SCRABBLE

COMPETITION
FOR
PRIMARY & SECONDARY
SCHOOLS

RULES AND GUIDELINES

Copyright of:

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 SCRABBLE COMPETITION
FOR PRIMARY & SECONDARY SCHOOLS
RULES AND GUIDELINES

1.0 Aim
The Scrabble competition aims to extend vocabulary and develop spelling skills
in the English language among pupils.

2.0 Objectives
2.1 To enhance pupils vocabulary in the English language.

2.2 To enhance mental arithmetic skills among pupils.

2.3 To encourage teamwork and promote integration among pupils.

2.4 To provide a platform for learning in a fun and enjoyable manner.

3.0 Competition rules

3.1 Eligibility
This competition is divided into two categories;
3.1.1 Primary category
This competition is open to Year 4 to Year 6 pupils from
government-aided schools only.
3.1.2 Secondary category
This competition is open to Form 1 to Form 5 pupils from
government-aided schools only.

3.2 Team
3.2.1 Each team shall comprise 2 players of different races from the same
state they are representing. An exception should be made if the student
population consists of a particular ethnic group as the demographic in
that school.

3.2.2 Each team is to be accompanied by an English Language teacher.

3.2.3 Participants shall be in school uniforms.

3.3 Format

3.3.1 The organizer will determine the pairings for each round.

3.3.2 In a manual-pairing game, each team will have to pick a tile from the
bag. The team, whose tile is closest to the beginning of the alphabet,
with a blank preceding an A, starts the game.

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 3.3.3 In a computerized-pairing game, the computer picks which team
shall start.

3.3.4 Only words in the Collins Scrabble Dictionary (latest edition; i.e CSW
2015) are allowed. However, players are NOT allowed to form
indecent/obscene words though the words can be found in the
dictionary.

3.4 Time
3.4.1 Each team is given 25 minutes per game. Chess clock or Scrabble
timer will be used to time the game.
3.4.2 There is no time limit for each move but the game shall end after 50
minutes or where one team has exceeded the 25-minute limit by 5
minutes.
3.4.3 Any team who exceeds the allocated 25 minutes shall be penalised 10
points for each minute or part thereof.
3.4.4 Each team shall play five (5) rounds. However, the tournament director
(see 3.7.1) may vary the number of rounds as circumstances dictate.

3.5 Game play

3.5.1 The first team to play combines two or more of its letters to form a word
and places it on the board to read either across or down with one letter
on the centre square. Diagonal words are not allowed.

3.5.2 The team completes its turn by counting and announcing its score for
that turn, pressing the clock and replenishing their rack.

3.5.3 The opposing team may challenge the word(s) formed after the clock
has been pressed and must call hold before the team replenishes the
rack. If the word challenged is unacceptable, the challenged player
takes back his tiles and scores a zero.

3.5.4 If a team draws extra tiles, the opponent will randomly turn face up x+2
tiles from the rack (x is the number of overdrawn tiles). The opponent
will then choose x tiles and return to the bag.

3.5.5 All letters played on a turn must be placed in one row across or down
the board, to form at least one complete word. If, at the same time, they
touch other letters in adjacent rows, those must also form complete
words, crossword fashion, with all such letters. The team gets full credit
for all words formed or modified on its turn.

3.5.6 New words may be formed by:

Adding one or more letters to a word or letters already on the board.
Placing a word at right angles to a word already on the board. The new
word must use one of the letters already on the board or must add a
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 letter to it.
Placing a complete word parallel to a word already played so that
adjacent letters also form complete words.

Refer 3.5.5 and 3.5.6

3.5.7 No tile may be shifted or replaced after it has been played

and scored.

3.5.8 Blanks: The two blank tiles may be used as any letters. When
playing a blank, the player must state which letter it represents and
write that on the scoresheet. It remains that letter for the rest of the
game.

3.5.9 The team may change any number of tiles as many turns as desired
so long as there are at least seven (7) tiles in the bag. The team will
score zero for that turn.

3.5.10 The game ends when

all the tiles have been drawn and one of the teams have used
all the tiles in their rack.
all possible plays have been made
both teams have passed thrice consecutively

3.5.11 When the game is over, the teams shall then fill in the Result Slip with
the scores and spread (see 3.8.2), and upon duly signed by both
teams and an official, pass it to the Tournament Director.

3.5.12 Each team shall then fill in its own Team Score Record Card,
verified by the opponent.

3.6 Restrictions
3.6.1 Players shall NOT refer to any dictionaries and/or electronic devices
while playing.

3.6.2 Calculators shall not be used during the game.

3.6.3 No movement of the board during the game is allowed unless a

rotating board is used.

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3.7 Officials
3.7.1 There shall be a Tournament Director.

