Even if you play using a Scrabble help, there are certain situations you need to avoid in all of your Scrabble games, regardless if you’re playing digitally or competitively. That being said, bear in mind that the game is very strategically comprehensive – it’s like fighting a war using words instead of tanks and soldiers. Tactically, there are a number of situations within the game that you would want to avoid, especially since it puts your opponent at a great advantage. If you’re faced with situations like these, a loss is imminent – the best you can do is to be a good opponent and fight back, even if your attempts are futile. So, what are these situations and how exactly can you avoid them?
#1. You have a bad rack
Times like these are unavoidable, even if you play with a Scrabble help, and if you have awful rack management skills. That said, the legal definitions of a bad rack include the following:
- A consonant-heavy rack, one that contains one, two or no vowels.
- A vowel-heavy rack, one that contains one two or no consonants.
- A rack with duplicate letters at the same time, like three Ss, and four Es, five As.
You might be forced to swap your current tiles and miss a turn, thus depriving you from scoring valuable points. The best way to avoid this is to learn and practice proper rack management skills. Doing so will allow you to avoid this scenario and help you pile up the points in the long run!
#2. Coaxed into the edges of the board
The edges of the board contain the triple word multiplier squares, which are, hands-down, the most valuable bonus multiplier tiles on the board. A lot of player’s strategies involve making opponents create an opening to reach these areas. It works most of the time, but veteran players know how to avoid situations like these. Bear in mind that if you’ve been had, you could potentially make your opponent gain at least fifty or more points. What are signs that your opponent is resorting to this?
- If he is opening up one side of the board, egging you on to use some of played words and tiles.
- If he seems to avoid playing defensively altogether, even putting up long-tailed but high scoring words at the same time.
- If you ignore his initial attempt, he will try to place another word someplace else, avoiding the opening he set up earlier.
The best way to avoid a similar situation is to avoid being tempted, close the board and even skip a turn, especially if you’re miles ahead. Don’t dig your own hole: have your him dig one for himself.
#3. You’re running out of options
Let’s say that the game is down to the wire, and even a Scrabble help software can’t help you out. You’re running out of options, and you can’t seem to find an opening, and this might even cause you to skip a turn and lose the game. Add the fact that there are no more tiles left to draw, what are you supposed to do?
- Educate yourself with two to three letter words. Sometimes the most impossible combinations like the word “AA” can clean up your rack and force your opponent to deduct the value of the tiles left on his rack, while adding to yours.
Try to look at the board one more time. Think, since there could be something you can add a tile in. You might be able to add “EN” in the word “LIST” and even put an S on one of the singular words.
- Be straightforward and bury your opponent with bingos and points, in order to avoid facing this problem in the endgame. You know, it’s much easier to think and breathe if you have a hundred-point cushion separating you and your opponent.
Overall, avoiding and escaping these situations is vital to victory: you might even say that doing so is much more important than having to use a Scrabble help software. Bear the above mentioned strategies in mind on your next game!
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