Noun
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see rules, of, the, game.
(figuratively) set of implied or unspoken principles that govern a facet of behavior, especially one involving strategy
Source: en.wiktionary.orgYou have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else. Albert Einstein
I had everything working my way, strong as a bull. And still I ignored the rules of the game of life. Lawrence Taylor
The chess-board is the world, the pieces are the phenomena of the universe, the rules of the game are what we call the laws of Nature. The player on the other side is hidden from us. Thomas Henry Huxley
In football, like in life, you must learn to play within the rules of the game. Hayden Fry
Baseball is a game of race, creed, and color. The race is to first base. The creed is the rules of the game. The color? Well, the home team wears white uniforms, and the visiting team wears gray. Joe Garagiola
Theatre is a game of hide-and-seek. For both the hiders and the seekers, the thrill is in the discovery. When the rules of the game are too vague or too complicated, however, the audience can lose its urge to play; the prize no longer seems quite worth the hunt. John Lahr