Learning the Rules

[Raymond]

Found this on my PC. I'm quite positive it is something that was posted here years ago, but it is timeless information:

• Read the rulebook. Start with chapter 4. If I were going to do flash cards, I'd make them about this chapter. It forms the basis for most everything else.
• Read the casebook too. Try to answer the cases before you read the rulings. When you miss one, go back to the rules book and re-read that section.
• Research every question and note the rule(s) reference(s) right on the test. Not only does it help pass the test, but it gets you deeply into the rules.
• Find a reason to research the rules.
• Work lots of games. Just when you think you know a rule cold, you'll see something that generates entirely new questions and angles you hadn't considered before.
• Beware of veterans and clinicians. Not every great official knows the rules well. Be knowledgeable enough to know when that respected veteran is giving you bad interpretations. There's no need to disrespect them, or even acknowledge that they're mistaken. But you should be aware when you're given suspect rules information. When in doubt, take what they've told you as a starting point and do the research.
• Did I mention work lots of games? The rules are dead. The rules are lifeless. The rules are meaningless. It's only when you put them into the context of a game that they come to life and acquire meaning. Knowing the rules is only the first step. Knowing how to apply them to the game is your goal.
• Understand that not every question can be answered by the rules book. Some of the most interesting discussions we have here are about situations where this is no clear ruling. Understanding all sides of an argument will aid your ability to reason about the rules.
• Keep an open mind. It can be a bit of a rude awakening when somebody challenges your understanding of a rule and you realize that they may well be right, but its part of the learning process.
• Realize that it takes time. You can't do it all in one frantic burst of activity. It will take consistent effort over your career to truly master the rules.
• Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Good judgment comes from experience. And experience? Well that comes from poor judgment.