User Guide to BridgePad

Preamble

Different clubs and even different Directors may use the BridgePads set up in different ways.
Please bear this in mind, as you may find that some of the processes described here are not used in your club, or at particular tournaments.

Overview of Club Session - one section

Pre-game

The general process on a club night is like this:
BridgePads are distributed one per table - no particular BridgePad is allocated to any specific table.

  • When the Director tells you, press PWR to wake the BridgePad and press NEXT to start communications.
  • When you see "Table Number: " on the screen, type in the table number then press NEXT
  • If Security Codes are in use, then Security codes will be requested (for NS only if at some point in the round they will play the EW cards)
  • BridgePad will ask you to confirm the table number is correct - if it is, then press NEXT
  • BridgePad will ask for the NORTH player's computer number (ID) - the North player enters their number, then presses NEXT
  • BridgePad asks the player to confirm that the number is correct, then press NEXT again
  • This process is repeated for SOUTH, then WEST, then EAST.
  • If you enter an incorrect number, you can use the BACK key to wipe out the number and correct it.
  • After all players at the table have entered their numbers, BridgePad sends them off and returns with the names.
  • If all names are correct, press NEXT and you are ready to start scoring the session.

If names are not correct

  • If names are not correct, press BACK, and you will have options 1, 2, 3 or 4 to correct the NORTH, SOUTH, WEST or EAST player.

Through the session

  • At the start of each round, BridgePad shows you which pairs should be at the table and which boards Please Read this
  • When the first board for the round is placed on the table, put in the board number.
  • Press NEXT to move from the "Board" field to the "Contract" field
  • NOTE: If someone has given you the wrong board, the BridgePad will say "Board number out of range"
  • Type in the contract, using the number, the denomination from the top row, and, if necessary the double or redouble using the "XX" key (once for Double, twice for Redouble).
  • Press NEXT to go to the "By" field, and type in declarer - use the "N/S" key once for North, twice for South, and similarly for East and West with the "E/W" key.
  • Press NEXT to go to the Lead field, and type in the lead card. Use the numbers (1=10) or the honor symbols from the top row, followed by the suit symbol from the top row. (BridgePad knows when you are typing Honors or Symbols :-) )
  • Press NEXT to get down to the "Made" field. When play has completed on the hand and you are agreed, enter the result here. Use standard notation in NZ (e.g. 4H making 4 enter "4", 6H 2 down enter "-2" using the "-" key)
  • Press NEXT, and BridgePad will calculate the score and show it on screen.
  • Pass the BridgePad to your opponents to agree and THEY press NEXT to send it off
  • NOTE If security codes are set, then E/W must put in their security code for the score to be sent.
  • Even if you send it off, when the next screen comes up you can press the "ERROR" button to go back and correct the contract or result. (this happens mainly when either an incorrect declarer has been entered or when a double has been omitted).
  • After the result is sent off, a summary of the boards played at that table appears, this also gives an estimate of the value of the board to NS (subtract this number from 100 to get the value for EW)
  • Pressing NEXT takes you through to the equivalent of a traveling score card, with the results of that board from other tables. This screen will gain more lines as the boards are played at more tables, eventually moving on to more than one screen. At this point you can scroll through the screens with the NEXT and BACK keys. The last screen of the traveler has "Finished" at the bottom. Pressing NEXT from this screen takes you on to the next board and you cannot go back and review that traveler again.
  • PLEASE ensure that you have passed right through the traveller and on to the next board before the next opponents arrive at the table. The traveler from the previous board should NOT be there for them to see.
  • Once the boards are played for that round, if the EW pair move anywhere other than up one table, BridgePad will say where EW move to.
  • If the NS pair also move (such as in a Howell) then BridgePad will tell NS where to move also.
  • Now the process repeats until the end of the session.

