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Scrabble, the word scrabble, game and all
associations are copyright of Mattel Inc. All rights reserved.
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| Scrabble
Contents |
100 Tiles –
there are 98 tiles with letters of the alphabet and two blank tiles.
Each of the letter tiles has score values (the number to the bottom
right of the letter)
The blank tile has no score value, but can be used as any letter
desired. When it is played, the player must state what letter it
represents, after which it cannot be changed during the game.
4 Racks – Each player takes a rack at the beginning of the game
allowing them to arrange their seven tiles.
1 Tile Bag – All the tiles are placed in the bag at the beginning of
the game.
Everyone is now ready to play Scrabble! |
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| Scrabble
Tile Scoring Values |
| Letter
|
Value
|
Letter
|
Value
|
Letter
|
Value
|
| Blank
|
0
|
I
|
1
|
R
|
1
|
| A
|
1
|
J
|
8
|
S
|
1
|
| B
|
3
|
K
|
5
|
T
|
1
|
| C
|
3
|
L
|
1
|
U
|
1
|
| D
|
2
|
M
|
3
|
V
|
4
|
| E
|
1
|
N
|
1
|
W
|
4
|
| F
|
4
|
O
|
1
|
X
|
8
|
| G
|
2
|
P
|
3
|
Y
|
4
|
| H
|
4
|
Q
|
10
|
Z
|
10
|
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| The
Scrabble Playing Board |
The playing
board consists of 15 x 15 squares in the playing area with gridlines to
separate the squares. There are special premium squares on the board
with bonus score values.
Double Letter Score: A light blue square doubles the score of a
letter placed on it.
Triple Letter Score: A dark blue square trebles the score of a
letter placed on it.
Double Word Score: The score for the entire word is doubled when
one of its tiles is place on a light red square.
Triple Word Score: The score for the entire word is trebled when
a tile is placed on a dark red square.
If a word crosses both premium letter and word squares, all the bonus
letter values are added up before the complete score is doubled or
tripled.
The bonus scores of the premium squares only apply to the turn in which
the tiles are placed on them.
When a blank is place on a red triple or Double Word square, the sum of
the tiles in the word is doubled or trebled even though the blank itself
has no score value. When it is placed on a blue Triple or Double Letter
square, the value of the blank tile is still zero.
Co-ordinates:
Around the outside of the board are co-ordinates. These are only used to
describe a position on the board. For example the square at the extreme
top left would be called A1 if the start of a horizontal word is placed
on it. It would be referred to as 1A if the start of a vertical word is
placed on it. |
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| Playing
Scrabble |
One player is
elected as scorekeeper. They may also take part in the game. The
scorekeeper keeps tally of each player’s score, entering it after each
player’s turn.
To Begin Playing:
All the tiles are placed in the bag. Each player takes a tile out to
find out who players first. The player who has the tile nearest the
beginning of the alphabet, with the ‘blank’ preceding ‘A’, plays
first. The exposed tiles are put back into the bag and the bag is shaken
to shuffle them.
Each player, in turn, then draws seven new tiles and places them on
their rack without disclosing them to their opponents.
Play continues clockwise and on each subsequent turn, players then have
the choice of exchanging tiles, passing, or placing a word on the board.
Exchanging Tiles:
Any player may use their turn to replace any or all of the tiles on
their rack. They do so by discarding them face down, drawing the same
number of new tiles, then mixing the discarded tiles with those
remaining in the bag. They then wait for their next turn to play.
Passing (Missing a Turn):
Instead of placing tiles on the board, or exchanging tiles, a player may
also decide to pass, whether or not they are able to make a word (or
words). However, should all players pass twice in succession, the game
ends.
Placing the First Word:
The first player combines two or more of the tiles to form a word and
places them on the board to read either across or down with one tile on
the centre square (star). Diagonal words are not permitted.
All tiles played in this and subsequent turns must be placed in one
continuous line horizontally or vertically.
