[charliejef]

You are playing in a very casual game in the Acol room with a new partner from the lobby.No system card has been agreed.On our second board,pard opens 1NT,doubled on my right.I bid 2D and put a “ chat” to the table “ still a transfer.” I receive a private chat from my left ,” under the rules you’re not allowed tell your partner your bidding system.” I responded to the table that I was fully familiar with the rules but as this was only our second hand together I would expect some licence.
Ok,in a more serious game,I would ask the oppos if they were happy for me to tell pard.But in this instance the opponents were advanced players and I expected that there would not be an issue.The response to my comment was that he ( left hand opponent )would be leaving at the end of the hand.
Is there any acceptable etiquette in situations like this?

[jillybean]

I agree, we want to play bridge, not poker.

[Huibertus]

charliejef, on 2025-November-29, 15:45, said:

You are playing in a very casual game in the Acol room with a new partner from the lobby.No system card has been agreed.On our second board,pard opens 1NT,doubled on my right.I bid 2D and put a “ chat” to the table “ still a transfer.” I receive a private chat from my left ,” under the rules you’re not allowed tell your partner your bidding system.” I responded to the table that I was fully familiar with the rules but as this was only our second hand together I would expect some licence.
Ok,in a more serious game,I would ask the oppos if they were happy for me to tell pard.But in this instance the opponents were advanced players and I expected that there would not be an issue.The response to my comment was that he ( left hand opponent )would be leaving at the end of the hand.
Is there any acceptable etiquette in situations like this?

It's simply illegal according to the Bridge laws. If you get leniency you are playing a game according to a different rules set, it no longer is called bridge. If you want to play bridge take a few minutes before the game starts to agree on basic things like "system on" after 1NT gets doubled.

[smerriman]

Huibertus, on 2025-November-30, 02:43, said:

If you want to play bridge take a few minutes before the game starts to agree on basic things like "system on" after 1NT gets doubled.

If that's your definition of bridge, I doubt you'll find a single hand of bridge played in the BBO casual rooms. 30 seconds of discussion is likely enough time for you to get booted for being too slow.

[steve2005]

Fine opp is leaving good ridense.

[pescetom]

 jillybean, on 2025-November-29, 15:49, said:

I agree, we want to play bridge, not poker.

Bridge between pickup partners without discussion sounds like a contradiction in terms to me, and I avoid it accordingly.
But I can't see how explaining your bids to partner can ever be tolerated, unless it's coming automatically from a system description.
The next step (very small for Man) is to invent the meaning to suit your hand and the auction.
Reading your CC open book I'm comfortable with, but that's as far as bridge can go IMO.

[P_Marlowe]

Basically you discover, that at least one opponent disagrees with you, how to play
Bridge in a setup, that is pretty close to social.

That is ok, move on to the next table.

[eagles123]

I used to play in the Acol Club years and years ago. The majority are lovely but there are a few arseholes. Just make a mental note not to play with them again. And I would wager that they're unlikely to be "Advanced" level players whatever their profile says.

[barmar]

In casual tables, whether you're playing seriously or just for fun is the prerogative of the table host. It's quite common to allow on-the-fly system discussion in pickup partnerships. E.g. the first time you want to interfere over the opponent's 1NT, you might decide what defense you're playing - "Capp or DONT?"

[pescetom]

barmar, on 2025-December-01, 09:17, said:

In casual tables, whether you're playing seriously or just for fun is the prerogative of the table host. It's quite common to allow on-the-fly system discussion in pickup partnerships. E.g. the first time you want to interfere over the opponent's 1NT, you might decide what defense you're playing - "Capp or DONT?"

As an opponent (quite possibly one of those some other posters here would be happy to see depart) I could live with that: not however 2♣ "Capp, partner".

[mycroft]

I want to play bridge.

You know, at a tournament, that means "bridge by the rules" - you should be prepared, ready, system understood, all the lot. You should spend the minimum effort required to not bid or lead out of turn, make insufficient bids or revoke. If you can't do that? If you forget your system? If you otherwise violate the Laws and Regulations? Usually I get a good board; when I don't, I'll be (almost always) protected at least to what would have happened.

In a casual table with clear pickups? Especially if I'm *not* playing with a pickup? "Playing bridge" does not mean "take our tops when they guess wrong because they should have all this solidified before a card is played". Especially especially if I'm going to be one of those who are "come on, play, don't just spend 5 minutes talking" (which I wouldn't *say*, but I might say "Feel free to discuss system and carding while we play". But, you know, if after I do that, I get upset when they *do*...)

I mean, maybe better would be "hey, do you mind if I find out what we're doing here?" And sure, if the answer is "no", then I have a handle on the table (and maybe I hunt them with *my* partners later. I mean, we play K/S (*), that's *basically* Acol, right?)

To each their own, though; in a casual table, the ultimate fallback to anything is "sorry pd, last hand for me". Whether you want to make it clear *why*, or whether you LWL "doorbell" or anything else, up to you.

But there's a reason I don't play with pickups on BBO, unless they've been vetted by somebody I trust. Or against, for that matter, for similar (but not identical) reasons.

(*) With Keri, Fit Jump Shifts, Power Doubles and 1NT for takeout, Multi-Landy, XYZ, Jxxxxx+ weak 2s at favourable...

[mycroft]

And I've played, more than once, "Summer Cabin rules" or "Adjective bridge". A perfectly reasonable way to play, frankly, for a few fun hands at the cabin or in the bar after the band.

Sure and "agreed in advance", of course, but still.