As you might expect, there is a lot of "Chatter" about the "new Normal" when Bridge starts to be played in clubs.

There are a number of considerations, especially to avoid touching cards and bidding boxes and some clubs have given consideration to playing in a similar manner to "Online Bridge" using technology.

It should be possible to play bridge in a club where players use Computers/Tablets in the same way as at home. However, so far no one has come up with an ideal "New Normal" using technology for a number of reasons.

• It would be preferable that all players used their own "Tablets" and moved with them from table to table.
• It would be good if players who are "Shielding" could also join in, i.e. from Home

A technology soliution would have a number of benefits

• There would be no need for actual cards and avoids touching them
• There would be no need for Bidding boxes and touching them

There are 2 distinct solutions:

• Use Online Bridge services such as BBO, but sitting in the club
  • This very much depends on the Broadband connection being used
  • And the wi-fi limits of the Router
• Use a Server in the Club such as lovebridge.com
  • This is probably not dependent on the Broadband connection
  • This would probably not be able to support players at home

In the circumstances, various other solutions are in the pipeline and may evolve in the near future

So it depends whether the "Online Bridge" software can be supplied at a Club Computer level or the existing Club Tablet system are expanded to provide an "online" solution in the club