• What is BridgePal ?
• Hardware Requirements
• Setting Up the System
• SUMMARY
• PC Setup
• Download PC Components
• WiFi Network Setup
• Scoring Unit Setup
• Using Non-Android devices
• Scoring Programs
• Documents
• Users
• What Users Say
• Gallery
• Forum
• Useful Links
• BridgeScore
• Bridge Solver
• BridgePal on Bridgewebs
• Contact Us

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.

Because it is based on commodity hardware a complete system can be implemented for a fraction of the cost of a commercial system based on purpose built scoring unit hardware (see below for a comparison). Also, in contrast to other smartphone or tablet based solutions, 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. This means that iPhones or iPads, for example, can be used as scoring devices if required. It is unlikely a bridge club would choose this option if purchasing their own equipment, since the android devices are much cheaper, but some individuals may prefer to use their own phone and so the option is there if required.

BridgePal was developed by John & Mirna Goacher in 2011 for use initially at Chislehurst Bridge Club in Kent. We started introducing it in club sessions in November of that year and it has been used in the club twice weekly for all sessions since January 2012. It is also now being used on a regular basis by a growing number of other 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.

We originally developed BridgePal for our own interest, but subsequently decided to make the software freely available to anyone who wishes to use it. We are always prepared to answer questions by email, but obviously because we are not charging for this product we cannot provide unlimited technical support. Anyone who decides to use this software needs to be able to perform their own hardware selection and setup, be familiar with setting up a wifi network, and have the ability to resolve routine issues.

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:

• Originally it was developed to work with BridgeScore scoring program, but it can now be used with other scoring programs as well - see menu.


• 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

Benefits

For many years there have been commercial wireless scoring systems that use dedicated units such as BridgeMate and BridgePad. However, a few years ago it became obvious that low end smartphones, being commodity devices produced in large quantities, were dramatically undercutting the prices of dedicated scoring units while at the same time providing superior displays, touch screen input, and superior functionality.

It is now usually possible to purchase new entry level contract-free android smartphones in the UK for prices in the region of 30 pounds (as of September 2017). The total price is less than a quarter of the price of a dedicated scoring unit from one of the main wireless scoring system vendors. Other options are to purchase new low cost android tablets, or to purchase second hand phones or tablets on eBay.

Our scoring system also uses an off the shelf wifi router, rather than a specialised wireless server designed solely to support dedicated scoring units. This again represents a significant cost saving.

A PC is required to host the scoring program, and interface to the scoring units via wifi. However, even the cheapest new Windows PCs have adequate performance and capacity for this function. Alternatively, some users choose to use an old second hand laptop which is no longer considered to have adequate capacity or performance for their day to day use.

At the above prices a scoring system for (say) 10 tables, excluding the cost of the PC, could be put together for less than 350 UK pounds. By comparison a 10 table Bridgemate II system is advertised at 1655 UK pounds at September 2017 prices.

Caveats

The BridgePal scoring system originally interfaced only to Mirna's own scoring program BridgeScore, which is used by a number of clubs in the UK and elsewhere. However it can now be used with other scoring programs as well - see Scoring Programs section.

The smartphones or tablets do of course require relatively frequent recharging, whereas dedicated units tend to use disposable batteries which may last several months. For example, our experience with the Alcatel Pixi 4 4" model suggests that the battery should last for three 3 hour sessions on a single charge, assuming it is set up so that the screen display times out between scoring rounds and that the phone is powered off between sessions. Bear in mind that rechargeable batteries will self-discharge at a slow rate over time even with the device powered off. In practice we recharge our club phones after 2 sessions, using cheap usb charging units that can each recharge up to 10 phones simultaneously.

Wifi probably has a shorter range than the lower frequency wireless networks used by dedicated scoring systems, and therefore may be less suitable for events in large multi-room venues. In practice, we have found the range to be perfectly adequate in a large hall with 20 tables. We occasionally use a wifi extender unit in our local club when the number of tables overflows into a second room. For venues where a wireless extender unit cannot be placed within wireless range of the main router, an option would be to use wifi over powerline extenders. These operate by relaying the signals from the main router via ethernet over the building's power cabling to one or more wireless access points. These can be located in any room which has a power socket.