Apple – iPad – SCRABBLE

Posted by admin | Posted in Board Games | Posted on 28-06-2010

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SCRABBLE Its the same board you know and love on the big iPad screen. But with iPad technology, SCRABBLE becomes a whole new game. Shake to shuffle tiles. Touch to zoom in and out on the board. And drag and drop to lay down letters. All you have to do is put words together — and iPad even helps you do that by giving you a hint for the best word. Play the way you want with customizable game rules and multiple difficulty levels. And follow your progress with game and score stats tracking. Visit SCRABBLE on the App Store

Advanced Scrabble Techniques

Posted by admin | Posted in Board Games | Posted on 28-06-2010

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Advanced Scrabble Techniques

So you think you are ready to take your Scrabble game to the next level? You are considering membership in a Scrabble club, or entering a local tournament? How do you know if you are ready? You may be the family champion, having mastered the basics, but will your reputation hold up in the competitive arena?

Scrabble experts each have their own styles and opinions about what makes a champion, and this article covers four skills all agree are necessary to survive the cut.

The first advanced skill appearing on every expert’s list is rack management. A play is good if it considers first, the points earned, and second, the leave. To play competitively, one must keep a balanced rack. While there is an element of luck in any draw, a player of skill knows when to sacrifice a higher point value for a better leave. In general, one should try to play longer words, in order to keep tile turn-over high, increasing the chance of getting the best letter combinations for bingos. Consonants and vowels should be kept in balance in order to avoid difficult scenarios. Tile tracking is one way players may decide between two good plays. If you know there are still several Os in play, you may opt to keep that I instead. And even after following the guidelines for the best rack management, an expert knows when to trade in tiles.

Second on the list is a player’s relationship with two special tiles: the blank and the S. Everything Scrabble authors, Joe Edley and John D. Williams, suggest players remember that “Blanks are for Bingos and S is for Scoring.” Although almost worthless at face value, these two tiles are in reality the most valuable tiles you can draw. Nothing is better than a blank for building a bingo. Good players use their blanks and high point tiles to lead them to bingos. (If you can’t find a bingo, but have a play that scores at least 20-30 points higher, only then should you play your blank.) As the saying goes, S is for scoring. It pluralizes most nouns, singularizes most verbs, and is invaluable as a letter to add in front of other words, all of which makes the S the best hook in the bag.

The third necessary skill mentioned by experts is vocabulary building. There are a number of ways to do this, from mnemonics, to wacky definitions, to memorizing anagram clusters. After the two letter word list, experts advise taking on the 3 letter words, emphasizing the words created with front and back extensions from the twos. Computers have been used to compile lists of words most likely to occur given the letter frequency in the game, and some players have memorized these lists to their benefit. Other bingo-hungry players memorize the 7-8 letter words, although some criticize this practice since the opportunities to use these words are so limited. Still others focus on words containing high-value tiles, or difficult letter combinations. The best advice when it comes to vocabulary building is to let your natural curiosity guide you, and learn words in small sets that you can master well enough to recognize when you can or cannot anagram a certain combination.

One final note that every Scrabble expert will point out involves using challenges and phony words appropriately. This may have never been a big deal when playing with friends and family, but in the competitive arena a game can hinge on this skill. First of all, get to know your opponent. Some players will put down a phony right at the beginning of the game just to see if you challenge it! There are some good reasons you may even want to play a phony, although you should never risk a win for it. This is a skill that requires good judgment, finesse, and style, and maybe even a poker face!

Working on these skills will certainly improve your game. If these suggestions are old news to you, maybe you are already prepared for the Scrabble circuit. Go ahead, sign up for a match. There is no better practice than the real thing.

About the Author:


Emma Snow works a pragmatic puzzler at the Puzzle Place http://www.puzzle-place.net and Chess Strategies http://www.chess-strategies.net leading puzzle portals.

“Created by Bosses United for a Cause @ Bridgewater State College in 2009 as part of Campus MovieFest, the worlds largest student film festival. “”Is it just a game?”” Over half a century of competitive play takes an unlikely turn in Scrabble: The Motion Picture. Joe, the deeply devoted and fearless leader of the Bridgewater State College Scrabble Club must shine a light in the darkness for his steadfast club members after being contacted by a man named Hasbro.

Video Rating: 4 / 5

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Scrabble Onyx Edition

Posted by admin | Posted in Board Games | Posted on 27-06-2010

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Scrabble Onyx Edition

  • Onyx Edition SCRABBLE® features an elegant rotating board and a sleek, updated style with black and silver accents
  • The new look adds a contemporary design dimension to America’s favorite word contest
  • Other matching elements include a unique timer with black sand, a black velvet tile pouch
  • For ages 12 and up
  • Also includes four black tile racks, and a silver-accented score book with official score sheets an pencil

The centerpiece of the Onyx Edition Scrabble is the elegant black rotating game board, featuring a silver playing surface. In addition to its stunning appearance, the board enhances the playing experience by turning on a built-in stand to allow a clear look for all contestants. A raised grid holds the tiles – made of black wood with silver embossing – firmly in place as the board rotates. Other matching elements include a unique timer with black sand, a black velvet tile pouch, four black tile r

