Online Bridge Games

Photo of an online bridge platform

EBU Regular Online Games

BBO Daily games:

Seven 12-board games run every day, starting at: 11am (Relaxed 9-high game); 12 noon (fast game); 2pm; 3:30pm; 7:30pm; 7:30pm (Relaxed 9-high game) and 9pm

EBU Social Bridge: 

Three sessions daily on RealBridge, allows you to play online within your own social circle – you arrange who your partner and opponents will be, swapping around if you like. Sessions are: 9am-1pm; 2pm-6pm and 7pm-11pm

Super Sunday Special: 

Weekly 20-board games held every Sunday at 7pm on RealBridge, run on behalf of the EBU by Cumbria CBA.

Online One-Day Green-Pointed (OODGP) Events: 

Ten national events a year for those who enjoy playing one-day green-pointed Swiss games online. They are generally played on Saturday or Sunday and start at 11am.

National Teams League: 

For teams of up to 8 people, with 16-board matches played on Wednesday evenings. The default time and venue is RealBridge at 7.30pm on Wednesdays, with a TD in attendance, played with screens and written alerts. However, teams may re-arrange and set up their own matches on BBO, or any other platform, at another time if both teams agree.

Online Knockout Teams: 

This annual knockout event, is for teams of four, from a squad of six all of whom are members of their own federation and a majority of one of the ‘home unions’. All matches are played online and organised privately at a time to suit both teams.

 

Online Platforms

Bid72

 Bid72 hosts the EBU Bidding Contest. Every week each participant receives in-app (tablet or mobile phone) 5 hands to bid with their favourite partner in accordance with their own bidding system. One week later hand records, results and rankings will be mailed to all participants and they will be placed in divisions according to how well they do, moving up and down divisions according to their results. This service is completely free for EBU members and made available by bid72, the premium app on bridge bidding.

 

RealBridge

The unique feature of RealBridge is that it uses your computer’s audio and video to simulate live play at a table, so you can see your partner, opponents and the TD. This provides reassurance to players about board security and communication between players, and it is the platform used by the EBU for most of its major online competitions. If you don’t have video or audio you can still play in the more usual online manner, communicating by text.

In addition to our Social Bridge games, RealBridge is used widely by teachers, EBU clubs, and EBU events.

Here is list of all EBU affiliated clubs holding sessions on RealBridge, should you wish to contact them to join a session.

 

Bridge Base Online

Bridge Base Online (BBO) is the largest international online bridge provider. Signing up and playing in many of the games is free, though they also have tournaments that are paid for. This is one platform on which some of our EBU tournaments are run and where our Virtual Clubs' games are held. Clubs that are interested in this can find more information online.

Our EBU games run every day at 11am (Relaxed 9-high game), 12 noon (fast game) and at 2pm, 3:30pm, 7:30pm, 7:30pm (Relaxed 9-high game) and 9pm. They are all 12 boards long and cost $2.30.

The Relaxed 9-high games are limited to players with NGS grade of 9 or below. Systems are also restricted, see details of permitted systems.

We also run Daylong 12-board Games on BBO, where you play with and against BBO robots at any time in the 24-hour period, pausing and re-starting as you wish. All of these games offer EBU master points.

EBU members do not need to register your EBU number anywhere with BBO. When you register for an EBU tournament it should prompt for your EBU number only if we do not already have it stored on BBO. If you have played in an EBU tournament and it has not appeared on your record in My EBU then please contact us via jonathan@ebu.co.uk and we will sort it out.

Since BBO is an American company payment is in dollars and the most common bidding systems are Standard American type (sayc or 2/1), although it does have an Acol Bridge Club, which can be found under Play or Watch Bridge -> Casual -> All Private and Public Clubs. Members who need to buy BB$ to play in paid games should buy them through the BBO website and not through the app, which will add on a significant surcharge.

Our advice to players who are interested in playing in paid games is first to sign up for a free login to BBO and play in some free games to familiarise themselves with how the game works, so that they can take part as soon as they are ready. Help with doing this is available in this document.

NB In tournaments, BBO records all table history including chat between individual players at a table. This can be accessed by our EBU TDs but will only be used for the purposes of disciplinary and ethics cases or resolving disputes about timing or disclosure.

More useful links:

 

Funbridge

Funbridge hosts our regular daily online robot games, which give EBU master points. Information about them is available on our webpage. They have also provided a document explaining how a club can create its own (robot) games exclusively for its own members.

