[jfk]

Randy,

We'll have to disagree on fairness and reason. I believe any reasonable rule that is fairly and evenly applied can be work in a cardroom. I'll have to speculate on what other things you meant that you're not allowed to do in a cardroom, but any habit can be changed if a rule is made which is both farily applied and enforced.

Most phone rules don't work well in cardrooms because they aren't evenly applied. While you may not consider it fair to kill a players hand for answering a call, I believe it is less fair to allow some players the liberty of continued or discrete of a phone while playing though insisting that others hang up. When a room doesn't take a firm stance, whatever rule they have is usually loosely and irregularly applied.

I don't neccesarily agree with your contention that banning cell use at the table would disable many player's patronage. You aren't telling them that they can't have a phone in the room, only that it can't be used while at the table. That puts the onus of determining importance on the phone owner, not the other players and staff.

It is both reasonable and admirable for you to try to accomodate what you see as the needs and wishes of your customers. More rooms should do this.

However, many players want the cards in the air and they are aware of playing choices. They can go to your club, another club or sit in front of the keyboard. In my view, play gets slightly slower all the time. Cell phones are among the leading causes.

As play gets slower, the cardroom becomes less attractive to a good segment of players. While I'd not criticize a room for maintaining a comfortable environment for regulars I believe that it can't come at the expense of the primary reason why a card room has appeal; to play cards.

When a room is cavalier about letting a player hold up play while on a call, I figure that they're not being accomodating to the needs of those who happen to not want to talk on the phone.

Cell phone use is a special case. It still can create hard feelings. It is better to eliminate the problem than to try to apply fine judgements which normally lead to abuse or an unwieldy and often unfair application of penalties.