gortonasta.org - Unwritten Rules

About Gortonasta | The Rules | Unwritten Rules and Form | Snacks

While the rules discussed in the Rules section of this website describe the mechanics of the game, like many games there are a whole host of unwritten rules that are important whle playing Gortonasta. This section of the site tries to explain some of these 'guidelines'.

Team Composition

Playing Gortonasta is a fun albeit long undertaking. The game is most amusing if the team make up is such that competition is further heightened--such as playing men vs. women or couple vs. couple. The more fuel there is to trash talk (see below) the other team the more amusing and contentious the game will become.

Table Talk

Perhaps most important of the unwritten rules involved in normal Gortonasta play is that of refraining from tabletalk--verbal (or non-verbal) communication between team members with the intent of cheating. Teammates outright talking, mouthing words to one another, making gestures, or even simply 'looks' that are intended to suggest they make a certain move are not permitted.

Trash Talk

Especially when team formation is as described above, experience has shown that in Gortonasta, like with many team games, there is a tendency for verbal joking, ridicuing, and taunting across teams. The most common form of trash talk is likely related to claims of cheating or table talk of the other team--suggesting that any fortune they might be seeing is merely due to improper communication or gameplay. Threatening the lives of unborn children may have been used at least once...

Food and Drink

A game of Gortonasta is not a quick walk in the park- a full game might take as long as 3-4 hours. With all the thought and scheming that goes into the game, it is critical that participants are kept well hydrated and fed. Sufficient amounts of food and drink are critical while playing Gortonasta. You can't go wrong with a drink of the cold or alcoholic variety, or a quick munch while you decide what to discard. See more in our Snacks section.

About Gortonasta | The Rules | Unwritten Rules and Form | Snacks