NEW CARD FEES EFFECTIVE JANUARY 31, 2023 - $3.50

MASTERPOINT AWARD UPCOMING CHANGES

Coming soon:  an increase in masterpoint awards based up the number of boards played.  Up until now, a session of bridge needed to offer at least 18 boards in order to qualify for  masterpoints awards to the participants.  But it did not make any difference if you played 18 boards or 27.  The norm for a session pre-covid was usually 24, 26, or 27 boards.  Only novice sections played 18.

Under the old system masterpoint awards earned in a 10-table Open game would be 1.0 mps for 1^st place NS and 1.0 mps  for 1^st place EW.

In the very near future the masterpoint awards indicated above will be based specifically upon an 18-board session.  A greater number of played boards will yield proportionately more masterpoints.  If one plays a 24-board session, the masterpoint awards will be 33% greater.  If one plays in a 27 -board session, the masterpoint awards would be 50% greater.  Coming soon.

Lee’s Bridge will be continuing as we always have with 24-board sessions (except in the limited 0-50 mp game).  So when these changes are implemented, the masterpoint awards will be 33% greater than they presently are.

UPCOMING SPECIAL WEEKS — DOUBLE BLACK POINTS

Educational Fund Week:  February 13-19

District 2 NABC Fundraiser Week February 20-26

Charity Foundation Week:  April 10-16

Grass Roots FUNd Week:  May 8-14

The Longest Day Weekend:  June 24-25

International Fund Week:  September 11-17

UKRAINE HUMANITARIAN APPEAL — HELP STILL NEEDED

Should you wish to make donations, The Ukrainian Humanitarian Appeal can be found at

https://www.cufoundation.ca/

VISITOR POLICY

Any Visitor who is invited by a Member to play in our games NO LONGER COUNTS AS A VISITOR.  So if you are a Member of Lee’s Bridge and wish to bring a Visitor to our games, you do not have to request that the Visitor be put on our list.  Simply ensure that YOU invite them.  The 15% quota remains in effect.

However, we ask that your names appear in the profile page.  Simply a first name is acceptable.  Thank you.

0-1100 Games Available: Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday

We have added 0-1100 MP games to run with our Open games on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Approximately 50% of our players are under 1100 masterpoints, so adding this will allow players in this category to compete against their peers.  However, it is THE CHOICE OF YOU AND YOUR PARTNER whether you wish to register for 0-1100 or in the Open game. BUT if you wish to play in any ACBL Limited game (e.g., 0-1100), you must have an ACBL number.  A 4-month membership is free to anyone who does not belong to ACBL. 

NOTE that the Open game will trail the Limited game by 10 minutes but will likely finish at approximately the same time.

We have added a 0-50 MP game to run with our Open game on Wednesday evening @ 6:45 pm.

VIRTUAL GAMES AT LEE'S BRIDGE

RESULTS can be found at...

https://www.bridgewebs.com/cgi-bin/bwx/bw.cgi?pid=display_home&club=lees

or...

https://my.acbl.org/club-results/264143

OUR GAME SCHEDULE

Lee’s 0-1100 Tuesday Pairs 12:00 PM

Lee’s Tuesday Open Pairs 12:10 PM

Lee’s 0-1100 Wednesday Pairs 12:00 PM

Lee’s Wednesday Open Pairs 12:10 PM

Lee’s 0-50 Wednesday Pairs 6:45 PM

Lee’s Wednesday Evening Open Pairs 7:00 PM

Lee’s 0-1100 Thursday Pairs 12:00 PM

Lee’s Thursday Open Pairs 12:10 PM

Lee’s Saturday Open Pairs 12:30   [NOTE: the Saturday game starts later than other days]

ACBL RULES FOR VIRTUAL GAMES

Anyone who has played at Lee's Bridge in a LIVE game from January 1, 2019 until the start of Covid in March, 2020 is a MEMBER of Lee's Bridge.  If you are not a MEMBER, then you are likely a VISITOR.  If you are a MEMBER wishing to play with a VISITOR, please provide me with their their BBO Username.  A VISITOR  MUST BE ON THE VISITOR LIST before game time in order to REGISTER.  We are allowed a maximum number of Visitors (15%).  Visitors will be admitted on a first come first served basis but we do not anticipate exceeding our quota.

How do you know if you are a MEMBER?   You can double check by calling me at 416-274-1752 or email me at calendar@interlog.com.

In order to participate, you will need to create an account on BridgeBase Online (BBO), www.bridgebase.com, and purchase BB$ (bridgebase dollars) with which to pay your card fees.  US$1 = 1BB$.  Setting up an account is very straightforward as is purchasing BB$.  If you require any assistance, please contact me at calendar@interlog.com or phone me 416-274-1752 (after 11:00 a.m. Thursday through Sunday).  If you email me, be sure to INCLUDE your phone number so that I can reach you.

See below for how to find our games on the BBO website on game day.  But REMEMBER, if you do NOT have a BBO account, please get your BBO account set up and send me your BBO user name. 

