by Rachelle de Bretagne

Created on: April 17, 2007   Last Updated: April 19, 2007

I am a regular player of Literati, and although it bears no comparison with the original concept of Scrabble, other than placing words on a board to link up and score points, it's a great laugh, and if you can find an on line player with a sense of fun, then is certainly worth exploring.

This is a yahoo game, and in order to play, you need a yahoo name. If you already have a yahoo email address, then you have an ID that can easily be used to play this game on line. Access to the game is pretty easy, and just by typing 'Yahoo Games Literati' directly into your google search box, the site is easily accessed, and you are given a choice of rooms where you can play.

If you are new to the game, try a quieter room, as many of the busier rooms are serious competitors, and you are likely to get into a heavy battle of wits and wisdom, not so much on what words are good words, but on which words work. There's a knack with Literati, and many of the words make little sense off the board, though regular players know which ones work.

Starting a game.

To open your own table is easy, and here you get choices of a simple game, a timed game, and also the number of players. For group games this is great and I have played this with on line friends before, although when playing with strangers, be aware that people are not always responsive and quick with their games, and that many drop out during the course of a game. Two players is a better option, though there are two modes of play, challenge and normal. You will need Java to activate the game.

Timed games

Beware of playing games with those who insist on using a timer. If the time given is reasonable, i.e. 20 minutes upwards, then it's ok. That just means that they are seeking games that are quickly played, although you get a lot of people who play speed Literati, which I admit takes some dexterity but to my mind is less likely to satisfy a true word smith, since many of the words placed are questionable at best.

Normal play

Normal play is untimed. You and your competitor have to make words out of the letters given to you, the first player playing across the center of the board. Different squares have different values, and notably the ones to look out for are the double and triple words, as leaving these open for an opponent will lose you valuable points. In the normal play mode, Yahoo itself decides which are good words, and which are not acceptable, and nothing is left to dispute.

Challenge Play

In this mode, there is more fun to be had,

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