Club TD Guide

3.5 Score Amendment
The TD can amend the score on any board during a tournament, as long as a score has been established (a cancelled board can’t be amended). A score can also be amended if the tournament has been completed, and published emails have been sent. However, emails will not be re-sent.

You can amend a score by selecting ‘Board Result’ on the TD Tools, or by ‘View’ ‘Board Result’, and then navigating to the specific play of the board (see §3.4.4). Then press ‘Edit’ (at the bottom of the window). To assist the TD in any adjustment, this window also has a ‘Show Log’ option – see (§3.4.4).

You can award a replacement score or an artificial score. In either case, a reason should be entered. This explanation is automatically communicated to the four players who were present at the relevant table.

If adjusting to an artificial score, fill in a percentage or IMP score for both NS and EW. In the list of results, an artificial score is shown as an Artificial Score (A.S.).

3.6 Timings and Time Allowances
Throughout the event, the software tracks various timings for each player on each board, and when awarding artificial adjusted scores, it can apportion as appropriate to the faster/slower pair. These can be accessed via the ‘Show Log’ (§3.3.4).

3.6.1 Free Time Actions
During a round there are a number of actions for which time is not registered against a specific player/pair – ‘free time’. If a particular action has a ‘free time’ of say 3 seconds, and a player takes 8 seconds, only 5 seconds is registered against that player.

Free time events:

• • Start of a new board: 10 secs.
  • Time to assess dummy: 10 secs.
  • Following a claim: 10 secs.
  • Following a ‘stop’ bid: 8 secs.
  • Following a bid: 1 sec. for each level of bidding (so 4♥ allows 4 secs.)
  • Following an alert: 8 secs (so ‘alert’ 4♥ allows 4 + 8 secs.)

3.6.2 Automatic Time Extension
This feature is only available for Open tournaments, not Club events.

If the ‘Next Round Criterion’ is set to ‘Time Expired’, the round will automatically be extended by +20 seconds if there are still tables playing tricks 11 or 12 (for trick 13 the software automatically plays that trick). It doesn’t matter which board is being played, but it is only applied once per round. The time extension is only applied at the round end, so it is not intended to allow the play of another board.

3.6.3 Unfinished Boards
If any boards are in play when the next round starts (together with any other un-started boards), these boards are aborted, and an artificial score is awarded. The faster pair will get a 60% score and the slower pair 40%. This of course can be adjusted by the TD by reference to the log to determine the exact cause of any delays. He will probably adjust to 50%/50% if the primary cause was not the players’ fault (e.g. TD delays). (Also see §3.4).

In Open tournaments there is also a minimum time after which a board will not be presented. This is the lower of 5 mins. or 80% of the time allowed for the round. This does not apply in club tournaments – boards are always presented. If the last board is unfinished and the TD determines that the faster pair (i.e. the pair getting 60%), would have probably done better than 60%, he should award an adjusted score (but not if the slower pair would get a better result).

3.6.4 Progress Overview
At the start of a round, the ‘View’ → ‘Show Tables’ will merely show the number of tables in play. For ‘Swiss events, it will also show the running score of the pairs at each table. More importantly after 1 minute, the TD will see how each table has progressed within the round. This display, in conjunction with the ‘clock’ facilities on the TD Tools, enables the TD to control the event (add extra time, change round criterion, abort boards, etc.). This display must be manually refreshed.

The TD can make optimal use of this display by recognising any slow tables. In particular, when most tables are on the last board of a round, when the timer reaches say 4 minutes remaining for the round, he should consider going to the slowest table (i.e. one showing the earliest state of play of this last board). He can then follow the play of the cards, and if the board at this table were to be subsequently aborted due to insufficient time, it is much easier to possibly give an actual replacement score should the artificial 60%/40% need to be changed (in favour of the faster pair who may possibly get a better result) – see §3.5.3.

3.7 Lost Connection
If a player loses their internet connection (or is logged-off StepBridge), the TD is informed after 30 seconds. Usually a player who loses connection, manages to restore contact within a minute or so (he will of course suffer time loss).

For an extended loss of connection, ask the partner if he can assist (possibly by phoning the player). If there is no prospect of a connection recovery, the TD can start searching for a replacement player. If a replacement is found, they can be included (‘TD Tools’ – ‘Replace Player’) but they should be advised that it may be for only a few boards, should the disconnected player recover.

3.8 General Proceedings
If there is an irregularity, a player can call the TD with the ‘Call TD’ or ‘Undo’ button. The TD should go to the table (preferably using the TD Tools, or by double-clicking on the table in the ‘Tables’ display.) At the table ask, ‘How can I help?’. If the error is an obvious ‘Undo’, confirm via the message area, and action via ‘TD Tools’ à ‘Undo’.