Permitted Words:
Any words listed in a standard English dictionary are permitted with the
following exceptions;
-Words spelt with an initial capital
letter.
-Abbreviations
-Prefixes
-Suffixes
-Words requiring an
Apostrophe
-Words requiring a
hyphen
Foreign words in a standard English dictionary are considered to have
been absorbed into the English language and are allowed.
Challenging Words:
Once a word has been played, the word may be challenged before the score
is added up and the next player starts their turn. At this point only,
you may consult a dictionary to check spelling or usage. If the word
challenged is unacceptable, the player takes back their tiles and loses
their turn.
Scoring the First Word:
A player completes their turn by counting and announcing their score,
which is recorded by the scorekeeper. The score for the turn is
calculated by adding up all the values of the numbers on the tiles, plus
the premium values resulting from placing tiles on premium squares.
Ending a Turn:
At the end of every turn, the player draws as many new tiles they have
played, thus always keeping seven tiles on their rack.
Adding 50 Point Bonus:
Any player who plays all seven of their tiles in a single turn scores a
premium of 50 points in addition to their regular score for the turn.
The 50 points are added on after doubling or tripling a word score.
Next Players Turn:
The second player and then each player in turn, has the choice of
exchanging tiles, passing or adding one or more tiles to those already
played so as to form new words of two or more letters.
All tiles played in any one turn must be placed in one row only across,
or one column only down the board.
If they touch other tiles in adjacent rows, they must form complete
words cross-word fashion, with all such tiles.
The player gets full score for all words formed or modified by their
play. They include the bonus scores of any premium squares on which they
have placed the tiles.
There are five ways that new words can be formed:
1) Adding one or more tiles to the
beginning or end of a word already on the board, or to both the
beginning and end of that word.
2) Placing a word at right angles to a
word already on the board. The new word must use one of the letters of
the word already on the board.
3) Placing a complete word parallel to
a word already played so that adjoining tiles also form complete words.
4) The new word may also add a letter
to an existing word.
5) The last variations would be to
‘bridge’ two or more letters. (This can only happen on the 4th move
or later in the game.)
Sometimes a word may cross two premium word squares. The word score is
doubled then redoubled – 4 times the complete word score; or trebled
and then re-trebled – 9 times the complete word score! |
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Winning Scrabble |
The game ends when all the tiles have been
drawn and one of the players has used all the tiles in their rack. The
game also ends when all possible plays have been made or all players
passed twice in consecutive turns.
After all the scores are added up, each player’s score is reduced by
the sum of their unplayed tiles, and if one player has used all their
tiles, their score is increased by the some of the unplayed tiles of all
the other players.
Remember – the game can be won or lost on the last letter in the bag! |
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Clarification of
Commonly Misunderstood Rules |
1) If any tile touches another tile in
adjacent rows, it must form part of a complete word crossword fashion,
with All such tiles.
2) A word can be extended on both ends within the same move.
3) It is not permissible to add tiles to various words, or form new
words in different parts of the board in the same turn.
4) The bonus scores of the premium squares only apply to the turn
in which the tiles are placed on them.
5) When more than one word is formed in a single turn, each word
is scored. The common letters are counted (with full premium value, when
they are on premium squares) in the score for each word.
6) If a word crosses two premium word squares the word is doubled and
re-doubled – 4 times the complete word score: or trebled and
re-trebled – 9 times the complete word score.
7) When one player has used all their tiles and the pool is empty, the
game ends. Even if other players are able to go, they cant, the game has
ended! No more moves may be made.
8) In some games no player succeeds in using all their tiles. In this
case the game continues until all possible moves have been made. If a
player is unable to move, they pass their turn. If all players pass
twice, in consecutive turns, the game ends.
9) A dictionary or word guide may NOT be used while a game is in
progress to search for words to fit the tiles on your rack. It may only
be consulted after a word has been played and challenged.
10) The same word CAN be played more than once in a game.
11) Pluralised words ARE allowed.
So there! |
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