Organising team matches

[paulg]

I'm a big fan of team matches and definitely prefer them to tourneys, but they are more complex to organise than simply registering for a tournament so here is my guide to arranging them.

 

Despite the length of these instructions, once you have done a couple of matches (and a couple of substitutions) it will all be trivial, so please give this a go!

 

Team matches are not set up with a registration period like tournaments, but are set up by a host who needs to know the players’ User Names ahead of time.

 

A team game is created by clicking on the Create Team Match button while viewing the list of Team Matches. This will bring up the the Create Team Match dialogue that is key to the creation of the match.

 

I believe the way to the simple and effortless creation of a team match is to use the following method:

1. A team game is created by clicking on the Create Team Match button while viewing the list of Team Matches.
   
2. Complete/fill in as much of the Create Team Match dialogue as possible, including:
   1. 
      
   2. Match name
      
   3. Director - enter your User Name. If you wish to add others as Directors, separate them using tildes. For example, paulg~BILmanager
      
   4. Number of boards - default is 8 (I recommend that you do not have more than 10 unless players know in advance, unless you wish to practise your subbing skills).
      
   5. Scoring - most prefer IMPs but you can choose BAM (Point a Board) or Total Points (Aggregate)
      
   6. Barometer - most prefer seeing the running score in a friendly game, so tick this box. This also allows you to see what has actually happened at the other table
      
   7. Kibitzers - I suggest allowing them
      
   8. Allow Undos - I suggest allowing undos in most games: after all, you are trying for friendly games
      
   9. Kibitz partner as dummy - I believe it is always best to kibitz partner (the alternative is to see all hands). It will improve your game and also understand why partner selected a line of play
      
   10. Team names - I always put team names in and suggest you do. Would you rather be Lions vs Tigers or TeamA vs TeamB :(
       
   11. Put your User Name in one of the teams and fill in other players who you KNOW wish to play
       
   12. DO THIS FIRST!
       

[*]You can do all of the above without any other players!

[*]You must leave this dialogue up otherwise all information will be lost! DO NOT LEAVE the team match screen. You can still use chat, you can go back to the Lobby but do not enter any table or tourney. Actually I suggest you do not use the BACK button.

[*]Now you need to find SEVEN more players and put their user names into the dialogue.

1. If you already know who wishes to play, just fill in their names - Note that TEAMS are entered, not TABLES. You will make this mistake on the first match you arrange, as we all have!
   
2. Advertise for players to the Lobby
   • I use something like: "♥♥ friendly int players needed for 8b team match ♥♥"
     

[*]When people respond that they like to play, put them into the match dialogue

• You can do this by simply right-clicking on their name and use the pop-up menu to assign them to a seat, without needing to actually type their name
  
• I ALWAYS acknowledge people who respond, just replying with "ok" or "yes" - they are less likely to go elsewhere whilst you set up the match
  
• I ALWAYS attempt to send a "sorry, all full now" to people once I have the match created - they will be friendly next time and may fill a gap if a problem occurs during the set up
  

[*]You will often need to re-advertise for people - remember that it takes 15 seconds for your Lobby message to appear, so wait a while before sending it again.

[*]When you have completed the dialogue and have eight names entered, click the Create Match button BUT DO NOT CLOSE THE TEAM MATCH DIALOGUE

[*]At this point, the other seven players will be invited to play and they can accept or decline. If they all accept, then the match will start automatically and the Team Match Dialogue will be closed for you.

[*]If a player is now unavailable (off-line or in another tourney), then the match creation will fail. At this point you need to find a replacement player. Advertise or ask someone else and put the new name into the Team Match Dialogue.

• If you had closed the Team Match Dialogue, then you need to re-enter ALL the information again. This is why you should NOT close the dialogue until the match starts.
  

[*]If a player declines, then the match creation will fail. At this point you need to find a replacement player. Advertise or ask someone else and put the new name into the Team Match Dialogue.

• If you had closed the Team Match Dialogue, then you need to re-enter ALL the information again. This is why you should NOT close the dialogue until the match starts.
  

[*]If a player does not accept within two minutes, then the match creation will fail. You can chat to the player to ask why, or just seek a replacement and follow the previous step.

In summary:

1. Go into Play Bridge->Team Matches. Bring up the Create Team Match dialogue
   
2. Complete as much of the Team Match Dialogue as possible
   
3. Advertise for players
   
4. The players are entered as TEAMS not TABLES
   
5. Create the match and await acceptance/declines
   
6. Do not CLOSE the Team Match Dialogue at any point - leaving it open makes it quick and simple to replace players who decline
   
7. Enjoy the game
   

When playing in the match:

The match host can alter certain tournament details using the Table button. The main use of this is to make substitutions. Players can make their own substitutions using the Call Director button but often people are shy about doing this, so the host needs to make them. There is a good explanation on how to sub players at http://www.bbofriends.com/TD101/Subbing.htm.

 

The quick way to substitute a player is to right-click on their User Name. You will see a new menu option "TD Functions" that includes "substitute this player". This will invite a registered substitute to play: if there are no registered subs, then it will broadcast a request to the Lobby for subs. You will then need to re-sub the player. Alternatively, use the TABLE button to organise and select subs.

 

Finally, if there was one piece of key advice:

 

Do not CLOSE the Team Match Dialogue at any point before the match has actually started!

 

 

Common problems:

• User names are case insensitive (PaulG is the same as paulg) but some people have spaces in their name or at the end (!)
  
• People declining the invitation to play - many BBOers say they will play to multiple hosts and then accept the first match that starts. This means that the match creation will fail and you will need to find another player.
  
• Getting players when there is a vugraph presentation is always more difficult.
  

Many players are familiar with team games (just look at the hosts in the list of matches) and will often be happy to co-direct your first team match. Just ask first please! Wayne (sceptic) also suggests that it can be easier for two people to set up a match - one to complete the dialogue box whilst the other polls the Lobby for people to play and just sends their user names across.

[Al_U_Card]

Thanks Paul, just what I was looking for. Now if only I can find something similar for FD cc's, I may make it into this century...... :(

[kenberg]

Very useful. I will try this. I have always assumed I could figure out what to do but have put off trying it, and this will help a lot in getting off on the right foot.

[cnszsun]

You must leave this dialogue up otherwise all information will be lost! DO NOT LEAVE the team match screen. You can still use chat but do not hit the BACK button.

Maybe i'm wrong, but in my memory, it's ok to click 'back' button and the team setup screen will still be there, so you can return to lobby or main bridge club to check player's id. One thing you should avoid to do is to enter any playing table even as kibitzer, otherwise the team match screen will be lost.

[paulg]

You must leave this dialogue up otherwise all information will be lost! DO NOT LEAVE the team match screen. You can still use chat but do not hit the BACK button.

Maybe i'm wrong, but in my memory, it's ok to click 'back' button and the team setup screen will still be there, so you can return to lobby or main bridge club to check player's id. One thing you should avoid to do is to enter any playing table even as kibitzer, otherwise the team match screen will be lost.

Thanks. You are right and I've edited the post.

[jikl]

I would like to nominate this for a "Sticky" until the process changes.

 

Sean