EBU online competitions on Funbridge - FAQ

EBU online competitions using Funbridge started on 2nd September 2017, but the schedule was changed in July 2019 . We hope the following FAQ are useful - if there are any other questions you need answered please get in touch. For technical enquiries please refer to Funbridge's FAQ, or contact them directly using the form on this page.

  • How do the competitions work?
  • When do the competitions take place?
  • How much does it cost?
  • Who can take part?
  • Can I earn Master Points if I do well?
  • Can I win any prizes?
  • Is there a monthly or annual ladder competition?
  • Are there any other benefits of playing?
  • Do the games count towards the NGS?
  • Where can I find the results?
  • What do I need to do to play?
  • What else does Funbridge offer?

    How do the competitions work?

    Funbridge logoThe competitions use Funbridge's 'Federation Tournaments' feature. You play 20 boards, and these will be available for you to play throughout the day. You can stop and restart as often as you like - you don't need to play all 20 boards in a single sitting. The competition each day runs from midnight to midnight. You will partner another 'robot player' against a pair of robot players. As you will have a robot partner you can play 'on your own' and don't need to make arrangements to play with another human. As you are competing against the same robotic opponents as everyone else, you will be able to compare your results with the others in the competition. You can choose the system you play with your robot partner, and can choose to play Acol - unlike other platforms which are set up only for American systems - so it's ideal for British bridge players. However, your robotic opponents always play the same system against you - "5-card major at intermediate level" (you can see the features of this system when you look at your own system options). The games are scored by Match Points (the usual pairs scoring method) except for those on Mondays and Fridays which are scored by IMPs

    When do the competitions take place?

    Games take place every day and run until midnight (24 hours). Monday and Friday are scored by IMPs. Other days are scored by matchpoints. You don't have to play all the boards in one go, so you could play some over breakfast, some in the afternoon, and the final few before you go to bed. 

    How much does it cost?

    Games are now charged in "Diamonds", Funbridge's virtual currency. Each 20-board game costs 40 Diamonds which is equivalent to €2 (by charging you in Euros you are charged less than £2). You can buy credits for multiple games at once (see below), so if you are using a card which charges a foreign transaction fee you need only pay this once, rather than for every game you play. 

    Who can take part?

    The competitions are open to everyone, though you will need an EBU number if you wish to earn Master Points (see below). 

    Can I earn Master Points if I do well?

    Yes, you can! Master Points will be awarded to any EBU Members, and to members of those unions with which the EBU has an agreement (though we understand that Scotland does not recognise Master Points earned in online games). Anyone who wishes to take part, and who doesn't have an EBU number, should contact us so an EBU number can be allocated for the purposes of collecting Master Points for submission to their home union. The crediting of Master Points to your account will be done during the monthly processing which is done about a week in to the following month (i.e. points earned during September will be credited in early October). 

    Can I win any prizes?

    We run monthly ladder competitions. Note that from the start of 2024 there is no Quarterly IMPs Ladder. Instead the scores from the IMP games will be converted to matchpoints (using the same formula used by NGS) and will be included in the matchpoints ladder. Monthly Matchpoints ladder The monthly matchpoints ladder competition is a ranking based on the average of each player's best six percentage scores for the games in that month. The five top scoring EBU members in each month will win a cash prize:

    1st - £30 2nd - £20 3rd - £15 4th - £10 5th - £5  

    In addition, there are four handicap prizes each month for the players whose scores exceed their NGS by the greatest amount. Only players whose NGS is public will be eligible and it will be based on their grade at the time of the first game they play in the month.

    1st - £25 2nd - £15 3rd - £10 4th - £5
  • Monthly 12-board Ladder competition, this includes both the EBU Daylong Tournaments on BBO and the EBU 12-board Funbridge games. The top 5 EBU members in the monthly competition will win a cash prize:

    1st - £30 2nd - £20 3rd - £15 4th - £10 5th - £5

    These prizes will be credited to your EBU account and can be used for entry to EBU congresses, purchases from the Bridge Warehouse, or withdrawn by bank transfer. Results The standings in the ladder competitions can be found via the results page. The monthly winners to date can be seen on this page

    Is there a monthly or annual ladder competition?

    Yes there is - see the question immediately above this one. 

    Are there any other benefits of playing?

    If the chance to play bridge, the thrill of the competition, and the chance to win Master Points and cash prizes aren't enough...then no. Sorry, but playing does not give you membership of the EBU through Universal Membership, and existing members cannot earn Magazine Points through these online games. 

    Do the games count towards the NGS?

    No, they don't. 

    Where can I find the results?

    • The results of games in which you played can be found on Funbridge, and are available through the 'sessions' tab in My EBU.
    • The results of the most recent game - whether you played in it or not - are available via the Funbridge app, but are not currently available on the desktop platform.
    • The scores of all games are available on the EBU website here, however these are just the final rankings and percentages, and do not include deatils of the contracts etc.
    • The standings in the ladder competitions (see above) can also be found via the results page.
    • The winners of the monthly ladder competitions to date can be seen on this page.

