Everything Scrabble: Third Edition [Paperback]

Joe Edley (Author), John D. Williams Jr. (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

For both the beginner and the seasoned pro, this how-to book from the National Scrabble Association offers all the keys to better play:

• Basic board strategies for surefire results
• Turn the enemy -- Q -- into your best friend: a winner's list of Q words with and without U
• Master the terrific "twos" -- a complete list of two-letter words that can boost your scoring average by thirty to forty points
• Maximize your score with bonus squares and parallel play -- including triple triples, the pinnacle of SCRABBLE scoring success
• Make more seven-letter plays -- and earn a fifty-point bonus
• Secrets to getting better tiles
• How to get your words' worth with high-point tiles J, X, and Z
• Words with no vowels
• How the world's greatest players win -- twenty-eight examples of outstanding SCRABBLE play

Featuring a rare interview with the SCRABBLE game inventor, the late Alfred Mosher Butts, this extensively illustrated guidebook covers all facets of the game and worldwide SCRABBLE culture, including the clubs, tournaments, champions and rules, and playing SCRABBLE with children, plus a complete history of the game.

Visit the Naiton Scrabble Association Web site: www.scrabble-assoc.com

About the Author

Joe Edley is the 1980 National Scrabble Champion and is widely considered one of the foremost experts on the game today.  He lives on Long Island.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Pocket; 3 Original edition (September 22, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416561757
• ISBN-13: 978-1416561750
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #19,395 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

  #8 in	Books > Entertainment > Puzzles & Games > Reference
  #3 in	Books > Entertainment > Puzzles & Games > Board Games > Scrabble
  #6 in	Books > Entertainment > Puzzles & Games > Word Games

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Throw on the Mbaqanga and Have at It! :-{D}, September 22, 2009

By	Jokie X Wilson "jokiex" (San Francisco, California United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Everything Scrabble: Third Edition (Paperback)

It was 2005 when The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary, 4th edition, was published and has therefore been a few years we have had to wait for Everything Scrabble to catch up. The wait has been well worth it. It is almost 75 pages longer with expanded strategy examples and illustrations. Of course, all of the usual lists are there too, expanded in most cases, in line with the words added to the 4th edition of the Scrabble dictionary.

Some highlights: There are now 101 acceptable two-letter words. There are more q-without-u words. The 3-and-4-letter J, X,Z words section has a few more words. The consonant challenge list is the same. The 4-to-8-letter words that include at least 66% vowels list has some more words. The 2-to-make-3 word list has been updated and expanded. The 3-letter words list has been expanded.

Whether you are new to the Scrabble Crossword Game or this book or you are experienced and are simply interested, as I was, in updating your book to get the most from it, I recommend the Everything Scrabble, 3rd edition. The book describes the game fantastically and also offers some history of the game and trivia and history of tournaments. There is also information to help you advance into a club player, if you so wish. So, throw on the mbaqanga and have at it!

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I am not a Scrabble geek, November 8, 2009

By	Mitchell G. Shapiro (NYC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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This review is from: Everything Scrabble: Third Edition (Paperback)

My wife and I play Scrabble about once a month; I saw the movie about the Scrabble tournament. Then I met a court reporter (I am a lawyer) who revealed he was ranked among the top 100 players in the USA among Scrabble aficionados. Up to that moment, I looked at this guy as a socially awkward misfit--but as he began to share the complicated strategies employed at the highest level of competition--well, my view of him did not change but he recommended this book since I was interested in the game and I purchased a copy. The first third of the book is fascinating--as the author reveals the techniques used by the top players--but the remaining bulk of the book consists of challenging game scenarios that require more interest than I was able to muster. The thing about Scrabble--you need not know the definitions of the words you use--you just need to know that they are actual words and how to spell them correctly (or incorrectly if you are bluffing). The latest dictionary used by Scrabble heads(published in 2005) contains modern words(up to seven letters as that is generally all you will use in this game) and some of them are so off the wall it seems unfair--and ultimately, the top players are just good memorizers. And it takes a certain type of mind to extricate the high scoring words from a random selection of 7 letters.The author suggests randomly switching the tiles around--it works!! And pay attention to the tiles you leave behind. There is no end. But hey--bottom line--do you play Scrabble? Want to get better and learn more about it? This book fits the bill. My wife usually complains that I take too much time making my word selections. This book urges use of a clock/timer--like the serious players use. I am looking into that.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best scrabble book i've found so far., November 14, 2009

By	Randy C Treibel (Redmond) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Everything Scrabble: Third Edition (Paperback)

Whether it's scoring, tile management, or whatever situation as casual player is looking for you will definitely improve your game with this book. I'd recommend it to anyone who is even a casual home game player. It's easy to follow and they explain advanced concepts in a manner that is really easy to follow.