Not withstanding the friendly chatter that fills most clubs, in my experience most players don’t speak enough with their frequent opponents about specific weaknesses in their games, and the tactics used to exploit them. If Mary has played you twenty times in the last year, you know a great deal about each others’; games that should be shared if either of you is to improve. Overall, club members will get better results against the field if players talk regularly.

To promote communication, ask your frequent opponents for their opinions about your game, and make a standing offer to listen to any suggestion for improvement. Besides higher ratings, an enhanced sense of club camaraderie is another likely result.