    What do I need to do to play?

    The competitions take place on Funbridge, a platform which enables you to both play, and watch, bridge. Funbridge can be downloaded to your desktop/laptop, or you can download the app for you table/smartphone - it is available for both iOS and Android. Using a desktop/laptop To download Funbridge go to https://www.funbridge.com/en/index and click on 'Play bridge' this will start the download process, and the following screen will give you instructions as to how to complete the download process. Using a tablet/smartphone The Funbridge app is available via the usual channels: Apple app store Google play Logging in When you open the software it will prompt you to log-in, or set up an account. The latter can be done in the traditional way, or by using your Facebook account. If you already have a Funbridge account you can use this to log-in. Pick a bidding system You will then be asked to pick a bidding system. You should pick from the numerous systems which are available, but then once your account is established you can change your system using the option in your personal settings. Funbridge is one of the few platforms offering robots which can play Acol. Your robotic opponents always play the same system against you - "5-card major at intermediate level" (you can see of the features of this system when you look at your own system options). Once your account is established you will receive a number of free deals which you could use to practice and get a feel for the platform, and make any tweaks to your system. You can change your systems at any time. Choose 'settings' from the main menu, and then either 'bidding conventions' or 'card play conventions'. Where do you find the competitions? If you click on 'Play a tournament', and then 'Federation tournaments', you will see a list of the NBOs who use Funbridge to host their games. Click the icon for the EBU games and the list of competitions will open. Entering your EBU number You should enter your EBU number at the top of the page so any Master Points can be credited to you (you will also be prompted if you try to enter a competition without having done this). If you do not have an EBU number, please contact us to be allocated one for this purpose (please note that this may take two-working days; please also give your membership for your home union if appropriate). Buying credits If you have not yet purchase credits with Funbridge click 'purchase tournaments' or go directly to https://www.funbridge.com/en/shop_federation_tournaments. If possible please make purchases through the desktop version as this means that more money goes to Funbridge, rather than to Apple. If you are using the 'desktop' version this link will open a page in your web browser where you can buy a certain number of credits. There is no discount for buying in bulk, however doing so will save time in future and, depending on how your bank/card company deals with such transactions, you may save on currency fees (though remember as you are paying in € not £ the final bill will likely be cheaper than if the games were set to be £2). If you are using the 'app' then you may be directed to purchase credits through your app store (or equivalent). If you are using an Apple product you may be charged in £ rather than € - this is set by Apple and cannot be changed. Android users should still be able to pay in € and thus pay a little less. Once you have bought credits click 'get registered' next to the competition in which you wish to take part, and you're all set to play once the game starts. Good luck. 

    What measures are in place to stop 'cheating'?

    Cheating is very rare in online competitions, however there are things in place to make it harder to do, and to help identify any culprits. For security purposes the 20 boards you play will be from a larger set of boards which are in play for the competition. You won't play exactly the same set of boards as others. This is to ensure that you cannot share information on your results with those who are yet to play - these games are obviously very different to a regular 'club session' when you all play at the same time. EBU members must give their EBU number if they wish to earn Master Points. They cannot play twice using the same number so can't 'have another go' if they have a bad results in their first game. The IP address of each competitor is logged, thus helping to identify any fraudulent activity, should any occur. The cash prizes which we offer - whilst nice to win - are not so large that they offer a particular incentive to 'cheat'. We hope people will primarily be playing because they enjoy it, and not 'to win', and that the likelihood of people wishing to cheat will be very low. 

    What other features are linked to the game?

    There is a replay function so you can see alternative lines of play. There is a chat function, so you can share messages with other players. 

    What does the Funbridge platform look like?

    Funbridge is bright, clear and easy to use. Please see the screenshots below, but the best way to know is to try it using the free deals which you get for registering. Funbridge screenshot Funbridge screenshot It also got an excellent review from Laura Porro when she gave her independent review of bridge apps in a recent issue of English Bridge - see here for her review

    What else does Funbridge offer?

    There are other tournaments in which you can take part, and a number of different practice options offering various ways to develop your game. There is a fee for purchasing additional deals once you have used the ones you receive free on registration. Watch live bridge The EBU used Funbridge to show coverage of the finals of the Crockfords Cup in 2017. The coverage is available in the archive. To access the coverage, open Funbridge and log-in (if you have not yet downloaded the Funbridge app to your mobile device, or the Funbridge platform to your desktop/laptop, and created an account, you can find instructions for doing so above). Once you have logged in, click on the icon for live coverage - it will be at the bottom of the screen and looks like a TV with an aerial (it is highlighted in red on the adjacent screenshot). You then have an option of seeing a list of events which are currently in progress, those which are forthcoming, and the archive. Funbridge was also an official partner of the World Bridge Championships in Lyon in 2017, and broadcast live coverages of matches, and also provided coverage of the 2018 World Youth Team Championships. You can rewatch the coverage in the Funbridge Live archive