The Israeli National Scrabble Association

Tournament Rules

Foreword: The rules governing play in this tournament are basically the same as those on the inside of your Scrabble set. There are, however, a number of specific tournament practices and rules to follow. Please adhere to all the rules - this will ensure pleasurable play with a minimal amount of arguing. While some of the rules may seem a little superfluous, experience has shown them all to create a better atmosphere while increasing the confidence and trust among players.

General

Punctuality: Players must arrive on time. All players more than 10 minutes late will forfeit their games (LOSS minus 100 points), and their opponents will be awarded a WIN plus 100 points.

Choosing the Scrabble Set: Players may, of course, use their own, personal sets although the tournament director will supply sets if necessary. If there is a disagreement as to which set to use, then the better board (turntable is better than folding) is used and the smoother tiles (e.g. Protiles) are used. If the boards/tiles “tie” in their suitability to play, then the player going second makes the choice. It is the players’ responsibility to verify that the set of tiles is complete before the game.

Time Limit: Games will last 50 minutes (see also “Overtime”).

Starting Play: The player who has gone first fewer times, starts the game. If both players have the same number of “firsts” (as is the case in the first game), then each player draws a tile (see “Tile Drawing”). The player drawing the tile closest to “A” goes first. In the event of a tie, another tile is drawn.

Scoring: Both players are required to keep score. Both players must fill in their score card and hand it in to the director after each round.

Tile Drawing: When drawing tiles, the tile bag must be held at eye-level in order to prevent tiles from dropping out and to prevent players from inadvertently seeing the contents of the bag. Please bring this rule to your opponent’s attention if s/he forgets. At no point should the tile bag be lowered below the table, placed on the lap etc. If a player cannot raise the bag, s/he may look away from the bag while drawing tiles instead. Furthermore, all 7 of a player’s tiles should be visible to the opponent at all times (see also: Overdrawing).

Finishing a Move: The move is over when the player announces his/her score. Once the score has been announced, no changes may be made to the move, even if an error of some sort was committed. After announcing the score, the player must record the score on his/her score sheet and only then replenish his/her rack to 7 tiles.

Changing Tiles: If there are 7 or more tiles in the bag, a player may decide to change tiles INSTEAD of playing a word. In this case, s/he announces “Changing (number of tiles)”, removes the tiles (“old tiles”) s/he wishes to change from his/her rack, placing them on the table, draws new tiles to replace the old tiles and then returns the old tiles to the tile bag.

Passing: A player may decide to pass INSTEAD of playing a word. In this case, s/he announces “Pass” and misses a turn.

Ending a Game: When no tiles remain in the bag and one of the players has succeeded in playing all remaining tiles on his/her rack, the game is over. The player finishing his/her tiles first then doubles the points left on his opponent’s rack and adds them to his/her own. NO SUBTRACTION OF POINTS IS CARRIED OUT! After handing in the score cards (see “Scoring”) and arranging the tiles in a ten-by-ten square in the corner of the board, players are requested to leave the room in order to avoid disturbing other players.

Challenges: If a player is not familiar with one or more of the words his/her opponent has played, s/he may challenge. First and foremost, do not challenge or indicate your wish to challenge before your opponent has completed his/her move by announcing his/her score. Up until the moment the move has been completed, a player may withdraw or change his/her play. Once your opponent has announced his/her score, you may challenge by saying “Challenge”. The player must call “challenge” BEFORE his/her opponent has drawn tiles. If a player wishes to consider whether to challenge or not, s/he must call “hold” before his/her opponent has drawn tiles. S/he may hold for up to one minute before deciding to challenge or before continuing play as usual. Then, if s/he wishes to challenge, s/he must call “challenge”. The “challenge” section of the game sheet is then filled in, a judge is summoned and the challenge is checked. A player may challenge as many words of the challenged play as s/he wishes. The judge’s decision will merely state that the move, as a whole, was either acceptable or not. NO FURTHER INFORMATION WILL BE GIVEN! If a challenge is deemed “not acceptable”, the offending player removes the word and loses his/her turn. If a challenge is deemed “acceptable”, the challenger loses his/her turn, unless *none* of the challenged words are in OWL2 (i.e. they are OSW only - see word source). If a player disagrees with the challenge’s acceptability, then s/he may ask for a recheck. If there is still a disagreement after the recheck, the director will personally check the challenge. The director’s decision is final. Please DO NOT discuss the words (their acceptability, their meaning etc.) with your opponent.

