Club Etiquette

Warkworth Bridge Club is committed to providing their members and guests a warm and friendly environment for playing bridge and, as a result, have zero tolerance for any behaviour which may interfere with enjoyment of the game.

We expect players to be courteous at all times, and to behave in a manner that makes bridge enjoyable. Please ensure that you:

• cut cards to determine seating. The highest card cut sits North/South
• welcome people to the table
• be a good host or guest at the table
• give credit when opponents make a good bid or play
• place the lead card face down until your partner has checked it is correct for you to lead and said thank you partner
• declare the number of cards in your partner's 1 club opening i.e. 4 or more
• declare the number of points in your partner's 1NT opening i.e. 12 to 14
• alert any unusual bids so that your opponents have the opportunity to ask for clarification

Please avoid:

• continuing to discuss cards or play from previous boards, remember your opponents may not have played these yet
• making corrections to irregularities without calling the director
• calling with special emphasis, inflection or intonation
• passing or doubling with exceptional haste or reluctance
• making a call with undue delay which may result in conveying improper information to partner
• indicating by facial expression or in any way showing approval or disapproval of partner's bidding or play
• giving by word, manner or gesture an indication of the hand held. If you do this, partner must act as though you did not
• taking advantage of unauthorised information as to an incident of the auction or play
• volunteering information which should be given only in response to a question
• attracting attention to number of tricks won
• playing a card with special emphasis or playing a card with undue delay when it does not need consideration
• detaching a card from your hand before it is your turn to play or lead, or detaching a card and then replacing it
• indicating the expectation or intention of winning or losing a trick that has not been completed
• remarks or mannerisms which indicate the type of hand or which could deceive the opponents
• dummy must not touch a card from his/her hand or suggest a card be played unless directed to do so by the declarer
• dummy should remain seated at the table during the play of the hand
• declarer must not play from dummy before left hand opponent has played
• if your partner hesitates for an unduly long period before passing, it is quite improper for you to make a bid, unless your hand justifies doing so
• if your partner forgets an agreement, do not say or do anything during the auction