Game if you are: Geelong Scrabble Club’s Lorraine and Don Marshall, Lee Beaumont, Mary McMahon, Alan Cole and Pat Weston gather for play.
JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
A NIGHT on the tiles means something very different for members of Geelong Scrabble Club.
Most Australians would be familiar with the popular board game and its variously numbered tiles but the club’s Alan Cole said tournament play could get serious.
“Word bluffing” and blocking of high-scoring squares were common tactics, he revealed.
Just how serious it could get was illustrated by Alan’s personal highest ever score – 254 points for a single word.
In case anyone is wondering, the word was nartjies, meaning small oranges.
The word is of South African origin.
Alan managed to get the word onto a triple-triple square, scoring a bonus 50 points for using all his tiles.
“I’ve never had one that high since,” he laughed.
“I’ve managed to score a few good ones but never to that extent.
“All Scrabble players are looking for those seven-letter words, hoping for the big jackpot score.
“The record is over 700 points.”
Alan’s best game score was 610 but he said the average club game usually scored between 300 and 400 points.
“If you score over 300 fairly regularly playing at home you would fit in nicely at the club,” he smiled.
“People who often score like that playing at home can tend to run out of willing participants.”
The club has boasted some Scrabble masters since forming in 1995.
Alan explained Scrabble had four levels of play, from a recreation section, essentially for beginners, to intermediate, advanced and masters.
The club played to Australian Scrabble Association rules with word usage checked by the Collins dictionary, he said.
“It’s clear cut and simple that way and saves any arguments.”
Every Victorian club holds a tournament once a year, with Geelong’s turn in November at Skilled Stadium’s Fred Flanagan room.
Alan expected the tournament to attract players from around the state.
Three-day state and national championships were also on the competition calendar, he said.
The club meets from 1pm to 4.30pm Saturdays at Scots Church hall, on the corner of Pakington and Waratah Sts, Geelong West.
Alan said anyone interested in joining the club could phone him on 5221 5107.
