[super69]

Today's email from BBO regarding the new membership plans is very disappointing.

If you haven't seen it, a free membership now will allow you "access to 6 deals a day across eligible free games." If you want the BBO experience that's currently free, the fee is $5.99 per month. Of course the current fee structure for tournaments will remain. There are BBO members on fixed incomes.

This further level of raiding our bank accounts is on top of the very recent change to Challenges where "BXP Challenge 0.49 BB$" is now pre-checked for friend, robot, and star challenges.

For those of us who don't have partners, the level of play for the bots isn't improving (IMO, Ben is even worse than GiB). When does the greed stop?

[brecherdc]

The six deal maximum is flat out absurd. Which makes "free" tournaments a total lie -- they're not free any more. Which is going to cannibalize their own membership, as there will be no point in playing them any more when the numbers are going to drop like a rock, and you're not playing against a reasonable number of people any more. (Same thing already happened with the Robot Duplicate tournaments -- I had plenty of competition when they were 0.29 or even 0.39, but no one ever plays them at their current price)

And I agree with you that the robots aren't getting any better. I've submitted hundreds of "Robot Reports" on blatant errors and they keep making the same dumb mistakes. I just had one pass a cue bid yesterday because it was too stupid to realize that pass was not an option. (And plenty of other horrendous bids when pass was the _only_ option)

I've been a BBO participant since early 2020. I'd happily see more ads or pay a token fee for an occasional tournament. But $5.99/mo just for bridge is absurd when boardgamearena.com is half that price for more than a thousand different games. Maybe if we were getting better service with that price I would think about it. But going to $72/year for what I'm playing now makes absolutely no sense.

So I guess it's bye-bye BBO. It's been a good six years, but they haven't earned that kind of commitment from me.

[jillybean]

It works out to be less than CAD$1.00 per team game if I play 5 times a week. Sounds like a great deal, but there's that constant slow drain on the pocket.

[42krunner]

jillybean, on 2026-August-04, 13:08, said:

It works out to be less than CAD$1.00 per team game if I play 5 times a week. Sounds like a great deal, but there's that constant slow drain on the pocket.

Something that was free and now costs money with no improvement in quality is a great deal??

[mike777]

42krunner, on 2026-August-04, 15:39, said:

Something that was free and now costs money with no improvement in quality is a great deal??

Well it was never ever free, someone was paying...

Not sure why people don't know that...


Old saying, if you are using something that you think is free, you are probably the one thing sold...

[jillybean]

42krunner, on 2026-August-04, 15:39, said:

Something that was free and now costs money with no improvement in quality is a great deal??

Yes, it was free but you know the only thing truly free in life is advice.

I can pay $12-$13 to play at a "sanctioned club", $4 to play at a non sanctioned club or $1 to play on BBO - it sounds like a great deal to me.
I don't want Master Points, I don't want to play with BOTS.

Yeah, it sucks — but we've had a free run at this fabulous site for how many years now? Why should BBO continue to provide the platform for free? (No GIB jokes, please!)

Players will pay up, move on or give up. I will be most interested to see the ACBL response to this.

[brecherdc]

mike777, on 2026-August-04, 16:03, said:

Well it was never ever free, someone was paying...

Not sure why people don't know that...


Old saying, if you are using something that you think is free, you are probably the one thing sold...

Which is fine with me. I don't mind more advertising on the screen while I play bridge. Right now there's hardly any on the PC version.

[DaveRolyat]

The email is aimed at casual players, its unclear, and not thought through for tournament and league play

[pescetom]

 jillybean, on 2026-August-04, 16:56, said:

I can pay $12-$13 to play at a "sanctioned club", $4 to play at a non sanctioned club or $1 to play on BBO - it sounds like a great deal to me.
I don't want Master Points, I don't want to play with BOTS.

Yeah, it sucks — but we've had a free run at this fabulous site for how many years now?

I like to play with a Bot (but against opponents with at least one human, and preferably with a better Bot than GiB), the world is a varied place. And of course I'm prepared to pay for it, but it is not as competitive with f2f as you find.
A Bboita pairs tournament with a GiB partner costs $2.25 (+100% on 2019) for 14 boards. A non sanctioned f2f pairs tournament of 18-24 boards costs $2, an FIGB sanctioned pairs tournament of 18-24 boards costs $4 to $8 according to level.

I agree that there is no reason to pretend to play for free. To this end I would expect BBO to start charging for casual and duplicate play at a table, which would be perfectly reasonable (and fairer towards those who prefer pairs tournaments or robot stuff and have already taken the brunt of 52E greed).

[chicken]

Are teaching and watching tables still free?

[Vampyr]

Play online 5 times a week? I don’t think people do that. I play a couple of times a month, if that - in a social team game and sometimes league matches. Sometimes just playing casually against random pairs, mainly for practise or ironing out a system.

If they wanted to start charging, at a pay to play system would at least be fair.

The solution is switching to Real Bridge or Into Bridge. It’s a pity. No one I know would be willing to pay $5.99/month.

[Vampyr]

Opps, now Real Bridge is charging.

[jillybean]

Vampyr, on 2026-August-05, 06:42, said:

Play online 5 times a week? I don’t think people do that. I play a couple of times a month, if that - in a social team game and sometimes league matches. Sometimes just playing casually against random pairs, mainly for practise or ironing out a system.

If they wanted to start charging, at a pay to play system would at least be fair.

The solution is switching to Real Bridge or Into Bridge. It’s a pity. No one I know would be willing to pay $5.99/month.

