THE
ASTERISK: The
asterisk is the glue that holds a play
together. Don't concentrate on the
asterisk and what it might represent.
There are just too many possibilities.
Concentrate on the other letters and
words that have those letters in the
sequence you see. Look for pieces of
words, not whole ones. It's a skill that
takes some time to master.
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STUPID
MISTAKES: Always
check your opponent's play and your
intended play for a stupid mistake. Be
especially careful when making a small
adjustment to a play at the last second.
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| DO
NOT CHAT: In serious
competition, never tell your opponent
anything about a play until the game is
over. It can only come back to haunt you. |
PATIENCE: Just
before you challenge, blink a few times,
scratch your head, shake your head,
anything, and then give yourself one more
five second, fresh look at your
opponent's play. If you are ahead,
consider very seriously if the chance of
a turnover is worth the risk.
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| WORKS
IN PROGRESS: Look
at words on the board as works in
progress and not completed words. Always
consider the possibility of putting
something ahead of or after a word
already on the board (no matter how long
it may be). |
END
GAME: Watch
the number of tiles remaining in the pot.
Leaving your opponent the chance to go
out with you holding significant value in
your tray is high risk in a close game.
Remember, the value of your tiles is
tripled and added to the opponent's
score. Many a game has been won on the
last play. Leaving one tile in the pot is
generally a great idea though, obviously,
only one player will be able to achieve
it.
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| DEFENSE:
Plays
of over 100 points or more are not
uncommon. Placing an asterisk on the
outside edge and offering your opponent
the chance to hit both the
TRIPLE-THE-WORD and DOUBLE-THE-WORD is a
move that is often quickly regretted. If
you are going to put a tile on the
outside edge, try to make it a tough one
to use and try to cover the
TRIPLE-THE-LETTER square. This will
eliminate the chance your opponent can
achieve 18 times the point value of a
letter by putting it on the
TRIPLE-THE-LETTER while spanning the
TRIPLE-THE-WORD and DOUBLE-THE-WORD
squares. |
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BEHIND
OR AHEAD: Play
the game differently when you are behind
by a significant amount versus when you
are ahead by a significant amount. When
behind, you have to push the envelope and
try to chip away at the lead. Your
opponent will be hesitant to challenge
and risk losing a turn. Also, choose
HIPSWOPS over BOMBS to conserve tiles in
the pot and thus lengthen the game. When
ahead, you have to be conservative, but
your opponent knows that and will try to
exploit it. When ahead, definitely close
out high point areas available on the
board. Also, don't concern yourself with
the margin of victory. That is an ego
trip that can cost you the game. Many
comebacks of 200 points or more would not
have happened if the eventual loser had
just played to win without trying to
show-off.
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| WASTE
YOUR OPPONENT'S TIME: All things
equal, make words with odd combinations
of letters in them that are difficult to
guess. Most players like to recognize an
opponent's play as a valid word before
turning their attention to their next
play. You may even draw a challenge if
you are lucky. Also, it is sometimes good
strategy to make a quick play and shift
the clock back to your opponent. Clock
management is extremely important,
because more time makes for greater
points. Having six or seven minutes more
than your opponent will pay off down the
line. |
KNOW
YOUR OPPONENT: Some
players never bluff. Some players hardly
ever challenge. As far as your own play
is concerned, vary it. Don't get figured
out. Also, understand the game
situation and your opponent's psyche. No
player, for example, feels like following
a failed challenge with another
challenge.
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| TEMPO: The game
sometimes has a positional tempo to it.
You may find yourself consistently
opening up a good spot for your opponent
which he then closes off for more points
than you achieved. In such cases, you
should consider a defensive play to break
the tempo and hopefully turn it in your
favor. |
QUICK
TRAY ASSESSMENT: Learn to
quickly assess the quality of your tray
in conjunction with the opportunities on
the board. It's not just about the tray,
it's also about the board. For example,
there are a lot of points available in
the corners by forming multiple words
with high point letters--especially with
an asterisk adjacent to a
TRIPLE-THE-WORD. If you don't have a
high-point letter, a trade might be
justified. Thinking about your tray for 2
minutes and then
deciding to trade letters will always
bring a smile to your opponent's face.
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