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Have you ever heard the sports saying "The best offense is a good defense."? This basic wisdom can apply to many circumstances in life, as well as to all sorts of competitive endeavors. And Scrabble is no exception.

To win at Scrabble, you don't need to consistently use all seven letters to span multiple double- or triple- letter and/or word score boxes. Yes, you will need a fair arsenal of words to get you points. But to win, you only need to have more points than the rest of the players. You are not out to set records.

So here is my secret which has served me well for my 30+ years of Scrabble playing - DEFENSE! Use your turn as an opportunity to block your opponents from using those prime spots on the board. Even if you cannot make use of them yourself, you have kept them from pulling too far into the lead.

Always keep in mind that you do not need to be at the top of the pack, score-wise, on every single turn to come out the winner. Don't let the fact that you may be trailing cause you to waiver from your strategy. Block, block, block... and make some points along the way, of course. In the course of one game, you will see the benefits.

You may not master this technique the very first time, and you might lose miserably for a while. Don't give up. Develop an eye for places your opponents might make big points with whatever letters they MIGHT have (you must use your imagination). Once you become adept at finding these spots, blocking them is a matter of either grabbing them up yourself, or simply building a word adjacent to them so as to foil any future attempts to use that spot.

Another defensive technique is tile management. Typically, in an offensive (point scoring) mode, a player wants to maximize the average points-per-tile that his words earn him. In other words, the fewer tiles used to get a given amount of points, the better. Follow this strategy, and by the end of the game, you will have earned the most points possible.

But remember, that is not always the best way to win the game. One point more than everyone else is all you need (unless you are trying to impress someone!). So there may be times when you have a considerable lead and are comfortable that you have sufficiently blocked your opponents' point-scoring opportunities that you just want the game to end. After all, at that point, every turn is risky - another chance for someone else to take the lead.

So now is the time to think about sacrificing points for higher tile consumption. Make larger words that may earn you less points, but will hurry the game along to the conclusion you desire... where YOU are the winner.

While doing this, though, you must still play defensively. Keep in mind any opportunities your word might create for your opponents. Look at the tiles that are already out there, and weigh the chances that you may be setting up your opponent with the benefits of using the tiles.

I know this sounds like a lot to think about, and it is, at first. It is so instinctual to just go for the big points. And if you are a super-genius, that strategy may work for you... unless, of course you are up against other super-geniuses. The defensive strategy, however, will work for you even if you are the underdog.

Defensive play will thwart your opponents attempts at attaining their all-time personal best. It will frustrate them, crush their morale, and break their spirit. And, applied smartly, YOU will win. This has worked for me consistently over the years, and I know it will work for you, too.

Learn more about this author, Sket Devins.
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