NASPA School SCRABBLE Rules

NASPA School SCRABBLE Rules
                                       Revised 2014-01-31

Introduction
       These basic rules describe how play takes place in School SCRABBLE events. Where
these rules are incomplete, situations should be adjudicated according to the North American
SCRABBLE Players Association’s (NASPA) Official Tournament Rules, as appropriately modified
for two-player team play using the OSPD4 and Long List lexica. To facilitate this, these rules are
numbered to match the current (2013) edition of the NASPA Official Tournament Rules, which
may occasionally lead to gaps in the numbering. In addition, significant variations from the
regular tournament rules are italicized in this document.

I. Conduct
        All players are encouraged to play with a spirit of fun, guided by a sense of fairness.
Conduct at tournaments conducted under these rules is subject to the NASPA Code of Conduct,
available on the NASPA website. All players are honor-bound not to cheat, distract or mislead
their opponents, collude with other players or interfere in other games.
        Punishment for violation of any rules in this document may include penalty points,
forfeits and disqualification, and will be assessed at the sole discretion of the Director.

II. General Principles
        School tournament play takes place between two-player teams, who compete with
others in a series of timed rounds. Normally, all teams play in all rounds, and teams are ranked
in the end according to wins and losses, then by cumulative spread (the total number of points
by which they have outscored their opponents).
        Do not communicate during a game except with your teammate, opponents and event
staff. When speaking with your opponents, do not be abusive, offensive or confrontational, and
do not tell them what they can or cannot do.
        If an unusual situation occurs in your game and you are not sure what the rules call for,
or if you believe that a rule has been broken, pause your game timer and call the Director. Do
not start or stop the game timer except where permitted in these rules.
        In a tournament, decisions of the Director are final.

III. Beginning the Game
III.A. Equipment
        School SCRABBLE is played using the corrected version of the Official SCRABBLE Players
Dictionary, 4th edition (OSPD4) lexicon, together with additional longer words chosen according
to similar criteria from the NASPA Long List, as found in the free cross-platform word
adjudication software Zyzzyva, available from www.zyzzyva.net. Players may not consult the
dictionary during play, except as provided for in Rule IV.J when challenging a play.
        Confirm that all required equipment is present: 100 tiles of the correct distribution in
the bag, two racks, a game timer (standalone, or phone/tablet running an approved app) and a
board suitable for play. Each team should have an approved scoresheet, which may include a

tile tracking section, their scorecard, pens and pencils, and if desired, blank paper. The
tournament staff should provide slips for blank designation, recording challenges and
submitting results.
         There should be no other items at the table, such as dictionaries, word lists, other
electronic devices. In the tournament room, all electronic devices such as cellphones should be
turned off, and the use of earphones is not permitted.
         Both players may shuffle the tiles in the bag before the game begins, with the second
player shuffling last.
III.C. Arriving Late
       If both players from one team are absent at the announced start of a round, a
tournament official will start the team’s clock. The missing team will lose 10 points for every
three minutes that it is absent, until 15 minutes have elapsed, when it will be assigned a forfeit
loss and -50 points of spread for the round. The team that is present will be assigned a forfeit
win and +50 points of spread for the round.
       If one of the players on a team is absent due to extraordinary circumstances, the other
may petition the event director for permission to play alone.
III.D. Who Plays First
         If the Director has not determined the order of play, one player from each team draws
tiles. The side that draws a tile closer to “A” goes first, with a blank beating an “A”.
III.F. Starting Play
       The team that goes first draws seven tiles and places them on their rack. When they
have seen the face of any tile, the second team may start the first team’s clock. After the first
team has all seven of their tiles, the second team draws their seven tiles.

IV. Playing the Game
IV.A. Basic Rules
         Teams alternate taking turns. On each turn, a team may do one of: place tiles on the
board, exchange (discard) tiles, or pass (do nothing). At the end of a team’s turn, one player on
the team should start the other team’s timer and the other player on the team should record
the cumulative score and draw enough tiles (if possible) to bring the team’s total back to seven
tiles. The winner is the team that has scored the most points at the end of the game.
         When placing tiles on the board, all tiles must spell one main word of at least two
letters, reading horizontally from left to right or vertically from top to bottom. If it is the only
word on the board, one of its tiles must lie on the center square; if not, then it must touch
existing words either horizontally or vertically. When the main word makes additional cross-
words, they are each considered to be part of the play for the purposes of scoring the play and
determining its validity. The score of the play is the sum of the scores of its words, plus a 50-
point “bingo” bonus if all seven tiles are used. The score of a word is the sum of the scores of its
letters, each multiplied according to any letter bonus squares newly covered, then finally
multiplied according to any word bonus squares newly covered. (The center square counts as a
double word square.)