The 12-board daily robot games are scored by match-points and cost 20 Diamonds. The games are accessed by logging on to Funbridge and navigating to Federation Tournaments.

You can play them at any time during the competition period, stopping and restarting as often as you wish. Games take place every day and run until midnight (24 hours). Acol is one of the bidding systems available for you to choose (which isn't always the case with some online platforms), and you can set which conventions and carding methods you and your robotic partner play. There are also ladders each month for the main competitions as well as a handicap ladder and a quarterly ladder, each with cash prizes. The games are open to everyone. Please see the Funbridge FAQ for more details on the competitions and for information on how to take part.

 

Bridge Club Live

Bridge Club Live (BCL) is a UK based online bridge provider that has been operational for over 25 years. It runs a wide variety of individual and partnership games. Audio and Video Chat at the table adds even more to the social element of playing bridge online. 

F2F Virtual Sessions can be used by clubs with as little as 3 tables and upwards. Results are automatically posted to BridgeWebs or Pianola club sites - just as they would be usually. What is particularly beneficial to UK clubs AND the EBU, is that these results are fully valid for UMS upload. There is NO COST for Clubs to have their own F2F Session, other than the requirement that all their participants are full members of BCL. For further information  email: f2fclubs@bridgeclublive.com 

With Covid19 reducing to a level where some clubs are partially returning to their real face to face clubs, a NEW HYBRID facility was launched on July 5th, 2021,  whereby clubs can upload their hands ready for play both in their real club and in their virtual session - thus allowing merging of results. Alternatively, a separate online club “BridgeCLUBUK” using the BridgeClubLive platform, now provides EBU master pointed tournaments daily based on the same format and is available for any EBU member. Full details here.

BCL has a half-price 'Social Membership' for unlimited play in social rooms that have Audio & Video at the table, with chosen partners and friends. Whilst around 60% of its members are British and Acol is prevalent, all systems are catered for with members from all over the world playing 24/7. BCL operate a strict 'no cheating' policy with ethical behaviour embedded in the philosophy of the club. All reports of bad behaviour including rudeness, quitting and any unacceptable play, are fully investigated by our CTD and Ethics Consultant. 

An independent and dedicated online Teaching Area allows bridge teachers to upload their specific card deals and themes and run two hour teaching slots at no cost to them and their students can apply for free or highly discounted membership rates for the duration on their course. 

A free trial membership is available: info@bridgeclublive.com 

 

No Fear Bridge

For students who would like to practice their bridge, please register for a free trial with No Fear Bridge.

 

 

Pianola Play

Pianola Play is another new way to run your club's games online. Currently, it's online-only but (by the time lockdown rules end) you will be able to arrange "hybrid" games that can include a mix of face-to-face and online players in the same game. The hybrid version is being developed in collaboration with Bridgemate and will be available to any club that uses Bridgemates - whether or not they use Pianola.

The main benefits of Pianola Play are:

  • A simple, easy-to-use interface for both players and directors
  • No additional fees for either the club or players. Like all Pianola's club features, Pianola Play is included as part of the standard club subscription. There’s no need to buy “BBO$” or make any other payment to use the service
  • Easy access: players login using their existing Pianola credentials. No need to remember yet another username and password
  • See partner and opponents’ real names during the game - instead of obscure usernames
  • Publish results to Pianola with one click, or download results as XML to publish elsewhere (e.g. BridgeWebs)

All affiliated clubs can use Pianola free of charge for twelve months. Thereafter, rates based on table-count if the club chooses to take a paid subscription.

Visit pianola.net for more information about Pianola's other features and to sign up for a free 12 month trial.

 

StepBridge

StepBridge is the online bridge provider of the Netherlands Bridge Federation, which runs games for the Welsh Bridge Union and is currently free for users and clubs. They have a guide for clubs wishing to run games and it is possible for players to set up teams matches suitable for playing local teams leagues. Individuals should sign up for free membership and are advised to start by playing a short informal match, to familiarise themselves with the interface before arranging any important league matches. Instructions for setting up teams matches are now available.

 

IntoBridge

IntoBridge.com IntoBridge is a new platform with a variety of ways of playing, some free and others paid for, including casual tables (with the option of playing with their own robot, Ben), teams matches and club pairs games as well as Swiss Pairs. It has optional paid-for video and their own YouTube channel with lots of informative videos including a basic introduction to the platform.

Players can set up their own team matches on the platform and are allowed to use it for EBU matches if both teams agree.