Mindful

Scrabble with Mindy

I first learned to play Scrabble through observation. At age 9, I watched my dad and Grandma play, (two intellectuals with way higher IQs than me). I drank it all in - every play, every comment, ever insight into strategy that they shared. I began playing my dad around the age of 11. I began beating him consistently at the age of 15. By the time I was in college, my average was about 420 per game. By the age of 20, I had a high score of 578 and then entered tournament play. It has been years since I have played competitively but what I was taught by some champions in that short period has lasted me a lifetime.

I am not an Elite Player

In order to be an elite player, you must memorize the entire dictionary not just learn all the two, three and four letter words. I had more important things to do with time so I chose to retire from competitive scrabble play at 22. Usually, if I follow these mindful practices, I can win even against a computer that knows every word in the dictionary. My highest score to date is 644 and my highest single play is 194. This year Zane topped that with a high score of 677. I am fairly certain if you adopt these practices, your overall average will increase exponentially.

MINDFUL SCRABBLE

1. See the board, the whole board. Never assume that you cant make a clever scoring play off of played tiles. Think nothing is impossible and when you do, opportunities present themselves. Often, people begin by looking at their rack first and then at the board. Do the opposite. Look at the board to see where the potential high scoring plays are and then see if and how your rack of tiles can meet that challenge. The length of the word (if not a bingo) does not matter. One letter can often score points more than 6 letters. Part of this involves knowing where the high scoring plays are. For example, double doubles and triple triples are rare but can win the game immediately if you are able to achieve on. A double double is a 7 letter word that spans two double word scores. You can also achieve these off an existing set of played tiles (again see the whole board). A triple triple is an 8-letter word that spans two triple words scores. My son Zane once scored 230 on one play this way by getting a Z on a double letter score at the same time. Obviously, triple and double letter scores are key especially if they can be combined with double word scores. 2. Go for bingos by balancing your rack. Scrabble games are won on bingos. Many players attribute bingos to the luck of the draw and luck is definitely at play, but more often, bingos are achieved because the player knows how to balance their rack. This means keeping high percentage letters on the rack and playing off the low percentage tiles. Some of the

highest percentage tiles are A E R T I S D N L O. Also, the ERS is the best. I try to play off V, W, C, K, Q, J and Z as quickly as possible even if they are not achieving a maximum score. Balancing also involves keeping an even balance between vowels and consonants. I will often throw back my letters or take less than 10 points just to keep my rack balanced. It is better to play off five vowels for 6 points than play your one consonant for 18. 3. Keep high percentage combinations in your rack. These are three or four letter combos such as UN, MIS, ISM, ERS, AGE, ING, CON, OUT, INV, ATE, TION that dramatically increase your chances of a bingo draw. 4. Always be on lookout for 8 and 9 letter bingos. About of my bingos integrate played tiles on the board. Do not only look at your rack, but again, see the entire board and the possibilities it belies. You may have SOUCALS on your rack (no bingo) but with an open T, you can play OUTCLASS. 5. Memorize as many 2 and 3 letter words as you can - especially KA, KI, JO, XI, XU, EX, AS, OX, QI, UT, UH, OM, UM, MU and ZA. 6. Know your Qs, Zs, Js, Ks and Xs. How to play a Q without a U is essential such as SUQ, QAT, QAID, QINTAR. Other important words to know are JIN, JUN, JINNI, DJIN, DJINN as well as HAJ, RAJ, HADJ, JOE. Z combos are essential such as ZOEAE, ZOE, OUZO, OOZE, ZOO, ZOA, AZO ZEE. So are X combos such as OXO, OXY, OXEN, EXPO, APEX, EAUX, IXIA, COXA, COXAE. 7. Know all the two letter combos involving M, P, M, H, W, G and D. There are no two letter words involving C of V, so they are board blockers when played. 8. Never play Ss or BLANKS for less than 30 points. Really? Well, never is a pretty strong word. However, unless I have two on my rack, I try to keep an S for a bingo even if it means passing up an extra 10 points. Blanks should enable a score of at least 30-70 points. Do not squander them. 9. Open up the board when you have good letters and close down the board when your letters are terrible. If you are getting all consonants or all vowels consistently, you must do two things a) shut down scoring opportunities for your opponent and b) keep trying to balance your rack. 10. Know that a majority of bingos are scored in the first third of the game when the board is open so balance your rack and go for high percentage letters right off the bat. But if you find yourself way behind in the last half of game, you must play aggressively by making sacrifice plays to shed bad letters and open up the board so you increase your chances of scoring a bingo. 11. Be patient, optimistic and clearheaded when playing Scrabble. The whole game can turn around in one play. Winners always believe they can win no matter what. Be alert to opportunities for game changers. 12. Expand your word knowledge. It is important to know the words that include 5 vowels or 5 consonants. You need to know all the two vowel two letter words such as AA, OI, AE, AI, OE and words you can make when you have impossible combinations such as CWM, MYC, MY, WHY, MY,

 More to come but this a good place to begin.

WYCH, HM, SH, SHH, HMM, MM. Also, know the words with many vowels such as EAU, ULU, LOOI, LOUIE, AIOLI, AALII, OLIO, OLEO, LUAU, OLEA, ILEA, LIEU, ILIA, ALAE, ALOE, TOEA, IOTA, ETUI, AUTO, UNAU, NAOI, UNAI, INIA, AEON, ANOA, UVEA. There are many more and the more you know the more confident you will become. Also, know every seven letter word combination for your high percentage letter combos such as AETSIRD (there are 7) AETSIRN (there are 9) LISTERA (there are 6).