the rules of the game

the rules of the game

General standards, guidelines, or governing principles of how something is done or how one should behave in a given situation or endeavor, especially those that are informal or unspoken. Unfortunately, smear tactics and name calling are just part of the rules of the game in an election these days.
See also: game, of, rule
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

the rules of the ˈgame

the standards of behaviour that most people accept or that actually operate in a particular area of life or business: It was a very competitive and aggressive business, so I had to learn the rules of the game very quickly.
See also: game, of, rule
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • ground rule
  • ground rules
  • jack it in
  • seek (something) from (someone or something)
  • seek from
  • pack it in, to
  • pull for
  • pull for (someone or something)
  • root for
  • root for (someone or something)
References in periodicals archive
Romasanta warned that changing the rules of the game and conduct of competition in a sport has dire consequences.
Imagine the chaos in Russia if one team ignored the rules of the game and were allowed to get away with it.
The Rules of the Game is a story about the final days of the French aristocracy and, although nobody really knew it at the time, about a France that no longer exists.
While counselling the aspirants and their supporters on the need to play by the rules of the game and avoid a rancour-free primary and general election, Akobundu promised that the party leadership would give all the aspirants equal opportunity towards realising their ambitions.
Well-versed in the rules of the game, he was respected by all domestic cricketers and cricket officials.
EMPHASISING that his government has initiated far- reaching legal reforms, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that it wants to create a vibrant arbitration mechanism as investors need to be assured that the rules of the game will not be changed arbitrarily and commercial disputes can be resolved efficiently.
IN THIS PRESIDENT'S FORUM, I'd like to share some thoughts about a recent addition to my bookshelf: The Rules of the Game: Jutland and British Naval Command, by Andrew Gordon (Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 2013).
In the past, the rules of the game were simpler, recalled Timur Goksel, former spokesperson for UNIFIL and professor at the American University of Beirut, who witnessed the gradual evolution of Hezbollah during the '90s.
But whereas Costa, 26, seems prepared to break boundaries when it comes to the rules of the game, Pelle is not of the same mind.
The Channel 4 show follows families building their dream homes and the rules of the game mean viewers have a drink when regular occurrences happen on screen, including owners running out of money or quitting their jobs to manage the project.
Adiak Barahona, CEO of Gran Pacifica Resort, said "the Coastal Act eliminated uncertainty for landowners near the beach and encouraged the building of homes measuring more than 300 square meters." Jose Enrique Solorzano, secretary of the Hotel Association of Nicaragua, added that "this law clarifies for future investors what the rules of the game are and that has made a great impact and today we can see the buildings.
There is an implicit understanding, which is universally acknowledged, that one does not change the rules of the game as one proceeds.
is to change the rules of the game rather the players."
The wider issue is that nobody seems quite sure how to interpret the rules of the game at the moment.
In every team, players are taught to win penalties as long as they stay within the rules of the game. We're no different."