5 Tips for Embarrassing your Friends in Scrabble

January 8th, 2010

I won’t pretend to be an expert at Scrabble (I have so far been too chicken to attend a Houston Scrabble Club meeting because of this), but I will say I’m a huge nerd and love word games.

There are many people out there playing Words With Friends who are making some basic rookie mistakes. I’m not necessarily saying you, my dear friend and reader (please don’t be mad)… but say maybe your friends (again, not you) might get something out of this, feel free to pass it along.

Here are some tips for dominating your friends in Scrabble. No SAT-level vocabulary needed.

1. Memorize your 2 letter words – especially the high dollar ones

Contrary to popular belief, Scrabble really isn’t about vocabulary. You’ll do more damage with a well placed 2 letter word than a 6 letter word most of the time.

2 letter words are going to get you through this game, so pay your respect.

Note: Keep in mind that different platforms allow different words, for instance Words With Friends does not allow “ZA,” but Scrabble does. In case of such disputes while playing IRL, always have your Scrabble dictionary on you (I have mine in my car most of the time if you need one).

Here is the list of acceptable Scrabble two letter words, according to the National Scrabble Association. I’ve bolded some of my favorites that can get you out of a jam, or into a lot of points:

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 FE GO HA HE HI HM 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 OI OM ON OP OR OS OW OX OY PA PE PI QI RE SH SI SO TA TI TO UH UM UN UP US UT WE WO XI XU YA YE YO ZA

The following list is not the most up to date (see the newly added words from NSA, including “ZA,” “QI,” and “DOH”), but it includes definitions. Use when impressing haters, who don’t believe you that “SH” is a real word: http://www.yak.net/kablooey/scrabble/2letterwords.html

Learn your 2 letter words… so even if you think you have nothing, you might just have something

2. Never play just one word (unless it’s a really good one)

This is key. Even if you have terrible letters, there is somewhere on the board that you can play two words on top of each other, making a series of vertical two letter words. If there is a triple letter score up next to a word that is already on the board, why not use it twice?

Note: This is where knowing those double vowel words comes in handy – AA, AE, AI, OE, OI. Also remember that the spelling out of letters (EF, EN, etc.) are acceptable words.

I love a good block where three (or four!) words are played on top of each other. That’s some good Scrabblin’.

3. The S is your best friend

Now that you are resigned to never play just one boring word, use the S to score some free easy points. Add it to the end of an already high scoring word, and build your own word above it. This is the Scrabble equivalent of a buy one, get one free shoe sale… what could be better?

Don’t use your S’s lightly – save for something good… like the triple word score

4. Play defensively

It’s like momma says – don’t give anything away too easily! If you were playing soccer, you wouldn’t just leave the goal open – unless you were distracted by David Beckham’s sexy eyes.

Don’t leave the triple word score open if you can help it (bold, underline, and italics). If you’re playing me, I will play there no matter what letters I have… just so you can’t!

Note: Sometimes while blocking your opponent you will end up stifling yourself a bit, so be aware.

5. Know the weird ones

In reading the book “Word Freak” (a classic about Stefan Fastis’ journey into the world of competitive Scrabble) – his first step is to memorize the 2 letter words,then 3 letter words, then 7 letter words. This is a lot of memorization for your average “I’m just in it for fun” player. What you can do is memorize those couple of words that can help you out in a clutch situation. Here are a few notable words to keep up your sleeve:

  • QI
  • QAT
  • QAID
  • QANAT
  • ZA (not acceptable in Words With Friends)
  • ZAX
  • BRRR (thanks JMO for discovering that one)
  • SH
  • AE, AI, AU, OE, OI
  • XI, XU

That’s all I got! Anything I left out? What are your money words or tricks for certified ass-kicking? Share!

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14 Responses to “5 Tips for Embarrassing your Friends in Scrabble”

  1. Eloy Zuniga Jr. on January 11, 2010 3:00 pm

    I haven't joined this party yet. Maybe one day.

  2. Fayza on January 12, 2010 12:01 am

    I’m totally resigning from our game. I don’t have a chance in hell against logic like this!

  3. qcait on January 12, 2010 6:32 pm

    You would rock it, Eloyz. I know it!

  4. Lynette on January 13, 2010 5:52 pm

    H's and W's are your friends because they go with many vowels. Know your Hebrew and Greek alphabets. Even if you can't make a lot of points – make some style points.

  5. Glen on February 15, 2010 8:52 pm

    Well this is a sweet post! Good job! Funny, I have learned some those strategies playing the game over and over like #2. Start a game with me? hint: i'm glenbot

  6. Brian on February 25, 2010 12:39 pm

    I mostly just love the clockwork orange reference I viddied on the top of the page, dear brother.

  7. ATOWNCLOWN on April 5, 2010 1:57 am

    ZA is acceptable on WORDS WITH FRIENDS. I'll play you. ATOWNCLOWN

  8. tessa on April 22, 2010 8:24 pm

    KI is also acceptable in words with friends

  9. erick on May 10, 2010 8:58 pm

    i wanna verse some1 is this game! my screen name is 3rick!

  10. Sarah on July 12, 2010 8:52 pm

    ZAX is also a great word to play when you can!

  11. justicejenni on July 12, 2010 9:32 pm

    I use alot of the same strategy. I get accused of cheating.
    Two of my favorite words are: JOTA, MU.

  12. justicejenni on July 13, 2010 2:34 am

    ps.
    All prefixes and suffixes are also your friend.
    Think: -er, -ed, -ly, un-, re-
    You get the idea…

  13. qcait on July 13, 2010 4:17 am

    Haha I hear you! My boyfriend says if I don't know the definition, I can't use it. So I started memorizing the definitions too. :)

  14. WordNerd on July 21, 2010 8:06 am

    Same here :-( … After getting my butt kicked for MONTHS by folks who scored 400+ points, I have been memorizing the words that they used on me. One sore loser called me a cheater and said they wouldn't play me anymore.

    I reminded them that half of the game is placing the words, not just making a word out of the tiles. No "cheat sheet" can put that word on a board that is half filled.

    WWF is similar to a "poker machine" or an electronic "slot machine" in the way that the "luck o' the draw" often dictates a game. If you have all vowels or all consonants, you won't have long words to play.

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