BridgePal is the world's best and most popular freeware wireless bridge scoring system for bridge sessions based on the use of smartphones or tablets.
The devices are networked via a wifi router to a Windows PC which runs the
scoring software, but no mobile network or internet connection is required and therefore the system can be used in any location.
There are no software purchasing, licensing, or usage charges of any kind.
The software includes a BridgePal app which runs on android smartphones or tablets. It is also possible to use non-android devices as scoring units providing they are touchscreen devices with a web browser.
BridgePal was developed by John & Mirna Goacher in 2011 for use initially at their local club in Kent. It is now being used on a regular basis by a growing number of clubs. Although it is no longer the only smartphone based bridge scoring system
in existence we believe it was probably the first to be implemented.
Features
The BridgePal scoring system is intuitive, feature rich, and easy to use. The hand record related features in the list below are optional and individually configurable by
the director from the scoring program or BridgePal server:
Scoring units are automatically configured with the network address of the scoring PC
At the start of the session, the table number and NBO numbers or club-assigned player numbers are input into the scoring unit
Validation checks can be applied to contract entry on the scoring unit if hand records are available for the session
After each board has been played the scoring unit displays a traveller showing the results so far for this board
At the end of the round the scoring unit directs NS and EW pairs to the appropriate table, and shows the board numbers to be played at the current table
Hand entry on the scoring unit is supported if boards are shuffled at the table rather than predealt, with automatic calculation of makeable contracts on the scoring unit. The consolidated set of hands from all scoring units is saved in a PBN file which is updated as each hand is recorded and is therefore available to support all the hand record related features when the boards are played at other tables.
Hands and makeable contracts can be viewed on the scoring unit after the boards have been played at the table
Optimum score and contracts can be calculated on units if Bridge Solver app is installed on the scoring unit
After a board is played at the table it may be played again in double dummy mode, with card by card guidance, on the scoring unit. Again, this needs Bridge Solver app.
Preset hands can be dealt on the scoring unit if the BridgeDealer app is installed.
Alternatively hands shuffled at the table can be read into BridgePal via BridgeDealer app
BridgePal has excellent recovery facilities. If a scoring unit battery runs down during a session it is straightforward to replace it with another unit. The session continues from the point at which the original scoring unit failed. Similarly, if the scoring PC or wireless router is rebooted the BridgePal app on each scoring unit will continue from the correct point in the session when the network connection to the PC is restored.
At the end of the session, a ranking table is displayed on the scoring unit and scorecards can be shown. If some tables are still playing a Refresh button allows the ranking table to be updated on the scoring unit to reflect new scores