EBU online competitions using Funbridge started on 2nd September 2017. 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?
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What else does Funbridge offer?
How do the competitions work?
The competitions use Funbridge's 'Federation Tournaments' feature. You play 12 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 12 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. You can choose the system you play with your robot partner, and can choose to play Acol - 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 under "Settings - Robot specifications"). All games are scored by Match Points (the usual pairs scoring method). When do the competitions take place?
Games take place every day and run from midnight to midnight (24 hours). As mentioned above, you don't have to play all 12 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 charged in "Diamonds", Funbridge's virtual currency. Each 12-board game costs 20 Diamonds. 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 covering the EBU's three official tournaments online on Funbridge (1x daily) and BBO (Two daylong tournaments daily). The monthly ladder will be based on the average of each player's best six scores for that month across these games, and the five top-scoring EBU members in each month 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.
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 also available through the 'Sessions' tab in My EBU.
- Results for all sessions (whether you played in it or not) as well as standings in the monthly ladder competitions (see above) are available via the results page.
What do I need to do to play?
The competitions take place on Funbridge. Funbridge can be downloaded to your desktop/laptop, or you can download the app for your tablet/smartphone - it is available for both iOS and Android.
Using a desktop/laptop To download Funbridge go to www.funbridge.com and click on 'Play' 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.
Pick a bidding system You will then be asked to pick a bidding system. You should pick from the numerous systems which are available, and once your account is established you can customise your system using the option in your personal settings. Funbridge offers robots which can play Acol, though note that your robotic opponents always play the same system against you - "5-card major at intermediate level" ( you can see the features of this system under "Settings - Robot specifications" ). 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. You can also make tweaks to your system at any time: Choose 'Settings' from the main menu, then view/edit both 'Bidding conventions' and 'Card play conventions'.
Where do you find the competitions? Click on 'Play a tournament', then 'Federation tournaments', then "England - Master Points" (you will also see the EBU logo), which will reveal the list of available tournaments.
Entering your EBU number You should add your EBU number to your profile 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 You can buy diamonds, Funbridge's virtual currency, in the Funbridge Shop. There is a discount for buying diamonds in bulk, and Premium/Premium+ subscribers to Funbridge also enjoy a discount off any purchase of diamonds. Purchases through the desktop version of Funbridge are charged in USD, while purchases using either the Apple or Android app will be charged in £.
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 12 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.
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