Frequently Asked Questions
- Why can't I see the real names (phone numbers, email addresses, etc.) of the people looking for partners/teammates?
- Our number one design goal was to respect your privacy. Please refer to our privacy policy.
Many users of the web are concerned about privacy, with good reason: they don't want to reveal their names or other identifying data to everyone who might be looking.
Or, even worse, to everyone who has access to a computer anywhere in the world!
If a user is very comfortable with putting their actual name there, they can so choose when creating their nickname (i.e. nickname equals real name).
Otherwise, you have to wait until you have confirmed a match with another player before you get to see their identifying details (name and email address).
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- I've submitted a request. Now what?
- We want you to find the best partner possible for yourself - and that partner might not yet have submitted a request.
So, unless you see a good match (85+) when you first submit your request, you should probably not invite anyone immediately.
But don't just sit there thinking that the system will pair you up automatically!
It doesn't work that way - we want you to choose your partner.
Thus you must return to PartnershipDesk every couple of days to see if there's now a good match for you.
Invite them!
Once you've been accepted, you will be able to exchange emails and check that you are compatible.
Don't worry - if it turns you're not compatible after all, you can withdraw (follow the procedure outlined below).
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- I requested an account but haven't yet received an email. How long should I wait??
- You should receive the email more or less immediately, certainly within five minutes. If you haven't received it within 20 minutes,
you should start looking in your junk mail folder, or checking your spam filter. You need to ensure
that you can receive emails from partnershipdesk.com (in particular from "info"). If you can't receive
your temporary password, you will not be able to receive partnership offers later. Therefore, you must keep your
spam filter and junk mail rules friendly to PartnershipDesk!
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- Which browsers can I use?
- PartnershipDesk has been tested with Firefox (1.5.08 thru 3.0.3) and Internet Explorer (6.0 and 7.0).
Both seem to work well, but there is a minor problem with Firefox in that when submitting a request,
the tournaments page does not show the tooltips (rollovers) if there is a large number of tournaments.
An earlier problem with IE wherein going back to a page after following a link generated
a "Webpage expired message" has been fixed (in version 1.5.7).
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- I can't find the event/session I'm looking for... Does that mean you don't have it listed??
- First, make sure you're looking in the correct tournament. Sometimes, the events are split between seniors, I/N, open -- or between NABC+, NABC events, etc.
Second, many events like side games are grouped together by their series. The series (events) themselves are listed
by date, but this isn't necessarily the date of the session you're looking for. Finally, some of you
are confused when you browse tournaments and events and you see that some events are hyperlinks (usually that shows as blue with underlines),
whereas your event has no link. That just means the event doesn't have separately purchasable sessions.
When you submit your request, you'll find it's there alright.
But what if an entire tournament is missing, or an event? In that case, there's a button which allows you to request
that the event should be listed. We'll do our best to get it up there!
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- Do I need javascript enabled in order to run PartnershipDesk?
- [My browser says I don't have javascript enabled. Or, alternatively, I don't see the rollovers/tooltips on the menu bar.]
No, it's not necessary to enable javascript, although you will be missing out on the tooltips and you won't be able to change your password.
It's safe to turn it on for this site at least.
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- Is there a way to see if anyone else is looking for a partner for a particular event,
without going through the process of submitting my own request?
- Yes: the Browse Tournaments and Events command shows you if any tournaments/events/entries are active, i.e. have players currently looking.
Now, you can see the nicknames, points, etc. of the people looking without having to submit your own request.
In a future release, you will be able to click on a submit button to take you directly to the submit request form.
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- Why can't I find any I-N events listed for a NABC/Regional tournament?
- Because for big tournaments (Regionals and NABCs) we list separate tournaments for intermediates/novices, NABC+ and NABC/Regional.
Thus an "Open" tournament lists only open events.
However, note that sectionals and clubs do not list I/N events separately (and typically do not have senior events) so you may need to check the name of such an event to determine if it's restricted.
If you're not seeing the tournaments you expect to see when trying to submit a request, check that you have not turned off "OPEN" events in your profile.
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- What would be a good choice of nickname in my player profile?
- Choose something that partners you end up liking will remember, but not something that identifies you completely to every other user -- unless you're completely comfortable with your real name being available to everyone --
in which case you can use your own name (see above).
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- Why can't I sign up for two simultaneous events - I don't know which one I want to enter until I see who is available.
- Firstly, you can see who's looking by using the Browse function (see above).
However, we recognize that there are still legitimate occasions when you might want to pursue and either/or plan (for example you're not sure which Blue Ribbon event to request).
The next version (1.8) plans to address this issue.
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- Why is it so complicated to cancel a confirmed partnership?
- There are several reasons behind the mechanism:
First and foremost because we want to encourage players to honor the agreements they have made.
Secondly, because if you break a date without going through the process,
your erstwhile partner will not be able to get a different partner for the event without going through the whole process of resubmitting their request,
since the system will be ignorant of the fact that you decided to break off the engagement.
However, we expect that sometimes you will confirm a match with someone you don't know and subsequently discover that you aren't after all compatible --
that's normal.
You will then withdraw from the "date" in a spirit of mutual cooperation and you can both go on to find other partners.
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- I no longer have access to the email address I originally used. Can I change it?
- Currently (version 1.7), you will need to send an email to support "at" partnershipdesk.com, requesting the change: include your old email, your nickname(s) and your new email.
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- I forgot which user identifier I used when I requested my account --
how do I find it out?
- That's easy - it's the email address at which you received your password.
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- When would I ever have more than one player profile for one email address?
- There are several possible reasons to do this:
- there is more than one player sharing an email address (probably not very common these days);
- you need to enter information about a teammate who is not registered with partnershipdesk (doesn't have a computer, etc.);
- you are a club director and want to try to help one of your non-computer-savvy members find a partnership;
- you want to have two different personas, say as a teacher/professional and as a regular player.
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- Why is it so complicated?
- Finding compatible partners in advance of a bridge tournament or club game is complicated!
There are so many types of event, so many types of player, etc.
The system is just at the minimum level of complexity to make it work - it's a fine line to tread.
- I have a question that you haven't answered here. Where can I get help?
- Send an email to: support "at" partnershipdesk.com.
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Last updated: 2008/09/09