Bad Mouthing is Bad

Hanlon’s Razor is a saying distantly related to Murphy’s Law — "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity" (not to suggest that bridge players are stupid – they are of course a highly intelligent set of people – but they may act in ignorance. Please try to educate rather than to condemn.)

Think carefully before accusing another player of behaviour you would be ashamed of.

Careless talk causes unnecessary ill-feeling.  Let us try not to say anything we might later regret.

Editorial of the Bridge Magazine from August 1956

The Rules and Ethics Committee of the English Bridge Union has issued the following memorandum:

The Rules and Ethics Committee reminds players of duplicate bridge that it is not proper to condone an opponent’s violation of a law.  Such condonation has the effect of giving an advantage to the offender at the expense of other contestants who are not directly connected with the particular error concerned.

The Laws state that any irregularity must be reported at once to the Tournament Director and it is for him to decide what action is to be taken.

The Committee deplores the practice of some players who detect some seeming irregularity or violation of a law or propriety and, though failing to report it officially, discuss it openly with other contestants. In many cases the alleged offence has either never taken place at all, or in the subsequent discussion becomes distorted or exaggerated. If there is a case of irregular play, or alleged private understanding, players should report it. Failing that, it is not proper to discuss it at all.