BBO Membership - FAQ for ACBL clubs and players

Yes.

You can play in all ACBL-sanctioned games without a paid BBO membership. That includes the ACBL Clubhouse, e-club games, ACBL World, the NABC Robot Individual, Online Regionals - and any new game we create in future that is sanctioned by the ACBL, meaning it follows ACBL rules and regulations and awards masterpoints to ranked participants.

Ads are hidden for one week each time you spend BB$ on BBO - so if you keep paying for games, you keep an ad-free experience without a paid plan. Entry fees still apply separately, and if you'd rather keep ads hidden permanently, choose a plan that includes that benefit.

You do not need a paid BBO membership to hide ads if you play in pay games.

You don't have to.

You do not need a paid BBO membership to play in ACBL-sanctioned games on BBO.

Your ACBL membership and your BBO membership serve different purposes. ACBL dues are part of your relationship with the ACBL, while an optional BBO membership gives you broader access to BBO's own products - free tournaments, solitaire practice, social play and more.

No - they are separate.

That said, you do not need a paid BBO membership to play in ACBL-sanctioned games on BBO. You can keep entering those games and paying the usual entry fees with your free BBO membership.

Nothing changes.

Your BB$ balance stays available and can continue to be used for paid games and tournaments, exactly as before. The new membership plans do not replace BB$ and do not include entry fees for paid ACBL games.

Yes.

Every player receives complimentary BBO Premium for at least one month when the new membership plans launch.

Many active and long-standing BBO players will receive one year of Premium at no cost. Eligibility is reviewed each year and may be renewed for players who stay active and engaged on BBO.

The daily deals are used when members on the free Basic plan play in some of BBO's free games, such as:

• Joining a Social Bridge table
• Joining a free Team Match
• Playing in some Solitaire Bridge games
• Starting a free Challenge
• Playing in free Daylong games
• Playing in some of the other free tournaments

One deal means one hand.

These activities never use your free daily deals:

• Playing paid games
• Buying a paid upgrade for a free game - it removes the limit on that game (a robot in a free tournament, a free Challenge upgraded to a BXP Challenge)
• Playing at Social Bridge tables while you have an active robot rental - for the length of the rental you can start and play at casual tables without limits, even when you're not using the robots at your table
• Playing as a guest, when another player invites you to a Social Bridge table, team match or free Challenge
• Playing as a substitute, when you're invited to replace a player in a tournament or team match
• Using any of the practice tools - bidding tables, teaching tables, Bridge Master and Mini Bridge
• Playing Just Play Bridge
• Playing the free tournaments offered as samples of a paid game - such as Free Express Pairs, a free sample of BXP Express Pairs
• Watching Vugraph
• Kibitzing tables

It depends on how you practise.

Bidding and teaching tables

Bidding tables and teaching tables remain free and unlimited. You can keep using them exactly as you do today, without a paid BBO membership.

Social Bridge tables with rented robots

If you rent robots, you don't need a paid BBO membership to play at Social Bridge tables (casual tables) during the rental period. An active rental gives you unlimited access to casual tables for as long as it lasts, including the ability to start tables where you're not using the robots.

Other Social Bridge practice

Other forms of free Social Bridge may use your daily allowance. Starting a casual table is a Premium feature - but the host can invite players and reserve their seats, and invited players then play as the host's guests, with no paid membership and no limits.

Another option: one player rents robots for a day and the other three play as guests. A robot rental allows tables to be started without limits for the length of the rental, and the host can invite other free members so they play without using their daily deals.

No.

ACBL e-club games (the VACB program) continue under the existing terms and financial arrangements. Tournament entry fees, revenue-share reporting, masterpoint arrangements and the way clubs run their official games are not changing because of the new membership plans.

No.

All official ACBL and e-club accounts will be upgraded to Premium automatically and at no cost, so clubs and the ACBL can continue their activities without disruption - including activities they run in BBO's free-play areas.

If a club or an ACBL employee previously ran ACBL-related activities through the personal BBO account of a teacher, director or other member, we recommend moving them to an official e-club or ACBL organization account.

No.

Players do not need a paid BBO membership to take part in ACBL e-club games.

Ads are hidden for one week whenever a player spends money on BBO, so players do not need a paid membership to keep playing in paid club games without ads.

Players who prefer to keep ads hidden permanently can choose a membership plan that includes this benefit. The usual tournament entry fees still apply.

Yes.

Teaching tables and bidding tables remain free and unlimited. Clubs, teachers and players can keep starting and using them without limitation, and no paid BBO membership is required for these activities.

Yes.

Bridge Master stays free and unlimited for everyone, including players on the free BBO membership plan.

Junior players are eligible for complimentary Premium membership. They receive one year of Premium at no cost, renewable for as long as they continue to qualify as juniors and remain active on BBO and with the ACBL.

The ACBL can provide BBO with the information needed to identify eligible junior members and grant them the appropriate access.