Scrabble Game Rules: How to Play & Win

Objective of the Game

In Scrabble, 2–4 players score points by forming words on a 15×15 board using letter tiles with different point values. The player with the highest score at the end of the game wins.

What’s in the Box

• 1 game board (15×15 squares)
• 100 letter tiles (including 2 blank wild tiles)
• 4 tile racks
• Tile bag
• Score sheet and pencil

Setup

1. Each player draws 7 tiles from the bag.
2. Place them on your rack so only you can see them.
3. Decide who goes first (usually draw a random tile; closest to "A" starts).

Gameplay

1. First move: The first word must cover the center star square.
2. Subsequent moves: Each new word must connect to existing words on the board, either horizontally or vertically.
3. Tile exchange: Instead of playing, a player may exchange tiles with the bag, but this counts as their turn.
4. Passing: A player may also choose to pass their turn.

Scoring

• Each letter tile has a point value (common letters like E=1, rare ones like Q=10).
• Word scores = sum of letter values, adjusted by bonus squares.
• Bonus squares:
  • Double Letter (DL): doubles the value of one letter.
  • Triple Letter (TL): triples the value of one letter.
  • Double Word (DW): doubles the entire word score.
  • Triple Word (TW): triples the entire word score.
• Using all 7 tiles in one turn = Bingo bonus (+50 points).

Challenges

If you think an opponent’s word isn’t valid, you may challenge. If the word is invalid, it’s removed and the player loses that turn. If valid, the challenger loses their next turn.

End of the Game

• The game ends when all tiles have been drawn and one player uses all their tiles, or when all players pass twice in a row.
• Each player subtracts the value of their remaining tiles from their score.
• If a player used all their tiles, they add the total of all opponents’ leftover tiles to their score.
• Highest score wins.

Strategy Tips

• Save high-value letters (Q, Z, X, J) for bonus squares.
• Build parallel words to score points for multiple words at once.
• Control bonus squares to prevent opponents from using them.
• Don’t forget the power of 2- and 3-letter words.

FAQ

Q: Can I use names or abbreviations? A: No, only standard dictionary words are allowed.

Q: Can I play words backwards? A: No, only left-to-right or top-to-bottom.

Q: Are blank tiles worth points? A: No, but they can represent any letter.