Learning Scrabble

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Scrabble® For Non-Scrabblers

This page is designed for beginning Scrabblers of all ages and casual players interested in improving their game or learning about the world of competitive Scrabble.

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This website is designed so that you can stop reading at any point. You don't have to read the entire site to start improving your game, just take in as much as you're comfortable with.

Basics Of The Game

Here is a good concise explanation of the rules of the game.

You may wish to consider purchasing a Deluxe Board which rotates so each player can play with the board right-side-up on his turn. Note that this board does not feature the "classic" colors for the premium (double and triple letter and word) squares, and some serious players find this distracting.

For players on the go, the Scrabble Folio Edition is highly recommended, though the current edition also has non-standard premium tile colors.

See the Additional Resources section below for references to sellers of custom boards and tournament tiles.

Improving Your Game

Once you understand the basics, you can increase your score and your enjoyment by learning a few basic tactics. These will be helpful even if you just want to play with your own "innate vocabulary".

Make It Official

The first thing to know about "serious" SCRABBLE® play is that an official dictionary is used to determine the validity of words. While any agreed-upon dictionary can be used for home play, the use of an official word source allows players from across the continent and even around the world to compete on the same terms.

For home and school use, look to the The Official Scrabble® Player's Dictionary, now in its 4th edition. This dictionary is suitable for use by families and players of all ages.

Once you've adopted an official word source there are a wealth of study techniques you can use to memorize useful words. In our section on basic Scrabble® study, you can learn where to get started. You will be surprised at how easy it is to start learning.

Getting Started In Competitive Scrabble

Participating in club and tournament Scrabble® does not necessarily require that you memorize thousands of new words. Many players enjoy the world of competitive Scrabble® simply for the fun and camaraderie, while others devote much of their time to studying words and strategies and compete at a level comparable to that of the most advanced Scrabble®-playing computer programs. Scrabble® tournaments are generally organized into divisions so that players are matched against others of comparable skill.

If you'd like to learn more, visit this introduction to competitive Scrabble®.

Additional Resources

  • Scrabble Flash
    • A fun and innovative electronic game for learning words
  • Word Freak
    • Stefan Fatsis writes about and falls into the world of competitive Scrabble®.
  • http://www.dcsclub.org/
    • The Washington DC Scrabble® Club meets every Tuesday evening at the Chevy Chase Community Center
  • http://www.scrabbleplayers.org/
    • Web site of NASPA (North American Scrabble Players Association) the sanctioning body for competitive Scrabble® in the US and Canada.
  • Zyzzyva
    • The premier computer program for word study and adjudication
  • Quackle
    • Expert-level Scrabble® program with choice of official dictionaries
  • Cheat Sheets
    • The first word lists to study for competitive Scrabble®.
  • http://www.protiles.net/
    • Tournament play requires the use of smooth tiles which cannot be distinguished by touch. Protiles.net is the premier provider of tournament tiles, and they are also available from clock and board manufacturers.

Contact Info

For more information, contact the maintainer of this page, G. Vincent Castellano.

Disclaimer

Hasbro owns the registered SCRABBLE® trademark in the United States and Canada. Outside of the United States and Canada, the SCRABBLE® trademark is owned by J.W. Spear and Sons, PLC, a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. The game is properly referred to as "the SCRABBLE® Brand Crossword Game," so any reference to SCRABBLE® on this page should be understood as a reference to "the SCRABBLE® Brand Crossword Game."