Canadian Rookie-master games are held twice a year (spring and fall) in clubs across Canada. At least one member of each partnership must have fewer than 100 master points.

The Helen Shields is the spring Rookie-Master Game. The event is named in memory of Helen Shields, of Thunder Bay, who was a past President of the Canadian Bridge Federation. Helen was very active in teaching and introducing new players to duplicate bridge. The first Helen Shields game was held in 1995.

The Erin Berry is the fall Rookie-Master Game. The event is named in memory of Erin Berry, a gifted student and bridge player who was tragically killed in a car accident on January 30, 1998, three days before her 17th birthday.

The games are run using computer hands so that players across the country play the same deals, and printed hand analyses, prepared by top Canadian players, are provided. The pair with the best percentage score in Canada is declared National Winners and receives a trophy. The pairs with the top percentage score in each Zone receive a plaque. All club winners receive certificates.

A “Rookie” is considered to be a player without much experience at playing duplicate bridge. Although we use a masterpoint cut off of 100, we are really intending that the player be fairly new to the game of duplicate bridge. Players that have let their ACBL membership lapse or have not been remitting master points for recording, although below the 100 master point level, do not necessarily fit the definition of “rookie”. Club managers or game directors may prohibit a pair from playing in this game, if they feel that the partnership does not include a player that fits the definition of a “Rookie”.

ROOKIE-MASTER GAMES IN 2024

      • HELEN SHIELDS ROOKIE-MASTER GAME      April 2 – At in person clubs
      • ERIN BERRY ROOKIE-MASTER GAME            October 16 – At in persons clubs

History of Canadian Rookie-Master Games

The first ever annual Canadian Rookie-Master Game was held in 1982, with 5 clubs taking part. In 1995 the event was renamed the “Helen Sheilds Canadian Rookie-Master Game” in memory of former CBF director and President, Helen Shields of Thunder Bay, and a second annual Rookie-Master game, called the “Canadian Fall Rookie-Master Game” was added. In 1998 the Fall game was renamed the “Erin Berry Canadian Rookie-Master Game” in memory of an upcoming junior player, Erin Berry, who was tragically killed in a car accident.

Originally a “Rookie” was defined as a player with fewer than 5 masterpoints. In the late 1980’s this was changed to 20 masterpoints. Beginning with the 2006 Erin Berry Rookie-Master game, the “Rookie” cut-off was increased to 50 masterpoints, and to 100 masterpoints in May 2019.

Club Application

Please click here to read the instructions and complete the application form.

Winners by Year

By clicking on the links, you can see the names of the national winners (top 10), as well as the winners by zone and by club.

Year Event Winners
2023 Helen Shields Audrey Moffat – Kit Hilton (Peterborough Bridge Club)
Erin Berry Trevor Dundas – Al Locklin (Peterborough Bridge Club)
2019 Helen Shields Ganesan Sekhar – Signy Stewart (Bridge Manitoba)
Erin Berry Michael Levine – Oscar Schon (Hart House Bridge Club)
2018 Helen Shields Yu Li – Dorian Shillinglord (Hart House Bridge Club)
Erin Berry Linda Connell – Gary Naugler (Saskatoon Bridge Club)
2017 Helen Shields Tony Thickett – Annie McKenzie (Powell River Duplicate BC)
Gail Fennell – Jeanette Zagwyn (Powell River Duplicate BC)
Erin Berry Roy Landry – Paul Huber (Halifax Bridge World NS)
2016 Helen Shields Charlie MacIntyre – Wayne Hines (Truro Club ON)
Erin Berry Kathy Chapman – Keith Taylor (Halifax Bridge World NS)
2015 Helen Shields Gord Pippy – Jim Pietryk (Bridge Manitoba MB)
Erin Berry Robert Jarvis – Nora Sypes (Bridge Centre of Niagara ON)
2014 Helen Shields Aubrey Ford – Steve Burns (Orillia DBC ON)
Erin Berry Janet Corkum – Helen Prowse (Halifax Bridge World NS)
2013 Helen Shields Jean Brach – John Silver (Powell River Duplicate BC)
Erin Berry Diane Desroches – Mireille Maisonneuve (Gatineau QC)
2012 Helen Shields Connie Glube – Joeanne Coffey (Maritime Cards & Games NS)
Erin Berry Karen Wood – Bette Gallander (Capital City BC)
2011 Helen Shields Sheila Marcantonio – Jeremy Smee (St. Catharines ON)
Erin Berry Elaine Crocker & Lynne Monar (Saskatoon SK)
2010 Helen Shields Gilles Berthiaume – Stephane Leblanc (Du Parc QC)
Erin Berry Bill Wang – Huan Zhao (Vancouver BC)
2009 Helen Shields Laurie Montgomery – Leigh Ives (Barrie BC)
Erin Berry Marianne Johnson – Deloris Ankrom (Tuxedo BC)
2008 Helen Shields Edgar Wolman – Alan Stern (Halifax Bridge World NS)
Erin Berry Warren Hulme – Jean Brett (Rideau BC)
2007 Helen Shields James Duffus – Edith Vehrs (Tillsonburg ON)
Erin Berry Lyse Seguin – Carole Berry (Rideau BC)
2006 Helen Shields Lionel Carriere & Catherine Marko (Ottawa Bridge Centre)
Erin Berry Lois Dalflyen – Glenda McGrath (Campbell River B)
2005 Helen Shields Jean Pollischuk – Dorothy Erickson (Bridge Centre of Niagara)
Erin Berry M. Kearsly – John Valliant (Ottawa Bridge Center)
2004 Helen Shields Louise Eastwood – Stuart Eastwood (Maritime Cards & Games)_
Erin Berry A. Berlanguet – Sheila Carnegie (Red Deer DBC)