Guide – Playing an online BABC session
How to register for a BABC session and how to play
BABC will be holding tournaments on Monday and Thursday afternoons each week. Each tournament will be 18 boards with 8 minutes allowed per board (16 minutes for two boards if we play 9 two-board rounds). Scoring is duplicate matchpoints in exactly the same way as the scoring at a Barn Hall session. Master Points will be awarded and scores will be included in the EBU NGS.
1. Registering for a session
The session will start at 1.00pm. Registration opens at 11 am.
On the BBO site (www.bridgebase.com) click 'Play Bridge Now'. Enter your User Name and password. (BBO will remember your password from your previous log in.). To invite a partner to play you must both be logged into BBO
Before you can play in a BABC game you will need to purchase BB$, the currency used on BBO. 1 BB$ is equivalent to 1 US Dollar. BABC games cost 3 BB$. (►Buying BB$) After purchasing your BB$ return to the main BBO screen.

Select ‘Competitive’, then ‘All Tournaments’Search for ‘Bookham’ then click on the Bookham Tournament.

You now need to register your partnership. Type in your partner’s BBO User Name, then click ‘Invite’. Your partner must be logged on to BBO so they can accept your invitation.
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You can choose whether you will pay for your partner or whether they will pay for themselves. If you are paying for both then tick the box – I will pay for both myself and my partner
Your partner will receive an invitation on their screen naming the tournament and who is inviting them. The invitation will say ”Do you accept?” They should accept the invitation. You will then receive a message “You are registered to play”

Click on ‘Entries’ to see the pairs who have currently registered for the tournament. Your name and your partner’s name will be on the list.
You and your partner can log off BBO but make sure you are back online at least a few minutes before the start of the game. If either of you are not online at the time of the start of the game you will not be included in the movement even if you have already registered.
You can stay online once you have registered and maybe chat with your partner via the messaging facility or indeed message any of the other members who are online.
If you log off and then log in again, go to the Bookham tournament and click on the Entries tab. When the tournament Director starts the session the table display will open with first hand in front of you.
2. Playing in a BABC ‘tournament’

- Yellow highlights – When your name is highlighted in yellow (rather than displayed in grey) it is your turn to bid or play a card
- Self-alerting - Bids which would normally be announced or alerted should be alerted by the bidder. Type in the explanation in the bidding box BEFORE you make the bid (e.g. ‘weak’). The opponents will see your explanation, your partner will not.
- Asking for an explanation – If you want to ask about a bid, click on the bid in the display. The bidder will be asked for an explanation.
- Watch the clock – 16 minutes are allowed for 2 boards. If there are still a few minutes on the clock when you finish you must wait until the clock counts down to zero. If the play is not finished in the allowed time, the hand will be terminated and the Tournament Director will assign a score for the hand
- Talk to the other players - You can use the message board to talk to the players at the table. It’s good to talk. But of course you wouldn’t say anything at the table that you wouldn’t (or shouldn’t) say at the table at the Barn Hall.
- Scores – You may find it useful to view your results as you play. Click on the History tab on the right side of the screen. But don’t be distracted from the game you are playing.
v 17 Jun 2020
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