PartyScore vs. ACBLscore feature comparison … last updated March 15, 2011

 

PartyScore is PC duplicate bridge scoring software that handles up to 4 tables (7 to 16 players).

 

 

Similarities:

 

PartyScore and ACBLscore provide many similar features, such as:

To enter a result for four hearts by North, made five (650, vulnerable): with ACBLscore, it takes three keystrokes (6, 5, ENTER); with PartyScore it takes three mouseclicks (4 hearts, North, made 5).

For a “push board” (same result at all tables): with ACBLscore you enter the result for the first table, then push the ENTER key for the others; with PartyScore you enter the result for the first table, then mouseclick SAME for the others.

For results entry using travelers, with both PartyScore and ACBLscore you enter the results for all tables, then you can review the results before proceeding to the next board; the board travelers do not have to be in numeric order.

 

In some ways, PartyScore is better:

 

When you start PartyScore, if there’s a session with today’s date, PartyScore will skip the copyright display and automatically load today’s session.

This is useful if you want to prepare days in advance for a session: you can select the date, movement and players, print the travelers, and then exit PartyScore. The setup is restored when you restart PartyScore to enter the results and print the report.

To select a movement: with ACBLscore it takes 10 or 20 keystrokes; with PartyScore it takes two or three mouseclicks. If you're playing the same movement with the same players as the previous session, with PartyScore it takes one mouseclick.

ACBLscore provides a database for club players probably numbering in the hundreds or thousands. Player assignment consists of typing enough letters of the name to get a short list, then selecting the player from the short list. PartyScore provides a database for a group of players probably numbering in the tens. Player assignment consists of selecting the player from the roster, a short list.

With ACBLscore, if the spelling is wrong (such as typing PRI to find the name PRYOR), you won’t find the player.

The PartyScore player roster can be built separately from any session, or new players added during player assignment will be added to the roster.

For pair and team games, PartyScore will prompt whether a pair are usually partners. For the next session, when the first player of a pair is assigned, PartyScore will prompt whether the usual partner is playing.

For partners with the same last name, PartyScore will prompt whether they’re spouses, to determine whether to show them on the report as “John Doe & Mary Doe” or “John and Mary Doe”.

To save paper, the PartyScore travelers, pickup slips, player guides and table guides are normally printed with portrait orientation, but will be printed landscape if that takes fewer pages.

The PartyScore travelers, pickup slips and player guides include the player and partner names. The last name is not shown if the player first name, or first name and initial, is unique for the session, which may also save paper.

The PartyScore travelers have the vulnerability, dealer and player names left of a dotted line showing where to fold the travelers so that that information can be seen, but not the contract and score information from other tables.

With ACBLscore, if the score entered is not possible for the vulnerability, you get an error message; with PartyScore it's not possible to enter a bad score.

The summary part of the displayed report may be ranked or not (controlled by the “Rank” button). The summary part of the printed report is always ranked.

The board detail part of the PartyScore report includes contracts; the displayed report shows only the board being edited.

PartyScore supports several non-English languages; for more information, see the EXAMPLES.

 

… and in some ways, ACBLscore is better:

 

ACBLscore supports features more appropriate for a club or tournament, such as:

 

ACBLscore can both print a session report and upload the report to the club website, where players can see it using an Internet browser. PartyScore can only print the report.

 

To return to PartyScore home, click HERE.