Advice for directors

This guide is for those who have already seen Running an event. After you have looked here, at this chapter, we recommend that you look at these chapters:


changed 12 March 2021

Session name

Please try to remember to put the session name in the yellow band at the top of the screen. Use a meaningful name. This name:

  • Is shown in the results, at the top of the results screens.
  • Is recorded in the USEBIO file.
  • Is recorded in the RealBridge log files.
  • Appears in your invoice.

After an event is finished

To make use of the results server, you must not reboot the session, otherwise you lose your “permanent results”.

Good housekeeping is to:

  • Make sure you have made all the adjustments you want to make.
  • Make sure that you have saved any USEBIO files, PBN files, settings files that you need.
  • Destroy the session, ideally within a few hours of the event being completed.

After you have done this, the link stays active forever, and it takes the players to the results.


Using the Redial button

Remind players to use the redial button every hour, or at other times if they notice video or audio problems. It is the pair of curved arrows near their name, to the right of the eye.


Going to the table as director

It is always better/safer to join the table by clicking the table, unless you are intending to play.

In particular: during Round 1, if there is a sitout pair, avoid sitting in the missing pair's seats. If you do, the movement will think you are going to play.


Playing and directing at the same time

You need to log in twice, once as a player, with your usual full name and once as a director, appending "TD" to your full name.

Option 1

For one device, using the same browser, open two tabs and log in as stated above. One option is to put the windows side-by-side. Alternatively, if you have two monitors, arrange one window on the left, for playing, and one window on the right, for directing.

If you use two different browsers (eg Chrome and Edge), then your camera will only work on one of them.

Option 2

Use two devices. For example, one computer for playing, and a tablet (or smartphone) for directing. It is possible to direct using a smartphone, but not to play.

Notes

  • RealBridge is a sound free (ping free) application. We plan to enhance the notification features for both playing and non-playing directors.
  • Keep in mind that your microphone might be outputting your voice to two tables, if indeed you are at both tables, and had not muted one of them.

Team head-to-head matches

Explained by using an example: 4 rounds of 8 boards. (of course, any number of rounds, and any number of boards are possible)

Ask every team to sit at their table. The Director starts Round 1.

  • The system moves the East/West players for each pair of matches.
  • When the first round ends (8 boards are played) … both tables indicate R1, and the colour of the table changes from green to a grey/mushroom colour.
  • The system moves the East/West players back to their home tables, for a post mortem
  • During this time the players can choose to:
    • Stay as they are
    • Change partnerships, including asking 5th and 6th members of the team to join, and another pair leave
    • Change seats

You might wish to ask the captains to agree on who is going to change seats. Or perhaps, you can agree that the even numbered teams change the East/West to North/South.

Of course, if you want a compulsory change of opponent, then you need to agree that both teams in the match don’t do the same thing.

Now, as director, Start Round 2. (boards 9 to 16).

The rest of the match follows as in the above steps.


Director checklist

  1. Name the session – yellow band
  2. Add tables
  3. Session settings
  4. Advanced for club name and number, if needed
  5. Open the session now, or 45 mins before game time (recommended)
  6. Double check before start
  7. Remove unwanted/empty tables
  8. Make sure that you don't have two half-tables
  9. Reconsider your movement. You may want to change from Howell to Mitchell, or vice versa.
  10. Start
  11. 45 minutes later, remind to click Redial
  12. Get your USEBIO and PBN files, and remember to save them
  13. About an hour after the end of the session: Destroy (via Advanced)

Screens and Self-Alerts

(Changed 6 January 2022)

These are independent options, but they tend to work better together.

Screens

If the director comes to the table when screens are in place, the director appears on one side of the table, according to these rules:

  • If a player called the director: Director arrives on that side of the screen.
  • If nobody called the director: Director arrives on the same side as the person who is next to bid or play.

The director can use the +/- buttons to have a conversation with any or all of the players.

There are a few occasions when the screens will not be active (all players can see and hear each other). These occur:

  • During the acceptance of players at the start of the match stage (when the table displays 1.P)
  • During a visit by the director
  • After a board has been completed
  • After a claim

With screens, if North or South requests an undo during the bidding, and the bid has not yet been shown on the other side of the screen, only their screenmate sees the request, and only their screenmate can accept or reject the request.

If North or South requests an undo after their screenmate has bid, the action is already visible on the other side of the screen, so both opponents see the request.

If East or West requests an undo, the action is already visible on the other side of the screen, so both opponents see the request.

Self-Alerts

The appearance of the bidding box is different from normal when self-alert is selected. For details, refer to the player guide. When the player makes a bid without providing an explanation and then later provides an explanation, RealBridge makes a record of the post-bid explanation by presenting the delay in square brackets.