3.7.2 The Tournament Director shall appoint assistants from among the
accompanying teachers.

3.7.3 In case of any contention, WESPA Rules Version 3.0 shall be

referred to and the Tournament Director has the final say.

3.8 Decisions
3.8.1 The winning team shall be decided first by the number of points,
then spread.

3.8.2 A win is 1 point; a draw is 0.5 point and a loss is 0 point. Spread is
the difference between the winning and losing scores of a game.

3.8.3 The decision of the Tournament Director is final.

3.9 Prizes
3.9.1 Certificates of achievement will be awarded to the winning
teams.

3.9.2 Certificates of participation will be awarded to all participating

teams.

3.10 Expected Standards

3.10.1 Players are expected to uphold high standards of both etiquette and
ethics. Respectful, courteous, fair and honest play is required. Players
are honour bound not to cheat.

..

*This concept paper is valid as of February 2017. The competition will abide to the
above rules ONLY.

Division of Co-curriculum and Arts

Ministry of Education, Malaysia

Edited:
21st February 2017

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 APPENDIX 1

Scrabble Comprehensive Scoring Guide for Judges and Players

A. The score value of each letter is indicated by a number at the bottom of the
tile. The score value of the blank is zero.

B. Premium Letter Squares: A light blue square doubles the score of the letter
played on it. A dark blue square triples the score of the letter played on it.

C. Premium Word Squares: The score of the entire word is doubled when one of
the letters is placed on a pink square. It is tripled when a letter is placed on a
red square. Include premiums for double or triple letter values, if any, before
doubling or tripling the word score. If a word is formed that covers two premium
word squares, the score should be doubled and re-doubled (that is, four times
the letter count), or tripled or re-tripled (nine times the letter count). Note that
the centre square of the board is pink, and therefore doubles the score for the
first word played.

D. The score for each turn is the sum of the score values in each word formed or
modified in play, plus the premium values resulting from placing letters on
premium squares.

E. Letters and word premiums apply only in the turn in which they are first used.
In subsequent turns, letters count at face value only.

F. When a blank tile falls on a pink or red square, the sum of the letters in the
word is doubled or tripled even though the blank itself has no score value.

G. When two or more words are formed in the same turn, each is scored. The
common letters are counted, with full premium values if any, in the score for
each word.

H. Any team who plays all seven of their tiles in a single turn scores a premium
or bonus of 50 scores in addition to their regular score for the play.

I. Points are to be subtracted when both teams have unplayed tiles left on their
racks at the end of the game.

J. When the game ends with one team finishing all his tiles, the team gets double
the face value of all the unplayed tiles of the opposing team.

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 NATIONAL ENGLISH CARNIVAL SCRABBLE SCORE SHEET
YEAR _________

Game No.
Team A Team B
Name: Name:
Turn Play Turn Cum. Turn Turn Play Turn Cum.
Score Score Score Score
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
Tile Penalty Tile Penalty
Time Penalty Time Penalty
Nett Score Nett Score
AAAAAAAAA J SSSS
BB K TTTTTT
CC LLLL UUUU
DDDD MM VV
EEEEEEEEEEEE NNNNNN WW
FF OOOOOOOO X
GGG PP YY
HH Q Z
I I I I I I I I I RRRRRR ??

Officials Name : ___________________________

Signature : ___________________________

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 NATIONAL ENGLISH CARNIVAL SCRABBLE
YEAR __________

RESULT SLIP
Game No.

WINNER SCORE OPPONENT

SPREAD

Signature (Winner) Signature (opponent)

Officials Name : ___________________________

Signature : ___________________________

NATIONAL ENGLISH CARNIVAL SCRABBLE

YEAR __________

RESULT SLIP
Game No.

WINNER SCORE OPPONENT

SPREAD

Signature (Winner) Signature (opponent)

Officials Name : ___________________________

Signature : ___________________________
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 NATIONAL ENGLISH CARNIVAL
YEAR __________

SCRABBLE INDIVIDUAL SCORE SHEET

Game Own Opps Spread Point Opponents

No. 1 / 2* Opponent Score Score This Cum. W/L/D This Cum. Initial
game game
1

*1 = Start, 2 = Reply
Scrabble is a registered trademark of J W Spear & Sons Ltd, subsidiary of Mattel Inc.

NATIONAL ENGLISH CARNIVAL

YEAR __________

SCRABBLE INDIVIDUAL SCORE SHEET

Game Own Opps Spread Point Opponents

No. 1 / 2* Opponent Score Score This Cum. W/L/D This Cum. Initial
game game
1

*1 = Start, 2 = Reply
Scrabble is a registered trademark of J W Spear & Sons Ltd, subsidiary of Mattel Inc.

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LAYOUT OF THE TEAMS AND OFFICIAL

GAME OFFICIAL

SCRABBLE BOARD

TEAM A TEAM B

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