general | June 24, 2026

Is it better to start Scrabble horizontal or vertical?

I actually start my first move vertically – but I rarely find an opponent who does the same. Since we are used to reading in a linear fashion it is slightly disconcerting to deal with a column of letters first up. On the other hand it is easier to find eight-letter words horizontally.

Do you double the first word in Scrabble?

Like you said, the center tile counts as a Double Word Score tile, so whoever plays first gets double the points. That is an official rule. The second and third rules mentioned are house rules, and are not supported in the Scrabble rules.

How do you start the first word in Scrabble?

The First Word Score A player begins the game by placing a word on the star square at the center of the board. This star acts as a double word score. The star cell does not act as a double word score for subsequent players playing off the center square. Play continues in a clockwise direction around the Scrabble board.

What is the highest scoring 7 letter word in scrabble?

MUZJIKS
The highest scoring 7-letter bingo is “MUZJIKS”. The tiles total 29 points, and it scores 128 on the first move.

What are the two letter scrabble words?

Scrabble/Two Letter Words

  • AA, AB, AD, AE, AG, AH, AI, AL, AM, AN, AR, AS, AT, AW, AX, AY.
  • BA, BE, BI, BO, BY.
  • DA, DE, DO.
  • ED, EF, EH, EL, EM, EN, ER, ES, ET, EW, EX.
  • FA, FE.
  • GI, GO.
  • HA, HE, HI, HM, HO.
  • ID, IF, IN, IS, IT.

    Which is the most important move in Scrabble?

    Defense is just as important as offense in Scrabble, and the best move isn’t always the highest-scoring one. It’s simply the one that gives you the best chance of winning. 3. They waste the two best tiles in the game

    What’s the best way to play Scrabble strategy?

    Scrabble is not a game of luck, it is one of skill. Every player has his or her own playstyle. Some know more long or short words while others have amazing tactics to score big on bonus fields. What you want is to play tiles on the board in a way that benefits your own style while at the same time hindering your opponent and destroying their flow.

    How are 5 letter words played in Scrabble?

    Tournament Scrabble players specifically study 5-letter words with high point tiles at the beginning or the end in order to play them with the high point tile on the Double Letter Score five squares away from the center star.

    What should you do if you score the first word in Scrabble?

    You should never settle for playing the first word you see, no matter how many points it scores. Instead, take a moment to scramble your tiles to see what other words you can make. Look to see if you can form any common prefixes or suffixes with your letters, which can be used to make longer and higher-scoring words.