Good afternoon all
Whilst play in our local bridge clubs is suspended, many of us who will be missing the enjoyment of duplicate bridge and may like to play on-line It would also be great if we could play with and against other members of the Bourne Club as we are used to on Monday and Thursday evenings.
Bridge Club Live is an online club, is UK based, has strong standards of behaviour and ethics and many members play Benji/Acol. Several members of the Bourne Club already play on www.bridgeclublive.com which is offering a 30-day Trial for the princely sum of £1 (normally £10) after which it costs £5.99 a month. If there is sufficient interest, we could set up a virtual club and agree a regular weekly event time.
For those used to playing duplicate Match Pointed pairs there is a Daily Match Pointed Pairs Room where one can play up to 96 boards every day with auto-movement every 4 boards. Affectionately known as DIDO, short for Drop In-Drop Out, you only commit to play 4 boards at a time but can return whenever you like. You can arrange to play with your normal Face to Face partner if you are both members. There are no robots and the site is well policed so quitting and abuse are not tolerated. One can also play Teams in the Teams of Four Room arranging to play in a team against another team for an 8-board match.
EBU members can also earn Master Points in the DIDO Room. Alternatively, you can just arrange to play as a group of four just sitting with your friends.
Benji Acol, Standard American and Basic Acol are the most common systems played, but anything at EBU Level 4 is allowed. To play in the competitive rooms you and your partner must complete a 5-line Simple Systems Disclosure card (a mini convention card) with your partner before you play. Hand records are available after you have played and you can even see how everyone else bid and played each hand.
Each day for the DIDO room a ladder is produced showing you scores from the day before. New from today is a club dedicated ladder which will be produced just for the Bourne Bridge Club. Note, however, that in the Match Pointed Pairs Room you will have played against people from all over the world.
To register with BCL go to www.bridgeclublive.com/ Once you have registered go to the Library section on our Website where we have posted a very helpful guide “How to play at BCL”. However please DON’T use the phone no. on the document as it belongs to Gillian of Liskeard Bridge Club who produced this super guide and to whom we are grateful for allowing us to use it.
The EBU is also starting online bridge using the American website BBO www.bridgebaseonline.com where joining is free but one plays a $1 fee for each tournament you play. Another site that has a number of free facilities is Funbridge at www.funbridge.com.
Tony Philpott has offered to help club members who wish to join and try Bridge Club Live. Contact him at antonyphilpott@btinternet.com on 01252 733785 or 07837 358510.
If you are already a member of Bridge Club Live, or decide to join, please let me or Tony know and tell us the “Alias” that you will be using.
We hope to start playing next Monday evening and ask members who wish to join us to assemble online at 7.15 pm in the “Teams of Four” Room with or without a pre-arranged partner and will try to get some good bridge going.
Chris Lewis, Chairman