Overdrawing: If a player draws more tiles than s/he should have drawn, s/he is penalized in one of the following manners: If the player has not mixed the "new" tiles with those on his/her rack, then the opponent takes the number of excess tiles +2 from the new tiles, looks at the tiles, and returns two tiles to the player. If the player has mixed at least one of the "new" tiles with those on his/her rack, then the opponent takes the number of excess tiles +2 from all the tiles, looks at the tiles, and returns two tiles to the player.

Overtime: If a game has not been finished after 50 minutes and there are no tiles remaining in the bag, the game continues as usual with one difference. The players will have 1 minute per move. The player’s opponent will be responsible for timing this minute. If a game has not been finished after 50 minutes and there are tiles left in the bag, the game is terminated immediately, regardless of who played first or has had more turns. If a player has started placing his/her word on the board, s/he may complete the move. The players must replenish their racks (7 tiles each) and subtract the total number of points on their racks from their score.

Clocks: Players may use a clock if both parties agree. Please notify the director if this is your intention BEFORE play begins. “Clock Rules” will subsequently apply (see attached). Players in Expert are advised to use clocks.

Word Source: The Official Scrabble Words International (OWL) is used for adjudication. See also "Challenges".

Aids: Players must record the score during play. Players may score using another method other than writing (e.g. “pegs” or a book, provided the book is not in English) if they so wish. Anything may be written down during play. No lists, notes, dictionaries etc. may be used during play with one exception. Players in Casual may use a list of two-letter words acceptable in play. Personal tracking sheets (i.e. sheets recording tiles placed on the board) are allowed.

Players deliberately and/or repeatedly violating rules may be penalized by the director and may even forfeit the game.

If there are ANY disagreements regarding ANY issue concerning play, please consult the director. The director’s decision will be final.

Play

The player going first draws 7 tiles, after which the player going second draws 7 tiles.

The starter plays his/her word. The starter then announces the score for his/her move. The move is now considered completed and NO CHANGES MAY BE MADE!

The move may now be challenged if a player so wishes. A player may challenge up until the moment his/her opponent has drawn tiles. If a player wishes to consider whether to challenge or not, s/he must indicate this to his/her opponent by saying “Hold” or by some other unambiguous word/gesture. The opponent may not replenish his/her rack until the player decides on whether or not to challenge.

The starter records his/her score on the score sheet and proceeds to draw tiles. By recording one’s score BEFORE drawing tiles, one allows one’s opponent a brief moment in which to consider whether to challenge or not. Therefore, kindly record your score before drawing tiles.

Clock Rules

Choosing the Clock: If there is a disagreement as to which clock to use, then the more accurate clock is used. If the clocks “tie” in their suitability to play, then the player going second makes the choice.

Time Limit: Games will be played with chess-clocks set at 25 minutes per player.

Finishing a Move: The move is over when the player has pressed his/her clock. Once the clock has been pressed, no changes may be made to the move, even if an error of some sort was committed. After pressing the clock, the player must record the score on his/her score sheet and only then replenish his/her rack to 7 tiles. The opponent may only challenge (see “Challenges”) BEFORE the player has replenished his rack. Players must announce their score before pressing the clock. If the player neglects to announce his/her score before pressing the clock, the move is considered over as soon as the clock has been pressed. The opponent may press the clock, restarting the player’s clock until the score has been announced. Please note, it is against the rules to press the clock before announcing the score. If a player repeatedly does so - regardless of the amount of time left on the clock - s/he may be penalized.

Challenges: The clock is neutralized when a player wishes to challenge and calls “challenge”. Following the final decision regarding the challenge, the clock is restarted.

Neutralizing Clock: If either opponent wishes to summon the director or if there is a disagreement as to the score for a given move and/or the cumulative score, the players may neutralize the clock until the problem has been resolved.

Overtime: Players lose 10 points per minute (or part thereof) of overtime.

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