Clearly, not everyone plays at the same rate and slower players sometimes need to skip a board to keep up. No one likes no-plays, but there are steps to avoid that.
Players need to be aware when they are lagging. We have a system where fast players sort their hands into suits to help others catch up and slow players just shove the cards into the boards to keep up. No one should talk about the board played, shuffle the cards or otherwise mess around. This is usually sufficient to maintain pace.
When players have to wait excessively for a table to finish or for players to arrive, they should call the director. The director will try to find the holdup and take corrective action. This may sometimes require a no-play, but a reminder to take the steps described above is often sufficient. The players should realize that the director is trying to avoid them losing a board unnecessarily. Arguing or fault-finding merely causes more delay and may cost them a board sooner or later.
Players must realize that they are part of a group effort and try to maintain a regular pace, making adjustments as necessary.
