[jillybean]

pescetom, on 2024-March-11, 11:10, said:

So you were thinking about the way people do not follow uniform procedure in calling, which is one point of 74A.
Fair enough, although I worry more about uniform procedure in playing, which is a serious issue anywhere, not just in North America.

From a technical point of view I guess your thick skinned players have twisted the Laws to their side, as 46B goes on to explain proper ways to violate Proper Form for Designating And 46 presumably supercedes 74A3 as it is more specific. A vulnus of the Laws in any case.

There is some uniform procedure in playing but often dummy reaches for a card before instructed, declarer calls for card from dummy before LHO has played, players detach a card and hesitate, then put it back and play another card, players vary the tempo and method of playing cards and so on. I'm sure they are not "cheating".

I don't think the Bridge Players have necessarily twisted the laws, society has established new norms for acceptable bahviour and language. We've come a long way from the men sitting around the card table in suits, smoking while the wives chattered in the kitchen.

[blackshoe]

I haven't played since covid. Friend of mine recently offered to play with me. More I read ***** like this, the less I'm inclined to want to play.

[jillybean]

blackshoe, on 2024-March-17, 01:51, said:

I haven't played since covid. Friend of mine recently offered to play with me. More I read ***** like this, the less I'm inclined to want to play.

Try it, you may have a different experience.

[mycroft]

Quote

I don't think the Bridge Players have necessarily twisted the laws, society has established new norms for acceptable behaviour and language.

I agree with this, but am not sure we mean the same thing :-) However:

Quote

We've come a long way from the men sitting around the card table in suits, smoking while the wives chattered in the kitchen.

From what I remember, the wives were the ones sitting around the (kitchen) card table in the afternoon, while the men sat around in suits chattering (at the office, usually). And in the men's clubs (or professional clubs, same thing) or at the kitchen table, the language was probably less colourful and the reports on skill less forthright (but see Machlin's book for some of the common bald-faced statements from back then that have gone by the wayside (except as a joke among *good* friends)), but equally if not more cutting. And, of course, "a club" vs "one club" vs "I'll start with a club" ("one of the author's" mothers kitchen game, as relayed in the intro to "Precision Today") or "1NT" "2 diamonds" ("transfer") "2 hearts" "3 DIAMONDS" "pass" (as was common in the club I played in in Ontario)...

[llorton]

I play mostly at the Duncan Bridge Center in Palm Desert, CA usually in the 0-750 games but once in the latest sectional in San Diego.
Both places are zero tolerance and the games are friendly but ethical and the attitudes towards inexperienced or beginner players are routinely kind and supportive. Perhaps its the air in California.