Guidelines for BBO Vugraph Commentators

Firstly, a massive thank you for volunteering your time and sharing your impressive knowledge of bridge with us and our audience on BBO Vugraph. The invaluable service you provide is recognized and appreciated by countless bridge players globally. The growth and engagement in top-tier bridge that we have witnessed over the years have been significantly driven by commentators like you, enhancing the enjoyment and understanding of our beloved game.

As we continually aim to nurture and expand this passion for bridge, we kindly ask you to carefully read and consistently adhere to the following guidelines:

Promote Positivity: High-level bridge deserves to be showcased in the best light possible. Therefore, we urge you not to utilize our platform for publicly criticizing players or tournament sponsors. Respect their contributions to the game, refraining from remarks that could belittle them, even when they commit errors.
Educate, Enlighten, Entertain: Remember, you hold a wealth of knowledge and expertise that surpasses that of most audience members. Use your commentary to educate them about the nuances of the game, enlighten them about various strategies and tactics, and entertain them with your unique insights. Aim not to impress your peers, but to engage our diverse audience.
Make it Fun: The thrill of bridge is not just in the hands played but also in the stories shared. When the play is slow, enliven your commentary with a touch of humor or interesting anecdotes about the players. Our spectators will appreciate this added layer of enjoyment.
Respect Diversity: Our audience is a global tapestry, representing a vast array of countries, cultures, and age groups. Please ensure your comments remain respectful and sensitive to this diversity. Avoid remarks that could be perceived as racist, sexist, vulgar, or offensive in any way.
Preserve the Integrity of our Platform: Please avoid mentioning, endorsing, or providing instructions on how to use other bridge or vugraph platforms during your commentary. It’s important that we maintain the focus on the experience here at BBO, enriching it with your insightful analysis and expertise. Our aim is to create an engaging and immersive bridge-viewing experience on our platform, and we appreciate your cooperation in maintaining this environment.

Thank you for your understanding and adherence to these guidelines. We deeply value your support for our vugraph program, and we hope that you enjoy your time as a BBO vugraph commentator. Let’s continue to enhance the understanding, appreciation, and joy of bridge together.

Tips for a successful commentary session

Getting Started:

Introduce Yourself: Start by introducing yourself with humility, even if you’re a well-known player or writer.
Maintain a Professional Profile: Ensure your BBO profile reflects your expertise and seriousness about the game, especially when broadcasting to a large audience.
Recommend Talent: Encourage potential commentators you come across to join the vugraph sessions. We always welcome new voices!

Preparation and Homework:

Do Your Homework: Whether it’s the players, methods, format, or current info, make sure you’ve researched thoroughly before covering an important event.
Acknowledge Achievements: Celebrate noteworthy accomplishments of players, both past and present, to enhance the narrative of the game.

During Commentary:

Take Commentary Seriously: Treat each session with respect and professionalism. Your goal is to deliver high-quality analysis for the audience.
Provide Engaging Commentary: Enrich the broadcast with interesting anecdotes and informative comments about the event. The more context, the better!
Explain Your Reasoning: Don’t just state what you’d do, but explain the reasoning behind your decisions. This helps the audience understand the strategies better.
Use GIB Analysis Wisely: Use double dummy as a tool to support your insights, however GIB is not the star of the show. Be prepared to explain the details to the audience.
Discuss Multiple Possibilities: Explore different bids, contracts, and competitive actions, always considering potential traps and obstacles.
Explain, Don’t Instruct: When discussing moves, provide understanding of the logic behind them. This includes the meaning behind players’ defense, especially if you know their methods.
Discuss Defense Complexity: Highlight the complexity of a good defense, including carding agreements, card reading, and ability to anticipate the declarer’s intentions.
Delegate Unknowns: If unsure about the meaning of a signal or a specific move, pass the mic to another commentator.
Respect Everyone: Treat players, other commentators, and the game itself with respect. Always strive to understand the player’s perspective.
Show Empathy for Players: When commenting on blunders, always aim to build understanding, not to berate.

Collaboration and Interaction:

Be Collaborative: Collaborate with co-commentators rather than trying to outshine them or repeating their insights. Teamwork makes the dream work!
Share the Microphone: Commentary is a group effort. Make sure you contribute meaningfully but also leave room for others to chime in.
Leverage Audience Input: Integrate valuable audience comments into your commentary. A little acknowledgment goes a long way.
Keep Chat Relevant: Keep the chat focused on the event, and avoid unnecessary banter that doesn’t contribute to the game.
No Spamming: Keep chat related to the event, and refrain from posting advertisements, links to other sites, or utilize the Vugraph theater for promoting your own services.

Wrap-Up:

Avoid Stating the Obvious: Try to provide insights instead of stating obvious facts repeatedly.
Avoid Spoilers: Be mindful of spectators who prefer to experience each deal fresh. Keep future outcomes to yourself.
Be Inclusive: Be mindful that many spectators might not be native English speakers. Avoid excessive abbreviations and slang for their benefit.

You make the world of bridge more accessible, understandable, and enjoyable for so many. We’re deeply thankful for the substantial contributions you make. If you ever have any vugraph-related queries, feedback, or issues, please feel free to reach out to us at vugraph@bridgebase.com.