As a pre-amble to the following, please note
Contact the Director (online vacb185736) during the game by clicking on the hamburger icon (the 3 lines towards the top left of your screen). As the game ends, we only have 20 minutes to make and required score adjustments. Our commitment is to restore equity to the board and the pairs in both directions. We have the following tools at our disposal to do just that:
- Deep Finesse with double dummy and makeable contracts
- Hand records, courtesy of TheCommonGame during game play and during that precious 20-minute period
- Travellers to give us a birds-eye view of how other pairs scored for each board
If, after consulting all possible tools at our disposal and discussing with pairs (when appropriate), the score given by the robots may stand. Fully, please keep in mind that it is incumbent on both pairs to play the boards in the alloted times ... rounds of 14 minutes for two and 21 for three boards. If a player is struggling, poor tempo in bidding, playing, or defending, please summon the Director who surfs the tables in play for the duration of the game.
** If for some reason our standard/expected Director is not doing a game, someone else will be using vacb185736 and will pass a contact number on to players before and during the game.
A word on BBO monitoring play ... BBO support collects details of all auctions/play matched to the distribution of all players' hands. They perform analysis looking for instances where suspicious bidding/playing has been detected. They then do a deeper analysis, if necessary, and if UI (unauthorized information) or evidence of any other "trickery" is detected, will take further action. The action they take depends on many things, probably starting with the Directors and the owners of the virtuaal clubs. This by far exceeds what we are capable of doing as humaniods and, at the speed of 300,000,000 km/sec, you can well imagine what they can accomplish  . Nothing has been brought to our attention so let's keep in that way, as I know you will ... ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣.
As we expand our prowess both in bridge as well as playing on BBO, please govern yourself according to the following FYIs, dos and do nots ... thanks to Carl and a few others for assistance wordsmithing the following:
- Pairs are asked to have a convention card which can be filled in after accessing the Account tab at BBO. See how this card can be filled out be looking at this video. This allows opponents to read at their leisure as a board is played. Once your profile contains information on your system, opponents can self-serve themselves by clicking your name at the table. If you are not familiar with editing your profile, please ask Director.
Technically, all players are supposed to have their system documented. This is the expectation (and the law in fact) whether at the club or online playing for ACBL masterpoints. TBC and BBO, in a best-case scenario, would enforce this to the max. Then reality kicks in. Regardless of that, bridge, being a game of full disclosure, gives all players the right to know what opponents are doing during the auction and more.
- There should be nothing entered into table chat but pleasantries of the day and quick accolades to partner or opponents as a board finishes.
- Asking for an explanation of a bid MUST be done by clicking the bid in question when your turn to bid. The person who made the bid MUST answer in the EXPLAIN window NOT table chat.
- When explaining a bid (or call), use plain English, telling exactly what it means. For example ... "4+ card-support and 10-12 points", rather than "Bergen."
- Please only alert/anounce bids need such. If you are unsure what is alertable/to be announced, there are two (or more) ways to know:
- Ask the Director in a private chat who will get back to you if not immediately known
- Have a look at the convention card form ... stuff is red is alertable and blue must be announced. A blank card can be seen by searching the web using the text ACBL blank convention cardb.
- If you do not finish a board and are curious how it ended up, give the system a minute or so before checking. Pulled boards are finished by robots and, if one looks immediately after the board is pulled, it could say AVE AVE, but a few minutes later, that may have changed. The robots do some work resembling "play until we can definitively arrive at a result, otherwise award AVE AVE" This is an over-simplification but offers an idea of what goes on in the background.
- If your screen freezes, or any other situation occurs that keeps you from playing, quickly log off and back on. That will make most problems disappear. From time-to-time, a declarer believes the screen is frozen when an attempt is made to play a card from the wrong hand.
- It is wise to keep an eye on your BBO$ balance. When you register for a game, the money is not taken by the system until the game starts. If you or your partner do not have enough to pay, you will be kicked out of the game as it starts,
- If for some odd reason you do not get called/included in the game (it happens) chat with the Director who will try to get you in. Rare, but it does happen. Director is always vacb185736. Whomever is directing the game will be logged in to that BBO user.
- If the Director has made some sort of configuration error and the game cancels as soon as it starts, check back in 5-10 minutes as it will be recreated properly.
- After you register, if you go off and do something in the Casual area of BBO, you may miss the call for the game when it starts.
- An attempt to private chat with your partner while a board is being played will end up going to the Director, not ending up where you expected it to be
 .
- Once a round ends, you can private chat your partner until the next round starts.
- If you want some information about a player, any player, click player's BBO username at the table, and the account profile wll appear. Many players do not add a name or a skill level. If someone's profile says (for example) "Expert", remember that is a subjective entry made by the player and can not really be taken at face value.
Though not a requirement, players are encouraged to have at least a first name or nickname on their profile in BBO, accessible through the Account tab.
- While on the partnership desk, if you are not joined up with anyone before the game starts, stick around in case the Director can sub you into the game. Remember, if you are subbed into a game, we cannot guarantee we will know who you are playing with until seated at the table. Subs do nit pay for a game ...
- Rather than placing a comment in table chat telling an opponent to "hurry up" playing or bidding, please call the Director. If you are frustrated when someone takes a long time (in your opinion) to do something, the Director is best suited to get involved.
- As play ends for a board, a comment to the table (or your partner in private) like "Grossly under bid" or "We could have made 6" is rude. Getting told (or reminded) of not doing something the best way possible will do nothing to strengthen your relationship with your partner or change the result of the board.
- Remember the zero tolerance directive from the Director as the game starts. Rest assured, a player who insists on being inappropriate with others at the table will be dealt with. If behaviour from anyone warrants follow-up, Colin will be involved in that dialogue as the owner of the club.
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