When calling the TD, players will have been instructed via the Message Area to cease play, so it is important to keep them informed of what you are doing and tell them when they can restart. It’s essential to restart play as soon as possible – you may not be able to make an immediate decision (e.g. if a player complains of an incorrect explanation) but will consider it in time and advise them. If you need to communicate with just one player when the board has re-started, wait until they are dummy – this avoids confusing them.

In making a ruling, treat as if you are in a FtoF event, calm any ‘noisy’ players; keep calm; gather as many facts as you can; don’t get into an argument with the players. If a player disagrees with your decision say you will discuss in detail later. If they are still not happy, advise them of any right to appeal (things rarely get this far).

If the TD call is for a ‘Claim Refusal’, the players are not informed of the TD call and the call can be ignored without the players noticing. The TD call is there to give TDs the option to act on claim refusals, but this is not mandatory. Players will be expected to continue playing, however normal FtoF bridge rules do apply, and if a claim is not 100% accurate the TD can adjust the score. He can look at the log to see what was actually said (if anything) to substantiate any claim. (A player is not permitted to claim in the last 20 secs. of a round – sufficient time needs to be allowed to possibly assess a claim).

3.9 Optimised Movements
For clubs that play with relatively few participants, StepBridge has been using predefined optimized movements since the beginning of 2021 to optimize the scheduling of players. As a result, under normal circumstances, it is no longer possible for pairs to encounter each other more than strictly necessary.

Optimised movements are only used if you choose “Random Movement”. If you use Swiss movement, it is not possible to use the optimized movements. Therefore, only choose Swiss if you have enough participants (rule of thumb: minimum number of pairs is 2x the number of rounds). If you play in sections, this rule of thumb applies per section.

Optimised movements are only used as long as the number of tables does not change after the start of the second round (at the start of the second round a suitable movement is chosen). If the number of tables does change, the movement will be determined by the
computer from that moment on (by an algorithm).

Note 1: Optimized movements are not used for individual tournaments. Therefore, for a small number of participants, preferably use pairs.

Note 2: Movements are used up to a maximum of nine rounds. For more rounds, the movement is always determined by the computer (by an algorithm).

4 Frequently Asked Questions

I’m a Club-TD, but when I log-in, TD Tools in the Hosting menu is grey. What’s wrong?
There’s nothing wrong. The TD panel can only be selected if you are present at a Club event of your own Club (where you are registered as TD). Being present means that you have chosen to go to the Club event. Just selecting it in the table list is not enough.

Can I start a test Club event to make sure everything works properly?
No this can’t be done! If you create a Club event that becomes visible in StepBridge (i.e. starts within 10 days), you can’t delete it yourself, and you can’t schedule a new event anymore. The event must then be manually removed by StepBridge, which takes a lot of unnecessary time.

So, if you want to test whether the TD panel appears, do so before the start of a regular Club event, and don’t create a test event first.

How does StepBridge handle sit-out tables?
The best solution is to have a substitute pair ready for your Club event. When it comes to substitutes, the pair need not be members of your Club. You can add players to your Club through your Club page. This could be any member of StepBridge.

Please note that players can register independently during the first round. So, if there is the possibility that there will be any latecomers involved, you should wait until the start of the second round with the search for a substitute pair.

An alternative way to resolve a sit-out is to remove a pair from the tournament at the end of Round 1 (before a change). This must be agreed this in advance and is not very satisfactory.

If you just can’t avoid a sit-out table, the tournament will run fine with every round having a sit-out pair.

If there is a sit-out, during round one the players remain seated at the table to allow late registrars to start immediately. From round two on, sit-out players are put in the lobby and are free to watch any table they like (but they can’t leave the event).

How can participants appeal against a decision of the Club TD?
You have to determine how to handle appeals within your Club. Rulings and appeals are therefore completely the responsibility of your Club.

A club member has been denied access to StepBridge. Can he join the Club event?
Unfortunately, sometimes we have to take disciplinary action against members of StepBridge. This is usually resolved without them being denied access to StepBridge, but otherwise the player in question cannot participate in a Club event.

Can pairs play from the same IP address?
It’s no problem players using the same IP address. In online bridge there are many ways to cheat, and we don’t think avoiding play from the same IP-address solves anything. However, we do take bridge etiquette very seriously, which includes fair play. If necessary, we are able to investigate many boards, and draw conclusions on a statistical basis.

What to do when A player complains that his cards are ‘frozen’?
Is it actually that player’s turn to do something (bid/play)? The system will indicate whose turn, by changing their name to ‘blue’. If it’s another player’s turn (and they don’t realise it), message that player.

If playing on a tablet, remind the player of the correct procedure (don’t click, but drag the cards).

In rare cases, when nothing else helps, request the player to log-off (if able), re-boot their computer, and then log-on.

Can players refer to their own system notes?
Since it would be difficult to police players referring to their own notes (not allowed in FtoF bridge), online regulations do allow players to use ‘aide memoires’ (rare exceptions when using video links).