How to practice with your fellow students or with robots after the class is over

You need Shark Bridge App, it is a full-featured computer bridge game, that makes for a perfect companion on your journey of learning bridge. The robots are strong with good knowledge of common bidding systems and conventions. You can play on Shark with robots or fellow students.

To begin you need a Shark Bridge App, you can download it from one of the links below. After your fully-functional trial ends, you can order for $25 / year ( $20 the first year). The yearly charge is not automatic after a year, so you never pay if you don't need it. With your first order, you get unlimited random hands and basic online play for life. 

Before you start playing change Shark's robot skill level to 'Classroom hand'. This setting will be remembered, you don't have to do it every time you start Shark. 

Teacher's can share hands via Shark's Classroom or by email.

How to access Shark's Classroom hands

	Open Shark Click / Touch Classroom Hands  A screen like the one below comes up.
	By default, Shark Bridge Classroom comes up. If your teacher provided you with specific instruction on connecting to some other classroom click "Select Classroom" To play boards from a particular file, click "Open".  Once you open a file it is saved to your Personal Deal Library.

Shark lets you import and play deals from PBN or LIN files, the teacher can send you those, or you can download from sources like the Common Game and BBO. 

• How to import deals on iPhone/iPad
• Open an email with attached pbn/lin file, or locate one in your Files App
• Touch and hold the file name and you will be prompted to select an App to open it with. 
• Choose Shark Bridge from the available options, Shark will open and you can go to Deal Library.
• How to import on Mac or PC
• Open an Email with attached pbn/lin, and save the attached file to your disk. Remember where you saved it. Alternatively, some email programs will ask you which program to use to open the file you can choose Shark Bridge if you do that skip next step.
• Open Shark Bridge go to Deal Library. From the top left choose Import Pbn/Lin, Shark will ask you to navigate to the file, select it, and choose 'Open'.
• All Imported files will show as groups in your Deal Library
• Now choose a group, select a deal, and choose Replay to play from scratch, for hands that have saved auction or tricks you can choose Play to continue the hand.

You can play online with 1,2 or 3 other students or friends, if you are missing a player Shark Robots will fill in, unlike BBO there is no charge to run robots.

• Step 1. Open Shark and go to Online Bridge Club on the bottom main menu ( the diamond suit ). If it is the first time you opening Shark it will prompt to Login or register if you don't have an account.

The following steps explain how to create a friendship between two people, note that your friends can't see who your other friends are, privacy for us is essential. You don't have to do those every time you want to start a table. 

Important note: To become friends, both people need to be in the Online Bridge Club at the time.

• Step 2. Once you are in Online Bridge Club, select Friends and Players from the top of the screen. A list of player groups will show up. 
• Step 3. Select Online Players and locate the person you want to be friends with. You can also use the search box at the top of the groups. 
• Step 4. Now that you have your friends in the list press on their nickname, and then press on "Add Friend", if that option is missing, it means you are already friends.  

Repeat steps 4 and 5 for each player you want to be friends with. When you are done, focus on the table's list, on mobile devices choose Tables on the very top of the screen, and the tables will load.

You can quickly see if any of your friends are playing by selecting 'My Friends" on the left-hand side of the tables' list, and you will only see tables with your friends. If there are no such tables, touch / click 'My Friends' again, and you can see all the tables.

Starting a table. 

• Step 1. Select 'Start New Game' on the top right corner.
• Step 2. From 'Who can join your game' select 'Friends Only'.
• Step 3. Robot's skill is not very important when you plan to play with 4 players, as they will be available to give hints when you ask. 
• Step 4. Next is essential when you plan to play without robots, select Robot's play, choose the last option 'No Robots'
• Step 5. Selection of bidding system is only valid for robot hints if you are playing with four people
• Step 6. Select practice ( hands can be skipped and played with all cards face up), allow or prevent kibitzing. 
• Step 7. Press Play, and in a second or two, you will be sitting at a table. 

Now for those that are going to join. 

The creator of the table did all the work

• Step 1. Find the table with your friend
• Step 2. Press on 'Play for XXXX' the seat you want to take, in 1-2 seconds you will be at the table 

Inviting players to a table you are sitting at:

• Step 1. Press on the tray for the seat you want to invite a player. You get a list of player groups.
• Step 2. Select the appropriate group, find the player you want.
• Step 3. Press on its nickname and then press on 'Invite Plyer'

If you touch on a player's name in the hand tray, a small menu comes up with brief players stats and the option to 'Add as a friend', ' Boot' or 'Block player'. 

Loading hands to the online bridge table, the robots will automatically switch to Classroom skill level and the table will be designated practice table:

	Once you are at the table, click on settings button in the top right corner, and options menu comes down.  Select "Upload Deal Set" to choose deals from your Personal Deal Library
	Choose the set of deals you would like to play
	Select the hand you would like to start with and choose Upload Set. The hand will load and you can start playing.
	Select "Upload Classroom hands" to play deals from your teacher.