Bill Hunt

Bill Hunt has been one of the leading bridge players in Queensland for some years – a status underlined by his recent achievement of becoming the first gold grandmaster in the state. (For the uninitiated, a gold grandmaster must have accumulated more than 5000 masterpoints, and that represents a wealth of winning bridge.)

Bill started on this path at an early age. His parents were keen bridge players in Holland, and he was taught the elements of the game before he was ten. His family came to Australia in 1952 to work for a major construction company on the Snowy Mountains hydroelectric scheme; and soon after, Bill became involved in the bridge scene in Canberra, where he directed and taught for nearly three decades.

Moving to Brisbane in 1982, Bill took over the running of the Brisbane Bridge Club for several years, and in 1995 was appointed as an official bridge teacher to the QBA. During the following five years, he travelled to many bridge clubs throughout the length and breadth of the state in this role.

It is of interest to look back on his extensive representative career – his record of representing the ACT and Queensland 31 times at the Australian national Championships would be bettered by very few players. Particularly noteworthy in this regard is the fact that he has been a member of the winning teams at the interstate teams title for both the ACT and Queensland – another rare feat. Among his most successful partnerships in Queensland, he lists those with Steve Hurley, Jim Wallis, Mike Pemberton, Colin Stone, Magnus Moren, Neville Francis and Rosa Lachman.

National Titles

2018 Bobby Evans Senior Teams

2013 Bobby Evans Senior Teams

2008 Australian Senior Butler

1997 Interstate Seniors Pairs – [with Mike Pemberton]

1988 Australian Open Interstate Teams 1st with Jim Wallis, Richard Ward, Brian Blyth, Kevin Hume, Paul Lavings, Reg Busch (NPC)]

State Representation

Australian National Championships – Queensland Open Team 2007, 2004, 2000, 1992, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1986, 1985, 1983

Australian National Championships – Queensland Seniors’ Team 2008, 2003

State Titles

2013 Queensland Graded Teams – [with Rosa Lachman, Sylvia Sender, Annette Corkhill]

2010 Queensland Graded Teams – [with Rosa Lachman, Sylvia Sender, Leslie Cheung]

2010 Queensland Open Teams – [with Richard Wallis, Richard Ward, Tony Jackman]

2008 Queensland Mixed Teams – [with Paul Hooykaas, Rosa Lachman, Pele Rankin, Mike Pemberton]

2008 Queensland Mixed Pairs – [with Rosa Lachman]

2007 Queensland Mixed Teams – [with Paul Hooykaas, Rosa Lachman, Pele Rankin]

2006 Queensland Butler Pairs – [with Angelo Gianazza]

2006 Queensland Men’s Pairs – [with Angelo Gianazza]

2005 Queensland Mixed Teams – [with Paul Hooykaas, Rosa Lachman, Pele Rankin]

1999 Queensland Men’s Pairs – [with Magnus Moren]

1998 Queensland Graded Teams – [with Adrian Mayers, Neville Francis, Magnus Moren]

1998 Queensland Graded Teams – [with Richard Wallis, Therese Tully, Magnus Moren]

1997 Queensland Graded Pairs – [with Mike Pemberton]

1994 Queensland Men’s Pairs – [with Magnus Moren]

1985 Queensland Open Teams – [with Mike Pemberton, Betty Lee, Mike Robson]

1983 Queensland Open Teams – [with Colin Stone, Therese Tully, Richard Wallis]