The Scrabble competition aims to extend vocabulary and develop spelling skills in English and other languages among pupils.

to enhance pupils’ vocabulary in English Language

to enhance mental arithmetic skills among pupils.

to encourage teamwork and promote integration among pupils.

to provide a platform for learning in a fun and enjoyable manner.

Eligibility This competition is divided into two categories.

Primary                                Grades 4 – 7

Junior Secondary              Grades 8 to – 9

Senior Secondary              Grades 10 – 12

Each team shall comprise 2 players from the same school/ district/ province they are representing. 

Teams must be as representative as possible of the genders, races, and other characteristics.

Each team is to be accompanied by an English, Zambian or Foreign Language teacher who is an affiliate member of LATAZ.

Participants shall be in school uniforms.

Participants must sit face-to-face.

The organizer will determine the pairings for each round.

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.

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

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.

1.6.1.  Each team is given 25 minutes per game. Chess clock or Scrabble timer will be used to time the game.

1.6.2.  There is no time limit for each move, but the game shall end after 50 minutes or when one team has exceeded the 25-minute limit by 5 minutes.

1.6.3.  Each player/team shall have 3 minutes for each turn.

1.6.4.  Any team who exceeds the allocated 25 minutes shall be penalised 10 points for each minute or part thereof.

1.6.5.  Each team shall play four (4) rounds- from knockout, quarterfinal, semi-final and final depending on their progression. However, the tournament director (see 3.7.1) may vary the number of rounds as circumstances dictate.

1.7.1.  Before the game is started, the Coordinator will count the tiles. After they have been counted, the tiles are put back in the box or sack and scrambled.

1.7.2.  The Coordinator will randomly pick tiles and put them in a separate box for drawing first play.

1.7.3.  Every player/team will draw a tile at random. The player/team who gets the closest tile to the letter A or blank will play first.

1.7.4.  After the first player is set, all tiles used in the placement drawing will be put back to the box or sack and scrambled. The players will then draw 7 (seven) tiles each from the box or sack, starting from the first player, then goes in a clockwise fashion (to the left side of the first player)

1.8.1.  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.

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

1.8.3.  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.

1.8.4.  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.

1.8.5.  All letters played on a turn must be placed in one row across or down the board, to form at least one complete word.

1.8.6.  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.

1.8.7.  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 3 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

1.8.8.  No tile may be shifted or replaced after it has been played and scored.

1.8.9.  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.

1.8.10. 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.

1.8.11. The game ends when

1.8.11.1.    all the tiles have been drawn and one of the teams have used all the tiles in their rack.

1.8.11.2.    all possible plays have been made.

1.8.11.3.    both teams have passed thrice consecutively.

1.8.12. 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.

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

1.9.1.  Players shall NOT refer to any dictionaries and/or electronic devices or materials while playing.

1.9.2.  Calculators shall not be used during the game.

1.9.3.  No movement of the board during the game is allowed unless a rotating board is used.

1.9.4.  There should be no communication in any form between the players and/or to the spectators during the match. Communication should be made only to the Director or Director.

1.9.5.  A player/team shall not distract another player/team’s attention in any way.

1.9.6.  A team/player shall not leave the location of the game by any cause, unless permitted by the Director.

1.9.7.  Any team/player that arrives at the playing location 15 minutes later than the scheduled time shall be disqualified.

1.9.8.  The Executive Committee reserves the rights to disqualify a player/team who refuses to be subjected to the regulations of the game.

1.9.9.   The LATAZ Executive Committee has full authority with regard to the interpretation, application and modification, if necessary, of these rules.

1.9.10. The decision of the Executive Committee with respect to these rules will be final and binding.

1.10.1. There shall be a Tournament Director.

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

1.10.3. In case of any contention, WESPA Rules Version 3.0 shall be referred to and the Tournament Director has the final say.

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

1.11.2. 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.

1.11.3. The decision of the Tournament Director is final.

1.12.1. Medals

1.12.2. Certificates of achievement will be awarded to the winning teams. Certificates of participation will be awarded to all participating teams.

1.13.1. 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.

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 double the score of the letter played on it. A dark blue square triple 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.

1.15.1. There is a list of words that are restricted from school (youth) Scrabble.

1.15.2. These words are referred to as the “The Poo List” and are racist, sexist, homophobic, vulgar, or otherwise offensive.

1.15.3. When in doubt, avoid using these words in Scrabble play. They will NOT be judged as valid words if you are challenged. Consult this website for a complete list of rejected words: https://schoolscrabblela.wordpress.com/2015-poo-is-good-list/

1.16.1. Tile “tracking” is allowed. Players may use the tile-tracking sheets provided at the tournament or his/her own version showing the same information. Advanced players use these special sheets to help them remember which letters have been used and which letters are still possible to play. Players may also use blank sheets to keep score, which will be provided by the Director.

1.16.2. Cell phones must be turned off in the tournament room.

1.16.3. If a player needs to use the bathroom or has some other pressing reason to leave mid-game, his/her time will continue to count down in his/her absence.

1.16.4. No earpieces (for iPods, etc.) are allowed in the tournament room.

The player winning the most games in his/her division wins. If there is more than one player with the same number of wins, the winner is the player with the most wins AND the highest spread. A player’s spread is calculated by adding together the number of points by which each of his/her games was won or lost. For example, if a player wins his/her first game by 40 points and loses his/her next by 10 points, the player’s spread after two games would be +30.