People do that Most rarely or never play at clubs.

[brecherdc]

DaveRolyat, on 2026-August-05, 00:48, said:

The email is aimed at casual players, its unclear, and not thought through for tournament and league play

The six hands limit seems deliberately chosen to stop people from playing free daily tournaments (almost always 8 hands)

By the way, I get zero advertisements when I play these tournaments. I don't know why they haven't bothered to make money there instead of squeezing their users.

[pescetom]

Vampyr, on 2026-August-05, 06:42, said:

Play online 5 times a week? I don’t think people do that. I play a couple of times a month, if that - in a social team game and sometimes league matches. Sometimes just playing casually against random pairs, mainly for practise or ironing out a system.

If they wanted to start charging, at a pay to play system would at least be fair.

The solution is switching to Real Bridge or Into Bridge. It’s a pity. No one I know would be willing to pay $5.99/month.

As I said the world is a huge and various space (welcome back, BTW) but I imagine most BBO players are online 5+ times a week, some for hours a day come to that. I play one tournament 3-4 times a week and that is typical among at least half of those I know who play f2f tournaments. Some others play duplicate (for free) a couple of times a week with known partners.

I agree that a pay to play system would be a heck of a lot fairer and more honest.

[taylorsm]

I am having trouble figuring out the Subscription for my dear 96 (!) year old friend. She is a casual player. She logs in 4-5 times a week. Sometimes she'll just play a few hands. Sometimes she is on for 10-20 hands. She always plays casually at competitive tables. She does not set up her own table. She just goes for the first table available. I do play with her once a week and I set up a table for us and invite her. She does not log on to kibitz.

Will she need to buy a plan to continue her style of casual play?

Other Questions:

What is the definition of "eligible" hands as far as the 6 deals go?
Some of her friends only play Solitaire Bridge. Is that affected by the Subscription scheme?
What about kibitzing? I watch Vugraph tournaments and also team games or individual tables set up by well-known players. Will that feature be free or will be it be packaged in with the plans(s)?
There are learning materials available. Will that feature be free or will be it be packaged in with the plans(s)?

[fmjssy]

chicken, on 2026-August-05, 02:46, said:

Are teaching and watching tables still free?

Using any of the practice tools, including bidding tables, teaching tables, Bridge Master, and MiniBridge, won't consume the daily deals

[fmjssy]

taylorsm, on 2026-August-05, 22:19, said:

I am having trouble figuring out the Subscription for my dear 96 (!) year old friend. She is a casual player. She logs in 4-5 times a week. Sometimes she'll just play a few hands. Sometimes she is on for 10-20 hands. She always plays casually at competitive tables. She does not set up her own table. She just goes for the first table available. I do play with her once a week and I set up a table for us and invite her. She does not log on to kibitz.

Will she need to buy a plan to continue her style of casual play?

Other Questions:

What is the definition of "eligible" hands as far as the 6 deals go?
Some of her friends only play Solitaire Bridge. Is that affected by the Subscription scheme?
What about kibitzing? I watch Vugraph tournaments and also team games or individual tables set up by well-known players. Will that feature be free or will be it be packaged in with the plans(s)?
There are learning materials available. Will that feature be free or will be it be packaged in with the plans(s)?

Will she need to buy a plan?

Not necessarily, it depends on the day. Basic membership (free) includes 6 deals a day, and one deal is used each time she starts a hand at an open Social Bridge table she joins herself. On days she only plays a few hands, Basic covers her completely, no purchase needed. On days she plays 10 to 20 hands, she'll use up her 6 free deals partway through and won't be able to start more that day, her balance resets the next day. If she wants to keep playing at that pace whenever she likes, Premium removes that daily count entirely, or she could rent robots - during the rental period, you can start and play at Social Bridge tables without limits, even when you are not using the robots at your table

The one day a week you set up the table and invite her, none of that touches her deals at all, being invited to a table is always free, on any plan.

Worth knowing too: everyone is getting a complimentary Premium period in the next few months, so she'll get a chance to try unlimited play firsthand before anyone has to decide anything.

Your other questions:
What counts as an "eligible" hand? The 6 deals are used specifically for: joining a Social Bridge table, some Solitaire Bridge variants (Just Declare and Bridge 4 Hands), inviting someone to a Challenge, free Star and Robot Challenges, free Daylong games, and selected free tournaments. Everything else, paid games, being invited or substituting for someone, the practice tools, Just Play Bridge, Vugraph, and kibitzing, stays outside that count.

For friends who only play Solitaire Bridge? It depends which mode. Just Play Bridge itself is unlimited and free on every plan. Just Declare and Bridge 4 Hands do use daily deals on Basic and Basic No Ads, and are unlimited on Premium.

Kibitzing and watching Vugraph? Both stay completely free on every plan, whether it's a Vugraph tournament, a team game, or an individual table.

Learning tools? Bridge Master, Minibridge, and bidding or teaching tables are unlimited and free on every plan.

[DarylK]

jillybean, on 2026-August-04, 13:08, said:

It works out to be less than CAD$1.00 per team game if I play 5 times a week. Sounds like a great deal, but there's that constant slow drain on the pocket.

Note this is only for the first year - after which the price nearly doubles to $10 per month.

[Vampyr]

I find it surprising that now that we are not locked down, a lot of people have stayed switched to Online bridge. This is not the case where I live, but to be fair, I live in a big city where there is a duplicate game available most evenings, and some afternoons.