First, under the heading Play or Watch Bridge, you can click on Help me find a game. Now you are shown a menu where you can further customize your choices. If you're in a hurry and really don't care where you sit because you just want to play a few hands, under the heading Play Bridge, click on the top line Take me to the first seat available. You will be seated, typically within seconds, and play will start.
If you want to find a table quickly but only if you can play with your
partner, you will choose I have a partner. Take us to a table.
Clicking this option initiates a popup window where you are asked
Either of the above first two options will take you to the first available seat(s) with no regard for who the opponents will be or, what scoring methods will be used. If you want to play a few hands but want to specify scoring methods and/or who will be your partner and opponents click on Play - I want to find or start my own table.
Now, if you wish (but not required) you can refine your search by clicking the blue Preferences button and select game preferences and scoring preferences from the popup menu options. If you want a competitive IMPs game for instance, you would tick Competitive game at the top left and Duplicate IMPs at the top right. Now the same options are available to you as above. You can ask for the first available seat at a table where they are playing IMPs, you can ask for seats for both you and your partner, or you can ask for a list of tables with empty seats where the players are involved in a competitive IMPs game.
Your final option is to click the blue Preferences button next to the heading Play Bridge, set your scoring preferences, and then click the link Take me to a table with 3 robots.
It may be, though, that you prefer very specific settings for your table and still want to start your own so you can be sure of those settings. Under the heading Play or Watch Bridge, you would click Start a table. Now you have several options beginning with the scoring. You will then make decisions regarding your Table options, including Reserve seats at your table, Privacy options for your table, and a Description of your table, if you wish (i.e., Beginners only, or Experts only).
Privacy options include allowing kibitzers, allowing those kibitzers to chat, whether or not you want to be selective with kibitzers, and also selective in who will join your table. If the first two privacy options are checked, anyone can join, anyone can watch and everyone can talk. If you check the next two privacy options, kibitzers will have to ask for permission to watch and potential partners and opponents will have to ask for permission to play. Finally, you can make the table invisible so people will not see it.
Once you have all this, you will click Start Table - competitive game to set up your table in the Main Bridge club, or Start table - relaxed game to set up your table in the Relaxed Bridge club, and play will begin.
Finally, if you want to look around to see who's playing, what scoring they are using and who's currently at a table, under the heading Play or Watch Bridge, you should click on List all tables and then click which place on BridgeBase you want to check out. If you find an interesting table, clicking on More will give you detailed information on the table, clicking on Join will take you there. And if nothing appeals to you in that room, simply click the Back button and choose another room to examine.