We cannot help but stress this every entry: Scrabble is definitely one of the greatest board games you can ever play. That being said, even if you’re not really a competitive player and you only do it for fun, you might want to improve your game, because after all, winning gives you a great feeling. Everyday, you might be doing activities that are boosting your Scrabble – and Words with Friends – capabilities. Time to know what they are.
Reading good books and other content
Photo Credit: Stewart Butterfield
“A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone if it is to keep its edge”. This quote is taken from George R. R. Martin’s bestselling series of novels, A Song of Ice and Fire, which has its own TV adaptation, The Game of Thrones. This quote was spoken by Tyrion Lannister, one of the wittiest characters in the story.
By reading good books, news articles, blogs and all sorts of educational online content, you are unconsciously enhancing your Scrabble skills. Reading allows you to learn a number of words, which you might suddenly remember during the pivotal moments of every Scrabble game. Remember, reading does not only sharpen your mind, but also your Scrabble skills!
Performing mathematical equations
Andrew Fisher, one of the best Scrabble players in the whole world, says that the best Scrabble players come from number-based backgrounds, as well as those working on computers and finances. This contradicts the popular belief that the best Scrabble players are always vocabulary giants whose knowledge of words exceeds the size of the earth. This is so, because above all things, the game demands a particular skill set present in these people: logic, pattern recognition and probability assessment – all according to Andrew Fisher.
By performing mathematical equations, you greatly enhance these skills, thus improving your capabilities in Scrabble. Regardless if you do complex calculus equations or simple addition and subtraction, your skills will definitely be increased.
Playing other games
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Currently, there are a lot of word games online aside from Scrabble and Words with Friends, and these can improve your anagramming skills and your ability to think quickly. That being said, if you’ve played games like Text Twist, then your mind is definitely conditioned to play Scrabble. Aside from which, solving crossword and other word-related puzzles will also enhance skills pertaining to such. Aside from which, games that make you think fast are will also improve your decision making skills, which come in handy during tense situations.
Playing poker
Source:Marce Grez
If you think Scrabble is all about strategy, logic and words, think again: notorious players are known to feign and lure their opponents into traps, giving them a ton of points. Playing poker enables you to master the skill of feigning, and it also allows you to “develop” your composure and your “poker face”. Bear in mind that a smile or an expectant look is enough to make your opponent sense that something is up and will render him to be more careful in his succeeding turns.
Overall, doing the above mentioned will certainly enhance your Scrabble skills and will definitely help in avoiding possible losses. If you’re not performing these, try to do them now, and you’ll notice the difference in a matter of weeks!