HOW TO SIGN UP ON BRIDGEBASE    

All of our online games are located at BridgeBaseOnline.  When you click to go to this website, you'll need to set up an account so you can play bridge with us.  Click on the links below to help you set up an account, so that you can play bridge online.

HOW TO REGISTER AND GET A BBO USERNAME (video 3:50)
the username you choose cannot be changed so plan ahead.  You can use 10 characters (letters and numbers).
be sure to add your ACBL number, so BBO knows which club you play in.

HOW TO ADD YOUR ACBL NUMBER (video 1:10)
if your ACBL number is incorrect, contact Joyce Lewis, Kathy Maegerlein, or Linda Grigoleit

HOW TO ADD MONEY TO YOUR ACCOUNT (video 2:04)
to play in our online games, you'll need to put money into your account; that money is known as "BB$".
when you register for a game, once the game starts BBO will deduct the entry fee from your account.
if you register for a game, then cancel, you will not be charged any BB$.

HOW TO CREATE AN ONLINE CONVENTION CARD (video)
you can modify basic BBO convention cards to meet your needs and associate them to particular partners.
convention cards are always available for opponents to view during the game.

HOW TO VIEW RESULTS, TIPS ON BIDDING, CHAT, ALERTS, MORE (video 6:40)
The best 7 minutes of your time you can spend learning BBO!

NOTES ON HOW TO GET STARTED

HOW TO USE THE PARTNERSHIP DESK
for when you need a partner for an online game.

HOW TO AVOID MIS-CLICKS ONLINE
they do happen! Here's how to avoid them.

HOW TO START YOUR OWN CASUAL GAME ON BBO
starting a game or joining a friendly game online.

ADDITIONAL BASIC TOPICS ABOUT BBO (video 11:23)

---

    MORE ABOUT BRIDGEBASEONLINE (BBO)    

WHY ARE MY MASTERPOINT AWARDS DIFFERENT THAN LISTED IN THE GAME?
You may have noticed your masterpoint awards in the BBO game are not what you end up with when the ACBL records them.  When the ACBL started running virtual bridge games on BBO, they added a 50% bonus to masterpoint awards once they are reported to the ACBL.  This practice has continued, and so far there's no date for when it will end.  So enjoy the extra masterpoint (while they are awarded!)

WHAT IS THAT NUMBER NEXT TO MY BBO HANDLE?
Everyone's got one.  It's got to do with how many masterpoints you've earned online.  If you're curious as to how much further you've got to go to the next level, here is the link to the BBO awards page: click here for more information.

HOW DO I ADD GENERAL CONVENTIONS TO MY POP-UP ID?
When someone clicks on your name, you may want to advertise what conventions you play.  As with many things on BBO, it's not easy to find, but you can add these conventions under your ACCOUNT and PROFILE - here's a link to demonstrate how it's done: (click here!).

WHY AM I ALWAYS SITTING SOUTH OR WEST?
It's a little known fact that the player who invites someone else to play is always seated South or West - and the person who accepts the invitation to play is seated North or East.  So if you and your partner are looking to change directions, just have the OTHER person do the inviting to play in the game.

   HOW TO FIND RDBC ONLINE GAMES   

Once you have signed up to play online, here's how you can find our Rochester DBC online games:



Log onto BridgeBaseOnline.  You can enter bridgebase.com into your web browser address bar, or just click here.

Enter your name and password, be sure the "invisible" box is left unchecked, and sign in.

Click in the white list on the left for "Virtual Clubs."  The next page will list countries that host games, and at the top you'll want to click on "North America."

This will take you right to our RDBC game that is scheduled for that day.

---

You must register with a partner to play; registration opens up 2 hours before game time.  Prior to that, the game will not be listed on BBO (even though it's going to take place).

At the top of the registration page are two additional options, "details," which provides number of boards played, type of movement, etc., and "partnership," where you can sign up to find a partner.

You and your partner must both be online five minutes prior to game time; if you are not online when the game starts, you'll be unregistered and not allowed to play.  Also please note if you are in the "casual" section of BBO at gametime, you will not be able to play (BBO has two different servers, which don't speak to each other).

Entries are restricted to people who have played at the RDBC during 2019, although you can invite a partner from another club to play in our games.

Remember to have enough BB$ in your account to cover entry fees.  NOTE: DO NOT PURCHASE BB$ through the BBO app; there is a 30% surcharge which is, frankly, ridiculous.  Purchase BB$ always through your laptop or iPad.

HAVE FUN!