The end of the session

At the end of the session, BridgePad offers a game summary (option 1). this should give you an idea of total% and Match Points scored on each board, but it will not be accurate until all results are in. It may give you enough idea, though, to know if you really want to be around when the last results are in :)
Option 2 is "Start New Game", and this should be chosen before returning the BridgePads to their bag.

Buttons & Screens

Button Function Picture
PWR Wake up the BridgePad from sleep mode pwr.jpg
You should see the BridgePad Welcome screen, or the screen in which you last typed
NEXT Takes you to the next screen OR to the next field on next.jpg
BACK Removes typed characters or takes you to the previous field or previous screen back.jpg
Numbers Used to enter Table, Board if necessary, Contract and Result
Denominations Suits & NT for contracts deniminations.jpg
PASS Use this as the Contract when a board is passed in pass.jpg
N/S North or South - for Declarer (By field) Press once for North, twice for South. If you press the key again it toggles back to North NS.jpg
E/W As above - for declarer - press once for East, twice for West, again of you want to go back to East EW.jpg
Suits Suit symbols used for contracts and for lead card. BridgePad always puts the number before the suit, so contract is 4H and lead is KD or 3D honours.jpg
XX Double or Redouble. Press once for Double of a contract (X will appear in the contract) press twice for redouble (XX will appear in the contract) dbl.jpg
- the Minus key is used when the contract is defeated. Thus if the contract is down 2, press -2 for the result minus.jpg
ERROR The Error button may be used to go back and correct a result once it has been sent to the server, but only before you go to the next board or round.
Screen Description
BP_01.jpg Welcome Screen - states the Chanel and the Firmware revision for this BridgePad.
BP_02.jpg Table Number - quite obvious
BP_03.jpg Confirm Table Number - Some people don't read the bottom of the screen that says "NEXT if correct". If you have put in the wrong table number, then you can press BACK and enter the correct table number.
BP_04.jpg Player ID - we know as NZB Computer Number. Don't wory about Life Master etc.. that does not apply to NZ. If you don't know your number or haven't got one, you can leave this blank and just press NEXT but please let the Director know, as numbers will need to be filled in manually later.
BP_05.jpg Verify that your number is correct - not hard really :) then press NEXT
BP_13.jpg Once all the numbers are in, BridgePad confirms with the list of names
BP_14.jpg If a name is wrong, pressing BACK gives the option of changing a selected player number. Press "1" to change North, "2" to change South, "3" to change East or "4" to change West
BP_18.jpg The Round screen shows: (1) Table Number, (2) Round number, (3) NS and EW Pairs that should be at the table for this round, (4) the BOARDS that are still to be played at this table. NOTE: Once the board is completed and score sent off it disappears from this list. If you are playing a board that is not on the list then either you are playing a board that you shouldn't be OR you have entered the result of the previous board against the wrong board!
BP_24.jpg The Contract screen is where the Contract, Declarer, Lead and Result are entered for a specific board. When checking this please ensure that you check the Board Number, Contract and Declarer. Remember to use the XX key to put in Doubles, and press the N/S key once for North, twice for South. If you use the BACK key you can wipe out incorrect fields, but all the information after that incorrect field must be re-entered. SO - if you put in the wrong board number, you have to enter it all again!
BP_25.jpg BridgePad knows the vulnerability on each board, so can work out the correct scores and display them. It is MOST IMPORTANT that the BridgePad is passed to the opposition to agree and send off the result.
BP_26.jpg This is a Round Summary. It shows the boards played in the current round, the score on the board, and an estimate of the NS percentage based on the results received for that board at that time. The later in the round, the closer you are to getting a good estimate of your score on the board. At this point you can still press the ERROR key and go back and re-enter the board contract and result.
BP_27.jpg This is the "Traveling Score Sheet" showing the scores on the board at other tables. It is generally sorted in order of NS scores. Once the board has been played at more than seven tables, then traveler takes up more than one screen. Pressing NEXT will take you to the next page of the traveler, and BACK to the previous page, but if you press NEXT on the page with "Finished" at the bottom, you will leave the traveler and never return!
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