The letter value of each blank tile is designated when it is played, and does not change.
Blank tiles always score zero points.
        Exchanging tiles or passing score zero points.
IV.B. Tile Drawing
         When drawing tiles, show the open palm of your drawing hand to your opponents, raise
the tile bag above eye level, hold the bag where they can see it but not between you and your
opponents, look away from the bag, draw tiles and place them either facedown on the table or
onto your rack. Do not hold tiles in one hand while drawing with the other. You may be
disqualified from drawing for your team if the Director determines that you have not drawn
tiles correctly.
         If you draw too many tiles, raise your hand and ask for assistance; an overdraw penalty
will be applied.
IV.C. Managing Tiles
        Never bring tiles below the plane of the table. Always keep your tiles in sight and on
your rack unless moving them to/from the bag, board, or table when appropriate. Although you
are free to change your play before starting your opponents’ clock, do not use the board as a
physical working area for deciding a play. Do not return tiles to the bag during play except when
exchanging tiles as explained in Rule IV.E.
IV.D. Board Etiquette
         During your turn, you may rotate the board to whatever angle you prefer. Allow your
opponent clear visual access to the board at all times, except when making a play or verifying a
score.
         During your opponents’ turn, do not speak unnecessarily, touch the board or any tiles
on it. In particular, do not discuss with your opponent or define the word(s) that are played.
IV.E. Passing and Exchanging
        To pass your turn, announce that you are passing and start your opponents’ game timer.
Score zero for your turn.
        You may exchange one or more of your tiles for new tiles from the tile bag, as long as
there are at least seven tiles in the bag. To do so: announce the number of tiles that you are
exchanging, place those tiles facedown on the table, start your opponents’ game timer, draw
new tiles from the bag and place them separately facedown on the table or directly on your
rack, place the discarded tiles in the bag and mix, move any newly drawn facedown tiles from
the table to your rack.
IV.F. Playing the Blank
        When you play a blank tile onto the board, you must designate its letter value by circling
or printing it on an appropriate slip and showing it to your opponents.
IV.G. Completing a Turn
       To complete a turn in which you play a word, you must do the following things in the
following order: record your opponents’ cumulative score (unless the tile bag is empty), place
the appropriate tiles on the board, designate the blanks (if any), declare the score for the play,

start your opponents’ game timer (or stop yours if this is the last play of the game), record your
cumulative score (unless the tile bag is empty), record your play (optional), draw replacement
tiles, track which tiles were played (optional).
         After you start your opponents’ game timer, you may not take back or change your play.
IV.H. Scoring Issues
        During your turn, you may ask your opponents what their previous play was, how much
it scored, and what they think the current cumulative game score is. If you disagree, you may
neutralize the game timer until agreement is reached. You should always check the score for
each of your opponents’ plays, and you should confirm that all players agree on the score
periodically. Both sides are expected to keep track of the cumulative score throughout the
game.
        It is considered cheating to knowingly announce or verify incorrect scores.
IV.I. Holding and Challenging
       When your opponents play a word, you may hold or challenge the play during the
period that begins when your game timer is started and ends when they have drawn a
replacement tile. If that period lasts less than five seconds and you decide that you want to
hold or challenge the play immediately after it, you may petition the Director.
       If challenged, a play is acceptable only if all the words challenged in it are acceptable.
       To hold a play, call “hold” and hold the tile bag. By doing so, you reserve the right to
challenge the play, and delay your opponents from drawing tiles for 20 seconds. After that
period, your opponents may draw tiles but keep them separate, in case you later successfully
challenge and the tiles need to be returned to the tile bag. After one minute on hold, the hold is
automatically withdrawn, and the play may no longer be challenged.
       To challenge a play, call “challenge”, neutralize the game timer and proceed to a word
adjudication station. It is strongly recommended that both players on a team agree to any
challenges.
IV.J. Adjudicating Challenges by Computer
        Here is the procedure for adjudicating a challenge by computer. The challenger writes
the challenged word(s) on a slip of paper (the words may be changed at any time before the
computer has adjudicated the play). All players verify that the word(s) are written as played. All
players place all racked tiles facedown. All players walk to the computer station without
speaking or disturbing others. The challengers type the word(s) being challenged. All players
verify that all the word(s) have been entered correctly. The team being challenged presses the
adjudication key (usually TAB). The adjudication result is marked on the challenge slip. All
players return to their board without speaking or disturbing others. The team who lost the
challenge loses their turn. If the losing team had already drawn tiles and kept them separate,
those tiles are shown to the opponent and returned to the bag. When all players are seated, all
facedown tiles have been returned to their racks, any successfully challenged play has been
removed from the board, any blank designations involved in such a play has been crossed out
or erased, and (in the case of an unsuccessful challenge) the drawer has seen the face of at
least replacement tile (if any), the appropriate game timer is restarted.

