Bridge Base Online (BBO) – A few tips

I know a lot of you have been playing on BBO with various degrees of success. Some have found it sterile and inhuman others have thoroughly enjoyed a game of Bridge.

One thing that is certain is that it can never replace the ambiance of 4 people sat at a table and the noise of a Friday night!

Here are some tips to help you along the way

Tip 1

Video and Audio options

A good way of bringing getting a bit of social interaction is to connect with each other.

Below are some notes on video and chat options. With the video options you can choose to split the screens so that you can see everyone at once.

Also have a break to get a cuppa or new bottle of wine.

Tip 2

Chat Audio

If you want to make audible what has been said in the chat you can convert text to speech as follows. In the Account tab go to Settings, then Chat and then Sound Chat and turn on. If you turn on Lobby chat you will hear other tables. Spooky.

Tip 3

Review the hand

During play and/or later you can see how you should have done on a hand, if you are using the Chrome Browser and Bridge Solver Chrome Extension.  – see later

If you open the History tab on the right of the BBO screen and select a hand than in a separate tab you will see the board and makeable contracts.

When reviewing later by having the tabs side by side you can replay the deal in BBO using the next trick button at the bottom of the history screen. BBO captures the sequence in which the cards were played and in conjunction play the hand in BSOL to see what you should have done. I may have to do a video on this.

To get all this snazzy stuff you need to be using the Chrome browser and Bridge Solver Chrome Extension

Install the extension from here

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/bridge-solver/kokhaneonlmnbgbnlohmbkgeahbjanbj 

Log into BBO from the option in the middle and to the right of the main log on page.

Do not use the Log on button at the top right-hand corner of the page.

Tip 4

Double Dummy in BBO.

In history select a hand then from the 3 bar menu select double dummy. This then displays tricks that can be made

Tip 5 Mis-clicks

Before playing you can set yourself up so that must confirm your bids or cards.

This is in Account/Settings and then the Playing options

During Play you can use the “UNDO” facility. Click on the 3-bar menu to access this

This is available for bidding and play. In play you must do this whilst all 4 cards are on the table

If you are playing in a tournament e.g. Caterham, the Director has to allow Mis-clicks for this to work.

Tip 6

Opponents Bid – Explanation

When you want to know what an opponent has bid instead of chat

click on opponents bid. Here by clicking on 1C North must explain

Tip 7

Need to know more?

Here is a link to a great overview to BBO provided by a guy called Colin Townend

http://www.maccinfo.com/bbo.html

Detail for Tip 1 above