NSF Official Tournament Rules And Regulations

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Table of Contents

I. Beginning the Game

A. Equipment

1. 1. References
2. Official Scrabble Word dictionary ( comprising both US
  & UK word sources)
3. 2. Tiles
4. 3. Clocks
5. 4. Racks / Boards
6. 5. Papers
7. 6. Disputed Equipment

B. Confirming the Number of Tiles

C. Who Plays First?

D. Starting Play

E. Missing the Centre Square

F. Arriving Late

II. Playing the Game

A. How to Draw Tiles

B. Overdrawing

C. Drawing Out of Order

D. Keeping Tiles on the Rack

E. Counting Tiles during the Game

F. Orientation of Tiles and Board

G. Exchanging Tiles

H. Improper Tile Exchange

I. Passing

J. Playing the Blank

1. 1. Designating the Blank
2. 2. Verifying the Blank

K. Completing the Turn

L. Challenges and Adjudication

1. 1. Challenging the Play
2. 2. Holding the Play
3. 3. Courtesy Rule
4. 4. Challenge Slips
5. 5. Adjudicating Challenges
6. 6. Requesting a Review
7. 7. Erroneous Adjudication
8. 8. Misunderstanding the Blank's Designation

M. End-of-Turn Irregularities

N. Verifying the Score

O. Announcing an Incorrect Score

P. Leaving the Playing Area During a Game

Q. Observing Infractions

III. Ending the Game

A. Final Play

B. Neutralizing the Clock on the Out Play

C. Adjusting the Score

1. 1. Un played Tiles
2. 2. Overtime

D. Winning the Game

E. Recounting the Game

F. Recording the Game

G. Byes and Forfeits

H. Adjacent game with Equivalent Tiles.

I. Code of Conduct.

I. Beginning the Game

A. Equipment

1. References
1. (a) Current Official Scrabble Word (comprising of US & UK
  word sources)
2. (b) For words not found in the dictionary above , the main
  Sources where the Scrabble Lists were compiled from will be
  cross checked.
3. (c) Players must not consult any word list or any form of
  reference during the game except where specifically permitted by
  the rules of the tournament.

2. Tiles(Protiles)

Smoother tiles – those with which there is less possibility
of determining the letter on a tile by touch alone – are
preferred.

3. Clocks

For all NSF sanctioned tournament games using clocks, you are
allowed exactly 25 minutes to complete all
plays, after which an overtime penalty applies. There is no
limit on the time taken per turn.

4. Racks/Boards

The top of each tile on your rack must be visible at all
times, so that your opponent can see how many tiles you have.
You may use a non-standard rack if it meets this requirement. If
the board blocks your opponent's view of your tiles when
your rack is in the usual position, lower or replace the board
as needed.

5. Papers

The only papers allowed in your playing area are blank sheets
of paper, your contestant scorecard score sheets challenge
slips, and an alphabet or letter-distribution list(s). You may
construct and use your own letter lists.

6. Disputed Equipment

If you and your opponent disagree on which shared equipment
to use (tiles board clock, bag, table), use that which is
preferred or conforms more closely with specifications. The
player going second may choose between equally also conforming
equipment.

B. Confirming the Number of Tiles

Before each game, confirm that there are 100 tiles, with the
letter distribution as shown on the side of the board. Replace a
defective set or notify the Director. If you later discover that
there are missing tiles, and they cannot be found, the game
proceeds with the tile pool as is.

C. Who Plays First?

If the order of play is not pre-determined by the tournament
structure, who plays first is determined by the first method
that applies:

The player with fewer firsts.

The player with more seconds.

The player who draws a single tile earlier in the alphabet
(blank counted before "A"), repeating this as needed.
Tiles are returned to the bag.

D. Starting Play

Both players may shuffle the tiles before the game begins.
The first player draws his initial tiles only when the opponent
is alerted to this action. If the second player has not yet
shuffled and asks to do so before the first player has drawn
seven tiles, the first player must comply before completing his
draw.
If you are going second, start your opponent's clock as soon
as s/he draws a tile out of the bag.