IV.L. Leaving the Playing Area During a Game
        If one player needs to leave a game to go to the bathroom, he or she is permitted to do
so, and then rejoin the game after his or her team’s next play. Before leaving the table, the
player should raise a hand and call over a staff member to indicate why he or she is leaving the
room. The player will be escorted out of the playing room by a staff member to avoid the
appearance of impropriety.

V. Ending the Game
V.A. Final Play
         The game ends when one team has successfully played all of their tiles, and the bag is
empty.
V.B. Six-Zero Rule
        The game may also end by either team neutralizing the game timer after a sixth
successive zero-scoring play from passes, exchanges, challenges, or illegal plays, when the score
is not 0-0.
V.E. Neutralizing the Clock on the Out Play
        When you make your last play, stop the game timer. Your opponents may then accept
your last play by revealing their final tiles, announcing their value, agreeing on the final score,
or doing anything else to concede that the game is over. If not, they have 20 seconds to hold or
challenge the play before the game ends. If they hold the play, start their game timer.
        Do not touch the game timer or tiles again until all required paperwork has been
completed and signed.
V.G. Adjusting the Score (Unplayed Tiles, Overtime)
        The Director may announce an early end to the round to conform to the schedule, and
will normally give one minute’s notice before doing so. If this happens on your opponents’ turn,
stop their game timer. Once the game timer is stopped, no more tiles may be placed on the
board, and no one may touch the clock again until paperwork has been signed. If you place tiles
on the board and then the end of the round is announced, you must still draw your
replacement tiles even after the game timer is stopped.
        If you have played all of your tiles, increase your score by double the value of your
opponents’ unplayed tiles. If the game ends with neither team playing all of their tiles, each
team’s score is reduced by the total value of their unplayed tiles.
        If you use more than the alloted time (usually 25 or 22 minutes, depending on the
event), reduce your score by 10 points for every additional minute or part of a minute. For
example, if your game timer reads -00:01 to -01:00 at the end of the game, you lose 10 points;
from -01:01 to -02:00, it’s 20 points.
        If you use more than 10 minutes of overtime, you lose the game. Subtract 100 points
from your score. If your opponents’ score is still lower than yours, increase it so that they wins
by one point. Disregard the value of any unplayed tiles. No recount is permitted.

V.I. Recounting the Game
        As explained in Rule IV.H, you are expected to keep accurate track of the cumulative
score for each team throughout the game. When the game ends, you may verify the scores of
plays made since the bag was emptied, but you may not recount the whole game.
V.J. Recording the Game
        Complete designated paperwork at the end of each round, verify its correctness, then
sign/initial as required to indicate that you accept these results as final. When all players have
done so, raise your hand and stay at the table until event staff have accepted your results. No
other persons may approach your table until your results have been accepted.

Event Rules: National School SCRABBLE Championship
         The National School SCRABBLE Championship (NSSC) consists of seven rounds of regular
play, followed by one final championship game. The finalists will be determined by ranking the
teams as described in Rule II. In the unlikely event of a tie at the top of the field after regular
play, finalists will be determined by random draw. The winners of the finals will be declared the
National School SCRABBLE Champions.
         At the start of the championship, teams will be seeded based on NASPA or School
SCRABBLE tournament ratings, where available. In subsequent regular rounds, teams will be
paired with other teams with similar win-loss records.
         All teams will compete in all regular rounds, except that a bye may be assigned to a low-
ranking team if the total number of teams is odd. A bye counts as a win with +50 spread. The
top two teams advance to the finals.
         Game timers for this event will be set to 25 minutes per side, with the regular overtime
penalties to apply after regulation time has expired. All games will end at 50 minutes after the
start of the round, regardless of whether teams have played all their tiles.
         The maximum earnable game spread per round will be 100 points in Round 1, 150
points in Round 2, and 250 points in all subsequent rounds. When completing paperwork,
record the actual score; the spread will be limited automatically by the computer.
         All rules are subject to revision prior to the event.