Rating: (out of 24 reviews)

List Price: $ 59.99

Price: $ 45.95

Jimmy Kimmel Versus The 2010 National School Scrabble Champs

Posted by admin | Posted in Board Games | Posted on 27-06-2010

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Jimmy Kimmel Live – Jimmy Versus the 2010 National School Scrabble Champs PART 1

Video Rating: 4 / 5

Scrabble Slam Cards Reviews

Posted by admin | Posted in Board Games | Posted on 27-06-2010

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Scrabble Slam Cards

  • The fast-paced word game where anything can happen. Fast-playing, card-slapping word-changing fun
  • Scrabble Slam is a high-speed four letter word game, race against each other to change the existing word and get rid of your cards
  • Game could become fame and fame could become fate you never know where it will go with Scrabble Slam
  • Play this game with your family and friends.
  • Vacation fun or perfect stocking stuffers. Either way you win.

SCRABBLE SLAM is a fast-paced word game where anything could happen! Race against each other to change the existing four-letter word and get rid of your cards. “Game” could become “fame” and “fame” could become “fate”—you never know where it’ll go. Be the first player to get rid of all of your cards to win!

Rating: (out of 84 reviews)

List Price: $ 11.99

Price: $ 1.99

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FIGHTING DIRTY IN SCRABBLE by Mehal Shah – Ep 30

Posted by admin | Posted in Board Games | Posted on 26-06-2010

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Scrabble isn’t a game of who can get the best 7 letter words. It’s a game of points and squeezing 2 letter terms into corners. Mehal Shah takes us through clean and sometimes dirty ways to win at Scrabble. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Video Rating: 4 / 5

Jimmy Kimmel Live – Shaq and Jimmy Play More Scrabble

Video Rating: 4 / 5

Scrabble by PES

Posted by admin | Posted in Board Games | Posted on 26-06-2010

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Directed by PES. Commercial for Scrabble’s 60th Anniversary. Advertising Agency: UpRoar!, New York.

Some people take scrabble very seriously

Posted by admin | Posted in Board Games | Posted on 26-06-2010

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Some people take scrabble very seriously… Set to “Hurray” by Kalan Porter

Video Rating: 4 / 5

Tips to Transform your Scrabble Game

Posted by admin | Posted in Board Games | Posted on 26-06-2010

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Tips to Transform your Scrabble Game

Alright, so your mother-in-law, a PhD in English Literature, has challenged you, a lowly salesclerk at the local bookstore, to a “friendly” game of Scrabble. Sound like a hopeless case? Certainly not! More than just a rivalry of vocabularies, Scrabble is a game of strategy. Equipped with the right tricks, even a child could give your mother-in-law a run for her money!

This article will give you five proven tips guaranteed to transform your Scrabble game. Whether you are a novice to the game, or looking to increase your skill in order to compete in clubs or tournaments, a little practice with these techniques will bring instant results!

Tip #1: Two-by-Twos

Experienced Scrabble players agree that the first key to success is memorizing the list of acceptable two-letter word combinations. This sounds harder than it really is. There are only 96 two letter words, and you undoubtedly know 23 of them. (Some lists include 120 two-letter words, depending on which dictionary you refer to. The 1998 Chambers Dictionary, as well as the Chambers Official Scrabble Words qualifies 120 words, while the Merriam Webster Official Scrabble Players Dictionary includes only 96. A good word of thumb would be to decide at the outset of a game which dictionary you will be using. I’d focus on the list of 96 words, as they are universally accepted in almost all dictionaries.)

Why is this word list so valuable, considering you only use two tiles? Knowing the two letter words helps you to build parallel words, enabling you to count your letters twice for each word you form. This dramatically increases your score! This skill is absolutely essential when the board is “closed,” (meaning that there are no wide open spaces to build new words in), as well as at the end of the game, when you must empty out your rack.

Memorizing this list only takes minutes if you associate each letter with the number of words it forms, (for example, there are 16 “A” words, 5 “B” words, etc.). Going through the lists and becoming familiar with the lesser known words is usually all it takes to commit the list to memory. It’s nice to know there are a few words that don’t require vowels!

The 96 words are: aa, ab, ad, ae, ag, ah, ai, al, am, an, ar, as, at, aw, ax, ay, ba, be, bi, bo, by, de, do, ed, ef, eh, el, em, en, er, es, et, ex, fa, go, ha, he hi, ho, id, if, in, is, it, jo, ka, la, li, lo, ma, me, mi, mm, mo, mu, my, na, ne, no, nu, od, oe, of, oh, om, on, op, or, os, ow, ox, oy, pa, pe, pi, re, sh, si, so, ta, ti, to, uh, um, un, up, us, ut, we, wo, xi, xu, ya, ye, yo.

