Hello, all! We are the latest group to pool with Eastern Iowa Bridge, making it a total sweep for all out Unit clubs playing under one name! If you have been playing in Mary Ann, Carol, and Ramesh’s games, you can now play in the QC games.
I am Vickki Shelley, Manager and BBO Director for Vacb274209. Friend this number (VACB274209) in your “add a Friend” in BBO. It will facilitate your registration into our three games:
Vacb274209 Eastern Iowa Pairs Mondays 6:30 pm
Vacb274209 Eastern Iowa Pairs Wednesdays 6:30 pm
Vacb274209 Limited Eastern Iowa Pairs Thursdays 6:30 pm (0 – 1000 MPs) (ACBL number required for this game only)
Registration is from 4:30 to 6:15 (4:30 for new players to BBO where we may have issues is registering). BUT EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE ONLINE by 6:15 and in IDLE.
Make sure you are online and ready to go (Extremely important): There is a new situation with BBO. To give some relief to the servers that handle the virtual games (and others), BBO has installed additional servers that take care of “casual” games as well as “solitaire” games. If you are in those places at game time, both you and your partner will be dropped from your game. So, this is how to avoid this situation: Please, after registering with your partner, be back online at least 10-15 minutes before game time. If you are playing in the casual or solitaire areas or even kibitzing, get out of there. Here is the guarantee (we hope). Go to “competitive” and then ACBL Virtual Clubs and just stay there. You will be seated in your game from there when it starts. If one partner is not online and ready in this way before game time, the pair may be excluded from the game unless we can get them back before game time. This is not our doing. It is the way BBO works. If you are waiting in the 10-15 minute window, it is also important that you watch for the big window that asks, “are you still there?” If you don’t answer YES, you will be logged off. Not following these conditions may be why we have lost pairs right up to the start of a game.
NOTE: QC Slammers has lost NO ONE yet because I am calling folks not on line within 10 minutes of start time (best excuse – Vickki to the player – “you are not on line.” Player to Vickki – “My cat jumped on the computer and my computer froze up!)
It is a good idea to log off about 15-20 minutes before game time and then log on again. Several players thought they were online but they were not online to the director and game setup probably for the multiple servers situation described above. If you do this, please Go to “competitive” and then ACBL Virtual Clubs and just stay there. You will be seated in your game from there when it starts.
Please do not wait until the last moment to register!!!!
Partnerships: you may register with your partner. If it is the first time, be sure and register as early as possible. If you need a partner, and you know ahead of time, email me at gvshelley8@gmail.com with your request.
Let me know your username, bridge level, and phone number…I will try to pair you up. You can also use the partnership table in the game. It works seamlessly when you agree with a partner ahead of time and pre register early. Be sure and include which day you are wanting to play. I will reply to your email. You may also call me at 435-669-5482.
Results: You may get your BBO results after the game by looking in your BBO History. However, you receive additional points from ACBL. Those results may come about 30 – 40 minutes after the conclusion of the game. You will receive those from ACBLLIVE if you are registered with them. To find the results on the acbl website: acbl.org/acbllive/QC Slammers (put it in your favorites).
The following is taken from Ramesh’s website, because we follow the same protocols:
Playing in Virtual Club game
Tutorials: Please look at these videos to learn about BBO: https://www.sagamorebridgeclub.com/help-everything-bbo.
BB$: You will need to purchase BB$ online. Game is set at $4 per session. We will start out with 21 boards (6min/board) sessions. There is a 30% surcharge if you purchase BB$ by APP (Must use browser to avoid this surcharge).
Keep the game moving: Claim or concede when you know. No sense in prolonging. Once the time for a round is up, it will move to the next round, even if you are not done. Open games play 6 minutes per board. Limited games play 7 minute rounds. When your name is highlighted in yellow, it is your turn to act!
Conv Card: You will be required to enter your Convention Card, else you will default to SAYC (standard American yellow card).
Register for the game: The game will be visible 2 hours before the start of the game, where you can register yourself and a partner. If you don’t have a partner, there will be others like you and pick from available players.
Self Alert: You must self alert and self announce. First click alert, write a short description of the bid (not the name of the convention), and then make your bid. To ask what a bid means click on the bid. DO NOT USE THE TABLE CHAT TO EVER SAY A THING ABOUT YOUR BIDDING. To get rid of the explain box (Do not click on EXPLAIN, because that sends it back for another explanation), click on a space in the box. It will disappear. You will be alerting anything that is blue (NT ranges, transfers, short club opening) or RED (conventions requiring an alert) on the Convention Card. Feel free to tell what your slam conventions mean, what cue bids mean – basically anything that might keep the game moving.
If you would like to be on my Eastern Iowa Bridge list, please give me your name and email. Include your username.
Vickki Shelley