Club "Bridge"

If we could play tournament bridge all the time, we would, but club bridge is better than no bridge -- or is it?

We often get very frustrated playing at the club, because others just don't take it as seriously, and the level of play can be depressingly pitiful. But still, we love the game, and we keep going back. Occasionally, like today, we get rewarded with gems like this, a story from a friend's table:

Two players were bidding in an uncontested auction, and East reversed. West went into the tank, then after about 3 minutes, looked to North and said "May I ask you a question? In an uncontested auction, is a reverse forcing?"

North diplomatically stifled his laughter and told West that this kind of question is not, in fact, allowed.

D'oh.

It's amazing that West could recognize a reverse but not understand its meaning. I didn't see the hand, but I'd put money down that East hadn't even meant to do it!

For the record, yes, a reverse is forcing...