When a player accidentally selects the wrong bid or card than the one they intended to, it’s referred to as a misclick. 

It’s particularly frustrating in the context of a game, even though there’s an option to undo for some games on BBO, there are some other methods for players to apply that can help you to avoid misclicks from happening in the first place. 

The most obvious one resides inside BBO’s settings. Click the Account tab, got to the Settings screen and turn on Confirm Cards and Confirm Bids.

Here are some more exotic, but tried and tested techniques to make misclicks a thing of the past.

For Touch Screen Devices

• Touch Screen-Friendly Gloves:

I know of many bridge players, writers and general device users who don’t like having cold hands while playing bridge. Just as many people have no idea that there are touch screen-friendly gloves out there – for sale through many online retailers like Amazon – which serve the purpose of keeping your hands warm while still being recognizable as a “touch” by your screen.

Failing this method, try fingerless gloves, or remove the fingers from a regular pair if it’s more of an emergency where you need your hands to warm up fast.

• Clean the Screen: 

Dirty touch screens don’t function as well as clean ones. When touch screens aren’t as clean as they could be, misclicks are common – and it might read a click as being a few pixels to the left or right from where it was supposed to be.

The first thing to do for a touch screen on the fritz is cleaning it. 

• Set Touch Sensitivity: 

Sometimes a touch screen might simply be set to a higher (or lower) level of sensitivity. 

For the majority of touch screen devices, you can find your sensitivity settings under the general Settings panel. Look up your individual device’s make and model to be sure. 

Fiddling with these settings can make a misclicking touch screen behave a little better.

• Time for Repairs:

If misclicks are a problem that you only started experiencing after a device-related accident (like dropping or bumping your phone), it might be time to send it in for repairs. 

Touch screen displays tend to be extremely sensitive, and even a light knock can screw it up. 

Make sure that you choose a trusted repair technician with a good reputation before booking in your device for repairs anywhere. Sometimes, you might have to contact the manufacturer of your device to find the best place to send it.

For Laptops & Computers

• Disable the Internal Mousepad:

One of the first things about a laptop that might start to act strange is the internal mousepad. If you experience any trouble with repeated misclicks when using it, it might be time to move to Settings > Devices > Mouse & Keyboard Settings. 

Here, it’s possible to disable the internal mousepad for your laptop, and switch over to an external mouse. 

• Change Device Sensitivity: 

The same way as a touch screen, a mouse has settings that control how sensitive the device is to movement. If you feel that your mouse cursor is either too fast or too slow, mouse over to the mouse settings for your computer in the Control Panel and change it here. 

• Consider the Surface

If misclicks are a repeated problem with the use of a USB or Bluetooth device, consider the surface that you’re using the device on.  

Many times, switching the surface a mouse is moved over can improve how it responds. This is especially true if the mouse movement is jerky or occasionally “stuck.” 

It’s a great excuse to invest in a mousepad.

• Replace the Device Batteries 

If you’re using a Bluetooth-powered device, lesson number one about Bluetooth devices is the rate at which they chew through batteries. (And if you didn’t know this, now is a good time to invest in a lot of replacement batteries.) 

For a mouse that starts to act odd or stops working, replace the device’s batteries first before replacing the device itself. 

• Testing, Testing…

Rarely, a mouse or keyboard will just stop working without explanation.

Before assuming a major problem with the device the mouse or keyboard is plugged into, check the mouse or keyboard itself. The easiest way to do this is to test the malfunctioning device from another computer or laptop – and if the problem persists, then you’ve identified the problem. 

• Is This Thing On? 

One more thing that’s worth mentioning when it comes to Bluetooth-powered devices is this: Usually, there’s an on/off button somewhere on the device itself – and yes, while it seems pretty obvious, it’s the first thing you should check if you think a mouse or keyboard might have gone dead.