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Eligibility

In order for a team to progress to a subsequent stage of the event and to be eligible to represent Australia, every player in the team must satisfy the minimum board rule:
- Qualifying (Division 1 and 2) - 3 matches
- Repechage Final (if played) - 2 stanzas
- Semi-Final - 2 stanzas
- Final - 3 stanzas

Teams qualifying from Division 2 to the Repechage Finals

An additional entry fee of $980 per team is payable to the Tournament Organiser prior to the commencement of the Repechage Finals.

BBO

The play from all tables in the Semi-Finals and Final will be broadcast on BBO (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday).

Car parking

Subject to availability, parking at the Crowne Plaza will cost $10 per day. Parking tickets must be validated at Reception before leaving each day. Alternative parking is available at the Casino Canberra carpark (entrance in Constitution Avenue). The cost is $5 per day on Saturday and Sunday, and $19 per day on weekdays. This covers one entrance and exit only each day.

Review Process

At the Playoff, a review process as now utilised in WBF events will be instituted in place of the current appeals process. Before making a ruling on contentious judgement issues, the Director will consult with a panel of expert players who are not presently involved in the Playoff. All the information garnered by the Director at the table will be presented to the panel, who will independently be asked to make a judgement on likely actions and other matters. On the basis of this polling, the Director will make a ruling.

All information provided to the panel will be in writing. The identities of the players involved and the those consulted on the panel will not be divulged. If after the ruling is delivered, the players are not satisfied with the decision, the captain of the team may request a review from the Reviewer (for the 2016 Open Playoff it will be Laurie Kelso). The Reviewer will ascertain that the correct law was applied, ensure that the members of the panel were supplied with all information relevant to their decision and were asked the appropriate questions to deliver a clear judgement. Finally, the Reviewer will check that the decision reached was within the bounds of reasonableness. The Reviewer will not vary the decision, but if it is believed that the process was faulty, he will instruct the Director to correct the identified failings and, if necessary, conduct further polling of an independent panel.

The time to request a review generally expires 30 minutes after the conclusion of the session in which the ruling was delivered. (Allowances will be made when the next stanza of play will commence within 30 minutes of the time when the ruling was delivered.) It will be important that players at the table present the Director with all relevant information and rationales for their actions and alternative actions. A by-product of this process is that players will be unable to rely on arguments not raised when the original ruling was requested. A more comprehensive explanation of the Review Process is in the document below.

Ruling and Review Procedures for the Open Playoff

 • Venue

Crowne Plaza Canberra, 1 Binara St Canberra

 • Parking

Parking is available at the Crowne Plaza for participants during the playoffs for $10. Parking tickets must be validated at reception before leaving each day.

 • Accommodation

February is traditionally a quiet period in Canberra and therefore accommodation rates are usually significantly down. I suggest that those attending the Playoffs book their accommodation closer to the event. There is a great variety of accommodation very close to the venue. The nearest are Crowne Plaza (the venue), the Waldorf and QT (Rydges Lakeside).

 • Fees

• If there is one division only, the entry fee will be $1620 per team. If eight or more entries are received and there are two divisions, the entry fee will be $1620 for Division One teams, and $640 for Division Two teams.
• Entry fees must be paid by direct deposit into the ABF Account (BSB: 082968; A/C: 641482644) by the close of business on Wednesday, 20 January, 2016.

 • Subsidies

The ABF will be giving Playoff participants needing to travel to Canberra, subsidies to assist with their travel costs. Eligible players will have a choice of a higher subsidy amount in the form of a credit with Flight Centre, or a lower cash amount. NOTE: The Flight Centre credits do not have to be used for travel to the Playoffs. They may be used for any air travel, hotel accommodation or car hire within Australia.

For those participants that would prefer a cash subsidy, the ABF will pay the full subsidy amounts below less 10% but ONLY where participants inform the ABF of this preference on or before 18 January by email to secretariat@abf.com.au. Otherwise they must utilise the subsidy via Flight Centre. Cash subsidies will be paid on or around the 22 January by direct bank transfer into a nominated bank account.

The subsidy amounts are based on:

(This will allow players who are eliminated from the competition after 3 or 4 days or remain in the competition longer than expected to change their flight without further cost.)

The amounts below will be credited to the ABF's account with Flight Centre, Dickson, ACT on 20 January (the third business day after entries close) for all confirmed participants. From that day, participants may contact Flight Centre Dickson ACT to make their travel bookings. Contact details are below.

Flight Centre Contact Details:

Call (02) 6230 0352

OR use the following email addresses:

Email 7ga8@flightcentre.com or chloe.leed@flightcentre.com.au

 • Format

The format for the Australian Open Team Selection Playoffs to be held from 6-11 February 2016 will follow the guidelines set out for the 2015 Australian Open Team Selection in February 2015. The details of the format will be reviewed and fine-tuned in consultation with players.

The formats for the Australian Senior and Women's Team Selection Playoffs to be held from 12-17 March 2016 will also be similar to 2015.

These proposed formats will be available on the Playoff website soon. Feedback will be invited.

 • Target

The target event for the Australian Open, Women's and Senior Teams is the 2016 World Bridge Games which will be staged in Wroclaw, Poland, from 3 - 17 September at the Hala Stulecia, or Centennial Hall.

For the Mixed Teams the ABF will invite mixed pairs to express interest in forming an Australian representative team. The closing date will be 31 March 2016. Players qualified for the 2016 Open, Women’s or Senior teams will be ineligible. See World Bridge Games 2016 for more details.

 • Regulations

Suplementary Regulations (updated February 3, 2016)

Any player or official who accepts a position in an international team is deemed to be aware of the document below and have accepted and agreed to abide by its contents.

International Representative Players Charter

All persons participating in target WBF events must comply with all of the WBF's codes and regulations.

• WBF Eligibility Regulations
• WBF Anti-Doping Rules
• WBF Dress Code
• WBF Disciplinary Code
• WBF Anti-Betting Regulations

 • Contact

For further information contact Matthew McManus