…with Gary Moss

When we talk about CONTROL and SCRABBLE in the same sentence it doesn’t completely make sense. That’s because the is a luck factor of as much as 30%, due mostly to the random tiles that each player draws from the tile bag. Luck again, related to drawing of tiles, decides who goes first, and that too has a point advantage.

But there are many parts of the game where each player has the same opportunity as their opponents. It is in these areas where we each have the same opportunity to take control, by the actions we employ, way before the first tile is seen.

Yesterday I attended a lovely Scrabble Event at the new home of player from a local club. The guests were mostly club players and ranged widely in their scrabble playing experience. Even as we walked into the home, those of us carrying our custom scrabble gear, intimidated some of the newbies. I heard the voice of someone utter, “What have I gotten myself into?”

When I first began to play on the competitive scene, I looked forward to playing the experts. What better way to play and learn at the same time? Most of the time I would lose, but I always felt like a winner because of the things I had learned.

When we decide that we are going to become a regular member of the scrabble community, we have full control about how we go about learning the game and expanding our word knowledge.

We have the power to chose to go about the learning process in a thoughtful, programmed process -or- to learn by the seat of our pants.

The ‘seat-of-the-pants’ learners expose themselves (very punny) in most every game they play. They may know some great words, but the way that they place them on the board provides huge advantages to their opponents, for comeback plays.

The ‘seat-of-the-pants’ learners think that the whole game is about the words alone, and don’t pay close attention to ‘hot spots’; they rarely ‘track’, and when they do they don’t really know how to use the information effectively.

The ‘seat-of-the-pants’ learners don’t understand when to exchange tiles to improve their racks and often spend too many turns playing off the wrong tiles, usually be left with just another ugly, unplayable mess.

The ‘seat-of-the-pants’ learners watch their knowledgeable opponents score high points and play bingos, then whine and think that ‘THEY’ have all the luck.

The More You Know, They Luckier You Become.

The ‘seat-of-the-pants’ learners will never admit that they have never taken the initiative to do the things required to gain control.

Having greater control does not mean that you are assured to win every game or even most games. It does mean that you are in a better position to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

If you want some help from me, creating your personal plan to take control, call. Operators are waiting: 949.510.1673