Tip #2: “Racking” up Points by Anagramming

The difference between an average and an advanced Scrabble player has to do with the number of options a player can find in a given rack. Don’t just find one word and give up—keep moving those tiles around. There may very well be a better option than the one you find initially. Even if you end up using the same tiles, one word may score a higher value than another based on the location of the bonus squares. In addition, you may opt for one word over another because it is harder for your opponent to build on. For instance, if you have a hunch that your opponent has an S you should avoid laying down a noun, as this would allow him/her to “hook” on, scoring points for both words!

Tip #3: Keep it Hot

This hint may seem obvious at first, although there’s a bit more to it than first meets the eye. As you formulate your options on the board, focus on the “hot spots,” or the squares which award you double and triple the value of your tile and/or word. Use these squares to even better advantage by building parallel words, allowing you to use the bonus square two times (once for the horizontal word, and again for the vertical.) This is where that list of two-letter words comes in handy, particularly the words that contain high-scoring letters like J, Q, X, and Z. For example, the word “ex” used in a parallel position where the X lands on a triple would score at least 26 points.

The other side of this equation is that you must be careful not to make these hot spots available for your opponent! However, if you have a great word that opens up a triple, don’t throw it out the window. Weigh up your score against what your opponent may likely get. You may still come out ahead. Who knows? Your opponent may even pass up the triple, giving you a shot!

Tip #4: The Q—boon or bane?

No doubt about it, the Q is one of the most difficult tiles to play; therefore, it demands attention. There are a few tricks that can help you turn the Q to your advantage.

First of all, it’s advisable to commit to memory a few Q words that don’t require a U. Yes, they exist, and they are worth a lot of points, besides! So, here is your second (and final, for now) list of words to memorize: qaid, qanat, qat, qindar, qintar, sheqel, tranq, qoph, qwerty, faqir.

The words “aid” and “at” are particularly helpful for those looking to dump a Q, and this goes for your opponent too! Take care not to lay down either word if you suspect your opponent of having the Q on his/her rack, particularly at the end of the game! (I know this from sad experience; this oversight cost me an important match!)

Whatever you do, don’t hold on to Qs for more than a turn or two, hoping to draw a U. (This also goes for holding onto Us in case of drawing a Q.) Try to get it off your rack as soon as possible, as you lessen your chance of playing a good move when you’re only using six of your tiles. And if the game is close to the end you may want to consider trading it if there aren’t any options on the board. You certainly DO NOT want to get stuck with an unplayed Q at the end of the game, as it automatically adds 20 points to your opponent’s score.

Tip #5: Plan for BINGOs

Our last tip can be quite satisfying once it is mastered. It has to do with creating BINGO words (words which use all seven tiles) and is remarkably easy, once you know how to do it. Start by sorting your rack according to common word endings and save these letter combinations. One of the most valuable sets is “ING.” This takes care of three of your letters, and it’s much easier to form a four or five letter verb that works with “ING.” Voila! You have a BINGO! Some other common endings you want to watch for are -ed, -er, -ier, -iest, and -ies. I’ve even used -ation to good advantage. Un- and re- are good letters to set aside for word beginnings. Laying down your first BINGO is almost a rite of passage in the Scrabble world.

Now you are prepared to take on that grandiloquent mother-in-law; put that palaverous brother in his place. With practice, you may soon be able to join the ranks of the real Scrabble champions.

About the Author:


Emma Snow works a pragmatic puzzler at the Puzzle Place http://www.puzzle-place.net and Chess Strategies http://www.chess-strategies.net leading puzzle portals.

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Scrabble Crossword Game

Posted by admin | Posted in Board Games | Posted on 26-06-2010

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Scrabble Crossword Game

  • Word-forming board game
  • Score as many points as you can by forming words from the letters on the tiles
  • Bonus squares on the board give double or triple letter word points
  • Use all 7 tiles in your hand and score 50 bonus points
  • Perfect for Family Game Night events.

The classic crossword game played by millions around the world! Use your seven letters to build crosswords and use bonus spaces to add to your score! Genuine wooden letter tiles and racks. CHOCKING HAZARD – CONTAINS SMALL PARTS – NOT FOR CHILDREN UNDER 3After all these years, it’s still hard to get a triple word score, the tiles are still made of wood, and there’s only one “X” in the whole box. The game of Scrabble has sparked feuds and a near-cult following. All the fuss is over a spelling game

Rating: (out of 89 reviews)

List Price: $ 19.99

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Scrabble Diamond Anniversary Edition

  • The raised-grid style of the board guarantees that your words won’t slip or slide out of place
  • Organize your tiles on a curved tile rack that provides an optimum view of each letter
  • Store the game pieces in two built-in side trays
  • All new colors and a rotating game board with recessed spaces

Hasbro 4015XXXX Scrabble – Deluxe (EA)Sixty has never looked so good! This Diamond Anniversary Edition Scrabble features sleek black and silver tiles, a rotating board splashed with color, curved letter racks of smoky red plastic, and much more. With two built-in side trays for storing game pieces and a raised grid that keeps your letters in place, this anniversary edition of Scrabble will please all players ages eight and above. .caption { font-family: Verdana, Helvetica neue, Arial, serif;

Rating: (out of 135 reviews)

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