Maria Erhart (née Kirner;[1] 15 November 1944 – 2 September 2011), was an Austrian international bridge player, who had the rare distinction of playing for her country's Open team as well as for the Women's team.[2] She reached the highest rank in the game, World Grand Master, and was a member of the Austrian teams which won the women's event at the European Team Championships in 1991, the World Team Olympiad the following year and the World Championships in 1998.[3] She was described in Bridge Magazine as "one of the finest and most charismatic players in the history of the game".[2]