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This is an interesting article I just read about Dave Arneson and DM impartiality.

http://beyondtheblackgate.blogspot.com/2011/07/dave-arneson-and-impartiality-in-temple.html

I'm not sure I want a DM (or to be a DM) that will grab a coke while you fight lizardmen (roll for both sides, please) but I do like his general approach. It's about the enjoyment of the game, the story and having fun, rather than about rules. Love it.

I've gone off to grab a cup of tea (Mmmm. Tea.) and left the party to go ahead with intra-PC social actions, but never abandoned them in a fight. Still, if you trust your players that much ...

That was a great post and Arneson seems like a wicked DM. Gygax even recommends emulating him in the intro to Supplement 2.

Not sure how much this fits the thread, but I remember my first Amber Diceless game with Erick Wujcik as GM. He got us started creating characters, encouraged us to start discussing character background among ourselves, then left for about 20 minutes as we worked on background. I guess he figured we could play without him as well as we could with him.