Customer Reviews

Everything Scrabble: Third Edition

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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!

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.

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.

Numbers don't lie, so here are a few worth considering. I've had this book for about two weeks. I've read the first 6 chapters entirely, and peeked at the chapters regarding finding bingos, rack management (what to play v what to leave for your next turn), how to play the S and blanks to best advantage, etc etc. I play FB Scrabble regularly with my friends, and am an English major with a fairly good vocabulary. As of this writing, I have two "in-progress" games where my scores are 1) 449 after 11 moves; and 2) 294 after 6 moves, up considerably from my previous games against the same opponents - two more sales for Amazon for sure!

Some of that is probably luck... Beyond luck, however, the difference is not necessarily the words I am playing. With the help of Everything Scrabble, I am definitely thinking more about which words to play and where to play them; spotting more parallel plays (the two letter word list is invaluable); anlayzing which letters to save and which to unload immediately (and it's not always Q!); playing S and blank tiles more strategically - the list goes on and I'm not even finished reading! The puzzles and diagrams will definitely build your Scrabble skills no matter your starting level, and your vocabulary skills will get a boost as well, espcecially for words containing J,Z,X and Q without U! What's more, it's a very enjoyable book to read - you're learning and having a blast in the process. You will also learn some fascinating Scrabble history, so don't hesitate, just purchase and watch your Scrabble game improve!

...which is that the word lists given here -- and they are valuable ones -- are based on the Official Scrabble Players Dictionary (OSPD), which deletes words considered offensive. The OSPD is not used by serious Scrabblers -- they insist on the Official Word List (OWL), available from [...] and the National Scrabble Association.

Having said that, I have no hesitation in recommending "Everything Scrabble" to everyone who wants to understand the often neglected strategic considerations that can make a huge difference in your game.

This book has everything you need to improve your game. It is filled with tips and exercises and covers the full range of beginner to expert tips, all written in a lively, informative style. All you could want in Scrabble trivia is also included. No one will be disappointed ....HIghly recommended!


Miss P

THIS IS A THOUGHTFUL, WELL WRITTEN BUT OCCASIONALLY FRUSTRATING, LOOK AT THE WORLD OF SCRABBLE. READING IT, DOING THE EXERCISES, HAS RAISED MY GAME QUITE A FEW POINTS. IF YOU PLAY SCRABBLE, OR WANT TO PLAY SCRABBLE, GET THIS BOOK!

If you love Scrabble, this book if perfect for you! For novice and for Advance too. You can be Expert....

This is a great book for serious scrabble buffs. A little heavy for the casual player. However, everyone can benefit from the tips given. I will continue to use it as a reference.

I bought this as a gift for my wife who plays scrabble on line with a friend.She loved it.