SCRABBLE: The Challenge
Scrabble is a game of offense; smothering your opponent with words that you have acquired and uncovered in the cracks of the pages that have gone unnoticed by the multitudes. Words like ‘bemadam’ or ‘flancard’ and ‘panchax’ will make most opponents pause a while and scratch their heads in wonderment. I will often create a short list (10 or fewer words) at least once a week and attempt to play them on my unsuspecting opponents.
I’ve noticed that if they challenge one of my words and lose that challenge, I am usually home free after that, as they will feign from challenging anything I choose to play.
HOWEVER . . . the other side of the game is ‘De-Fence.’ What’s fair for one is equally fair for the other. Your opponent may be using the same tactic. You may have to stop and discern whether a word played is legal or phoney. And that’s not always easy.
First, if you are uncertain, say “HOLD” very quickly. If you do not say ‘hold’ and your opponent draws even a single tile out of the bag, it is then too late to challenge. At the point you say “HOLD” your clock is running; you may remain on ‘hold’ for as long as you wish. The first thing I look for when I am ‘holding’ my opponent is whether their play creates an opportunity for me to respond with a big score of my own. If it does, I may accept the play just so I can get my play down. If I don’t have an advantage by that play, I consider if the word is good or not, then I challenge or not.
Last night at Club #350 I played a silly phoney for 62 pts. ( knosh ). My play provided my opponent an opportunity to play a legal bingo, hooking under my phoney for 76 points over a TWS. He chose to challenge me off the board and at the same time eliminated his own bingo spot. As it happened, the game became a cat & mouse game on a closed board and I eventually eked out a victory.
There is no single ‘right way’. There is usually one way which is better, based on the probabilities at that time. But, the game of scrabble contains a luck factor of about 30% and is therefore highly unpredictable.
You have to know what is a phoney as well as knowing a volume of legal words.
I challenge you to improve your game. Plan a scrabble vacation to southern California where you can come to play at Club #350 and THE 1ST SUNDAY TOURNAMENT. Click Here