berkowitz, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell | 25 | Doug Doub, Frank Merblum, John Stiefel, Lloyd Arvedon, Victor King, Sheila Gabay |
| 2009 | 21 | Rose Meltzer, Kyle Larsen, Chip Martel, Jan Martel, Kit Woolsey, Sally Woolsey | 24 | Joe Grue, John Hurd, Kevin Bathurst, Shane Blanchard, Bob Blanchard, Brian Glubok |
| 2010 | 11 | Walter Johnson, Doug Simson, Dennis Clerkin, Jerry Clerkin | 23 | Jill Meyers, Mitch Dunitz, Walter Schafer, Ed Davis |
| 2011 | 9 | Warren Spector, Mike Becker, David Berkowitz, Gary Cohler, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell | 6 | Steve Robinson, Peter Boyd, Steve Landen, Bill Pettis, Bill Cole, Beth Palmer |
| 2012 | 9 | Warren Spector, Mike Becker, David Berkowitz, Gary Cohler, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell | 24 | Jared Lilienstein, Sam Lev, Brian Glubok, John Hurd, Michael Polowan, Joel Wooldridge |
| 2013 | 9 | Warren Spector, Mike Becker, David Berkowitz, Gary Cohler, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell | 24 | Jared Lilienstein, Sam Lev, Brian Glubok, John Hurd, Michael Polowan, Joel Wooldridge |
| 2014 | 9 | Michael Seamon, Richard Coren, Kevin Bathurst, Kevin Dwyer, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell | 21 | Richard Spitalnick, Edward Barlow, Srikanth Kodayam, Nick Bykov, Chip Martel, Kit Woolsey |
| 2015 | 9 | Warren Spector, Mike Becker, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell, David Berkowitz, Gary Cohler | 19 | Dick Yarington NPC, Ken Scholes, Bryan Maksymetz, Dan Jacob, Rock Shi Yan |
| 2016 | 25 | Douglas Doub, Franklin Merblum, Adam Grossack, Zachary Grossack | 21 | Chip Martel, Kit Woolsey, Lew Stansby, Jo Anna Stansby, Debbie Rosenberg, David Grainger |
| 2017 | 21 | Chip Martel, Kit Woolsey, Lew Stansby, Jo Anna Stansby, Debbie Rosenberg, David Grainger | 9 | Richard Coren, Kevin Bathurst, Kevin Dwyer, Russell Ekeblad, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell |
| 2018 | 9 | David Berkowitz, Eric Rodwell, Gary Cohler, Warren Spector, Jeff Meckstroth, Michael Becker | 17 | Joshua Donn, Roger Lee, Sylvia Shi, Daniel Korbel |
| 2019 | 17 | Fred Gitelman, Geoff Hampson, Haig Tchamitch, Roger Lee, Daniel Korbel, Sheri Winestock | 24 | Joe Grue, John Hurd, Kent Mignocchi, Gillian Miniter, Joel Wooldridge |
| 2020 | Cancelled | - | - | - |
| 2021 | 9 | Jeff Wolfson, Jeff Meckstroth, Kevin Dwyer, Shan Huang, Gary Cohler, David Berkowitz | 2 | Jacob Freeman, Daniel Lavee, John Carruthers, Martin Kirr, Bo Han Zhu, Darren Wolpert |
| 2022 | 7 | B Wayne Stuart III, Jerry Helms, Sam Marks, Dwight Meredith, George Woltman, Olin Hubert | 9 | Allison L Cappelletti, Janice Seamon-Molson, Mike Cappelletti Jr., Jack Weingold, Jeff Meckstroth, Gary Cohler |
| 2023 | 9 | Jeffrey Wolfson, Kevin Bathurst, David Berkowitz, Jeff Meckstroth, Jerry Stamatov, Jack Zhao | 25 | John Stiefel, Allan Graves, Franklin Merblum, Geoffrey Brod, Douglas Doub, Mark Aquino |
| 2024 | 17 | Alain Schreiber, Geoff Hampson, Bobby Levin, Billy Miller, Roger Lee, Brad Moss | 25 | Harrison Luba, Emma Kolesnik, Adam Grossack, Cenk Tuncok |
| 2025 | 25 | Gillian Miniter, Joe Grue, John Hurd, Joel Wooldridge, Iulian Rotaru | 6 | Steve Robinson, Bill Cole, Mark Shaw, Alan Schwartz, Alan Sontag, Mike Gill |