Tips & Tricks in Scrabble

Beginner Tips

1. On the first move of the game, avoid placing a vowel next to a double letter square. If your opponent has a high value consonant, they can geta quick 30-50 points where they normally might get 25-30.
2. If you are ahead, close up the board. If youare losing, then open it up. Keep in mind that this applies only to beginners. There are far more things to consider before an intermediate player decides to open or close up a board.
3. Never give up. If your opponent can get 100 points ahead in the first half, then you can doit in the second half. Never say die.
4. Don't waste a blank. It is far wiser to get 20 points without a blank then it is to get 35points with it. Try not to use your blank foranything less then 50 points unless a special situation requires it.
5. Don't waste an S. An S is a very useful tilefor creating bingos or squeezing into a tough spot on the board. A good rule of thumb is to keep your S if playing it only increases yourscore by 10-15 points more then what you would get without it.
6. If your opponent opens up a triple word score square for you and you can't use it, then youmight consider opening up a second one so that there will still be one for you next turn. It's a risky move, but on average I have found that itis more beneficial then not opening it up.
7. Play better players. If you constantly playpeople of your own skill level you won't belearning any new techniques. You'll lose manymore games, but who cares as long as you areimproving.
8. Practice anagramming when you have nothingelse better to do. Go out and buy a bunch ofthose "JUMBLE" books that have page after page ofscrambled words which you must unscramble. Taking
a plane trip...... bring the Jumble book. Longcar ride...... take out the book. Nothing is onTV except reality shows....... Get the Jumblebook out.
9. Study some Scrabble word lists.
10. One of the best ways to get better is to goout and buy the Hasbro Scrabble CD-ROM. I don'tlike it for Internet play, but it can beextremely useful to learn with. Play the computerat it's highest level and when it's your turn hit the "Hint" button. It will list about 10 topmoves. Try to figure out why it ranked the movesin that particular order.