Some of us are exploring how to play together online. 

Please share your names for the various online facilities. And add each other as friends so that we can network and continue enjoying this amazing game. Let's not be beaten! 

Bridge Base Online https://www.bridgebase.com/ is free.

All the BBO names so far are on our Members only page. 

BBO – A guide to self-alerting

On BBO the idea is you alert your own calls (unlike at the table when you only alert your partner’s calls).
If you BEFORE you make your alertable call click the alert button and type in the meaning alongside.
(eg if you are making a transfer bid to hearts, simply type hearts). And then make your bid as normal.
If you forget, you can chat to your opponents, click table, then opponents
And simply type your message
If you chat with table selection, you chat to everyone at your table. Always nice to say hello. Something to practice when you’re waiting for the round
to end
       

Now that members are becoming familiar with playing on BBO, it is perhaps time to give a few pointers on good etiquette on the platform. Please try to follow the simple strategies detailed below:

Greet Opponents and Announce your System
Please greet your opposition when you meet them at the table and then briefly announce your system.

Chat Messenger
You can use the chat manager to save frequently used messages such as your greeting and system. Chat manager is available on the right-hand side of the screen under Messenger and Chat. You access it by clicking on the blank area below Chat.

Undos
Undos are permitted for mis-clicks on the bidding so you should accept the undo if invited to do so. Undos are requested from the drop-down menu at the to left hand side of the screen.

Alerting
You are responsible for alerting any conventional bids that you make at all levels including doubles. Your alerts are visible to your opponents but not your partner. If you forget to alert click on your bid as soon as possible. This opens a box where you can then type an explanation. Do not ask or answer questions on bidding in the 'chat' box which will be visible to the bidder's partner.

The Clock
We play “clocked” tournaments that allow you 7 mins per board. Please be mindful of the clock and try and complete your boards within the allocated time.
Additional information about playing on BBO is available at the SBU web- site, and at https://berwickbridgeclub.co.uk/bbo where you can access video demonstrations by Paul Gipson.
 

Set Games

You may have three friends who agree to meet on Bridge Base Online (BBO) on a certain day of each week for a game with you. Your partner may have decided to play with you on Mondays & Wednesday to tighten your game, or you may just have some time on Thursday to play some casual bridge. Whatever the reason there will be times when you will have a schedule for a set game. And you will be forming the table for that game. Although this is fun, setting or starting a table comes with responsibilities too.
First how to do it:

Under heading, "Play or Watch Bridge" click on Start a table. Next, choose your scoring type: Start an IMP pairs table, or Start an MP pairs table, or Start a Total Points table.

Set your table options from the next menu. You can reserve seats, set the private options, and a Description of your table.

A brand new option is available. You can now play Vugraph hands and compare your result with the original players who played those hands! Click on Set Deal Source for Your Table and choose from Normal (random deals); Randomly selected Vugraph Deals (a random set of 16 vugraph hands selected from all the vugraph records in our archives); or Select a specific vugraph match from archives - click Select Match and then choose from the list of games by clicking on the match name.

Once your options have been selected, you have a final choice to make: Start table - competitive game. This will start your table in the Main Bridge Club. Or select the option: Start table - relaxed game. This will start your table in the Relaxed Bridge Club.

Now your table has been set and your game has begun. As host of the table you have abilities and privileges that others at the table do not have. As with all the players, you can see the N/S and E/W convention cards by clicking on the button relative to each at the bottom of your screen. You will also see on that line actions that players at the table may request as in Redeal and Undo, or use as in Claim.

At the beginning of this line of icons there is a Table button. This will only be active for the host of that table and in this case that is you. By clicking on the Table button you will be shown a screen allowing you to manage this table. You can add or remove reservations, comply with a request to redeal or for an undo, and you can reset the score. Resetting the score is often requested by new players joining the table so everyone can start fresh.

You will also notice on this Table screen a section towards the bottom titled Remove a player. This is only available for the table host to use and should be used sparingly. Of course you will want to remove people who are rude or using inappropriate language, but not because they just set you in a slam.

A final note about games in the two casual rooms. Leave the table only when a hand is finished. If you leave in the middle of a hand, the software will track the number of times you do this. If you do this too many times, the software, not a BBO host, will ban you from the room for a period of time. By the same token, booting too many people in too short a time will result in the same ban.

So leave a casual table when a hand is finished, be cautious with booting, and enjoy playing in Their two bridge clubs!