FINDING THE GAME ON BBO

On TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, & THURSDAY  the day games begin at 12:00 pm, on WEDNESDAY EVENING  the game beings at 7:00 pm.   However, you can register beginning two hours in advance at 10:00 am.  (or 5:00 for the evening game)  We recommend you register in good time.  ENSURE THERE IS MONEY IN YOUR BB$ account.  And be sure I have your BBO username well in advance.

AFTER you log in to Bridge Base online, www.bridgebase.com, you will be at the Events/Categories page which lists categories down the left-hand side of the page.  Under “FEATURED AREAS” you will see a heading entitled “VIRTUAL CLUBS”.  Click on that heading. 

FOR MEMBERS:   Now you will see a heading entitled “ACBL – NORTH AMERICA”.   Click on that heading.  You will now see a listing of all of the VIRTUAL CLUB GAMES  in which you are eligible to play, i.e, a list of games where you are a club member.  Look for LEE'S PAIRS.  Our TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, and THURSDAY game titles are found on Lee's Bridge home page each week.

FOR VISITORS:   If you are playing as a VISITOR, go to “FEATURED AREAS”  and click on the heading entitled “VIRTUAL CLUBS”.    Now you will see a list with the heading “ACBL – NORTH AMERICA” at the top, and "ALL CLUBS" at the bottom.   Click on ALL CLUBS.

You can scroll down to find the game title for that day OR there is a SEARCH button in the top right corner of the window if you wish to type the name in there.  Simply click on our game and when the INVITE window opens, invite your partner to the game.

SOME THINGS TO BE AWARE OF WITH ONLINE BRIDGE:

1)  Do not purchase your BB$ through an App on your Ipad or you will be paying a significant premium for the puchase.  But your BB$ directly from the bridgebase.com website by clickin on the blue button that says BB$.

2)  There are no UNDOs.  So be careful before making a bid or playing a card.  AND if you accidentally click on the wrong button, DO NOT COMMENT to your partner.  Extricate yourself the best you can IN SILENCE and move on to the next board.

3)  When playing in an online game, you are required to “self-alert”.  That means that before making a conventional call you push YOUR OWN ALERT button, enter the explanation in the ALERT box and then click on your bid. 

For example, your partner opens 1NT and right-hand opponent passes.  You have a hand with 5 spades and are intending to bid hearts to transfer to spades.  But before clicking on the 2 heart button, FIRST push the ALERT button, enter the description transfer to spades, and  then click on the 2 heart button.  Your partner does NOT see your alert.  But a message is sent to both opponents telling them you have made a conventional bid.  If one of your opponents wants to know further information about your conventional call, they will click on your bid in the auction box in front of them and then click on the EXPLAIN button asking for an explanation.  OR them might send you a PRIVATE message.  Type your explanation NOT the name of the convention being used.   It is quite simple and straightforward.

4)  Be VERY careful when claiming.

5)  3-board rounds will be 21 minutes long.  The 2-board rounds will be 14 minutes long.  If you are not finished after 21 (or 14) minutes, the remaining board will disappear.  The online software should award a score for that board or a summons goes out automatically to a Director to adjust the board.

3 WAYS TO PLAY

To play from a COMPUTER (Recommended), go to www.Bridgebase.com and become a member

To play from your TABLET, go to www.Bridgebase.com on the web or go to your APP STORE and download "Bridge Base Online" and play on their app

To play from your SMARTPHONE, go to your APP STORE and download "Bridge Base Online".  But DO NOT purchase BBO money through your APP.

This is a new experience for many.  We ask your patience as everyone continues to learn.  But above all….ENJOY.

Lee

Natalie McKeon is happy to help find you a partner and can be reached at 416-233-7474.

OR

Go the game you wish to play in.  Log into BBO, click on the name of the game, and a blue Invitation window will open.  Look above the window you will see 4 headings: the heading on the left is REGISTER; he heading on the right is PARTNERSHIP DESK. Click on PARTNERSHIP DESK  then click on the button that says "I will only pay for myself."  You are now registered in the PARTNERSHIP DESK and your BBO username will be displayed there.  Watch for invitations to play OR watch other players who register on the desk and send them an INVITE.

OR

Call Lee Daugharty @ 416-274-1752.   We will do what we can to find you a partner.

The Social committee is a group of volunteers who represent the people of the afternoon games at Lee’s Bridge Club.

Some of the tasks performed include:

• helping to arrange partners (Natalie McKeon…416 233 7474)
• preparing and sending cards to people in the club experiencing illness or loss (Brigitte Hohn)
• collecting monies for gifts for kitchen staff at holiday time (Norma Shack and Anne Volpe)
• sending memorial cards/charitable donations in honour of long-standing club members who have died.

Funds are raised to support these initiatives via occasional 50/50 draws. Your support is appreciated. If you know of anyone to whom a card should be sent, please bring it to the attention of any member of the social committee.

Thank you for your support.

The social committee members:   Linda Herman, Brigitte Hohn, Natalie McKeon,  Norma Shack, Joanna Slone, Margot Taylor, Anne Volpe, Cathy White & Lee.