A teams match is a form of bridge in which two teams each consisting of two pairs play against each other. A complete teams match is divided in two sessions in which all pairs of each team meet. As half the total amount of boards is played at both tables per session, the results of the two teams can be compared.
From now on we will call the pairs team 1 and team 2, each consisting of pair A and pair B:
Team 1 ('home' team)
Pair 1A (captains)
Pair 1B
Team 2 ('away' team)
Pair 2A (captains)
Pair 2B
In teams terms there is one 'home' team and one 'away' team, in addition each team has a captain pair appointed by the players. The table seating is determined by this concept.
The captain's pair of the 'home' team always sits NS at table 1 and the co-team players sit EW at table 2 for both sessions. In the first session the captain's pairs play against each other at table 1 and the two other pairs against each other at table 2. In the second session the 'home' players - Team 1 - remain at their table, Team 2 of the 'away' team changes place.
First Session:
| Table 1: | Table 2: | |||||
| 1A | 2B | |||||
| 2A | 2A | 1B | 1B | |||
| 1A | 2B | |||||
Second Session:
| Table 1: | Table 2: | |||||
| 1A | 2A | |||||
| 2B | 2B | 1B | 1B | |||
| 1A | 2A | |||||
As StepBridge's software does not take the sessions into account, a complete team match at StepBridge consists of two separate matches, where the players change by themselves. The IMP result of the two sessions at the end of the match is added and recalculated in VPs (Victory Points). A complete match of 28 boards consists of 14 boards in the first session, followed by a change of players, after which the second session is played.
Serve a team table by clicking on 'Hosting' ->'Serve Table', click on 'Teams'. A teams table has only one modus - competitive - and not recreational or competitive like pairs or imps. You can however stipulate how many games are to be played in the match. The number of boards per match is up to you, with a minimum of 6 boards. Keep in mind that you can stop the match early - the result will be calculated over the number of boards played - but you cannot increase the number of boards at that time.
After you have served a teams table, you are the host and you appoint the host of the second table - the table you play together with -. Click on 'Hosting' -> 'Delegate 2nd table' and enter the host's name. You can only appoint players already present at your table to be host of the second one. The host of the second table has rights identical to the host of a pairs/imps table - remove a player, adjust label etc.- but he/she cannot stop or start the teams match. Only the host of the first table can do this.
As soon as all seats at the two tables are taken, the software plays a sound signal and sends a message in the chat box. So you do not need to check if all players are present at both tables. When the signal has sounded that all seat are taken, the match can begin via "Host -> Start Match".
Normally a match is over as soon as the last board has been played at both tables. A match can be terminated early via "Host -> End Game", after which the result is calculated over the boards played up to then at both tables, provided there are at least 6 boards. If fewer than 6 boards have been played, there will be no result and no email will be sent.
The result of a teams match is determined by comparing the results of every board, the difference is expressed in IMPs (International Match Points). All the IMPs are added up and the end result is calculated by changing the IMP difference in VPs (Victory Points). Both IMPs and VPs are calculated based on tables. StepBridge announces the IMP and VP result immediately after the match in the chat box. There is no need to check with the second table at StepBridge.
As StepBridge software does not take into account complete team matches played over two sessions, you must calculate yourself the final result of a match over two sessions. Go to StepBridge's Bridge Calculator - 'Help'-> Bridge Calculator -. When the calculator is open, click on the tab "IMPs/VPs" and at VPs fill out the result in IMPs from both the first and the second session, the complete number of boards of the match. The result in IMPs and VPs will be shown in "Result". Immediately after the first session you can fill out the result in the calculator and maintain it open up and until the end of the match, so you do not need remember the first session's result.
Immediately after the match, every player and kibitzer automatically receives an email with the result of the match, including board diagrams, bidding sequences and play at both tables. This applies to everyone present during the match - excluding visitors -, even to players who played just one board or for a kibitzer who was present for just one second. Not taken into account are matches played over several sessions; so you must have been present at both sessions to receive an email on a match consisting of two sessions.
1. Is there promotion or relegation in teams matches?
No, in teams there are no levels and the result of the match has no
bearing on your pairs or imp level. Each team match result stands alone.
That is why there is no option for either competitive or recreational
in team matches. In 'View' all team tables show up as competitive - 'C'-
tables
2. If there are no levels in teams, why are there table levels in team matches?
Imps is closest to team matches, therefore the imp level is used to
indicate the level at a team table. Naturally the host of a team table
can choose a table level open to all, or he can specify a minimum and/or
maximum level.