E. Missing the Centre Square

If the first word does not cover the centre square, the
opponent may challenge the play off the board, regardless of its
acceptability. If not challenged, it is scored without the
Double Word Score bonus earned on an opening play. The centre
square remains as a DWS usable on a later play.

F. Arriving Late

If your opponent is ready to play and you have not arrived,
the Director may start your clock, no earlier than three minutes
after the start of the round. Your opponent does nothing. When
you arrive, the clock is stopped for pre-game preliminaries and
determining who plays first; then the game begins with your
reduced time as is. However if your 25 minutes runs out the game
will be awarded to your opponent.

II. Playing the Game

A. How to Draw Tiles

Hold the bag at eye level or higher and avert your eyes. Show
your open palm to your opponent just before drawing. Draw the
number of tiles needed and place them either directly on your
rack or face down on the table first.
A tile is defined as drawn when your drawing hand has completely
left the bag. You may not return drawn tiles to the bag, other
than through the listed procedures for exchange or overdraw. If
you return tiles to the bag improperly, the following penalty
applies, where X = the number of tiles returned:
The clock is neutralized; your opponent takes X tiles from the
bag and two tiles from your rack and exposes them all face up to
common view, and within one minute returns X tiles of her choice
to the bag and the remaining two tiles to you. Restart the
clock.

B Overdrawing

If you draw too many tiles, or become aware at any time that
you have more than seven tiles on your rack, inform your
opponent and neutralize the clock. The following penalty
applies, where X = the number of extra tiles: If you have
combined none of the newly-drawn tiles with your old tiles, your
opponent selects (X+2) tiles randomly from the new tiles (face
down). If you have combined at least one new tile with your old
tiles, your opponent selects the (X+2) tiles from the mixed
group of all new and 4 old tiles. In either
case, your opponent exposes the selected tiles face up to common
view, and within one minute returns X tiles of her choice to the
bag and the remaining two tiles to you. Restart the clock.

EXCEPTION: If you should have drawn a single
tile but drew more, and you have combined none of the
newly-drawn tiles with your old tiles, your opponent exposes
only the new tiles, and within one minute returns one tile to
you and the remaining tiles to the bag.

C. Drawing Out of Order

If you complete a play and you draw tiles before your
opponent replenishes her rack from previous turn. The following
penalty applies where X is the no. of tiles.

1. If you have combined none of the newly drawn tiles with
your old tiles, you return X tiles to the bag.

2. If you have combined at least one new tile with an old
tile, your opponent selects X tiles from the mixed group of old
and new and return to the bag within 1minute.

D. Keeping Tiles on the Rack

Keep your tiles on your rack unless you are moving them to or
from the bag, board or table during a listed procedure. Although
you are free to change your play during your turn, do not use
the board as a physical working area while deciding on a
play.

E. Counting Tiles during the Game

When using smooth tiles, you may put your hand into the bag
and count the tiles remaining.
When using indented tiles, you may count the tiles remaining
unless your opponent objects, in which case a staff member may
be called to count the tiles.
The player whose clock is running has first rights to the bag
for a tile count. If your opponent's clock is running and
she requests the bag, comply at once.
While counting tiles, hold the bag at eye level or higher and
avert your eyes. Show your open palm with fingers stretched
apart to your opponent just before reaching inside the bag.

F. Orientation of Tiles and Board

The orientation of words played, left to right and top to
bottom, is established by the first successful play of the game.
You may challenge off the board any subsequent word that does
not follow the initial orientation.

The first play of the game should conform with the
orientation of the bonus-square lettering. If it does not, you
may correct it before the second successful play on the board is
completed; after that, the orientation of the bonus-square
lettering is irrelevant.
Place tiles on the board in the correct orientation, with the
letter value in the lower right corner. You may correct a
mis-oriented tile only during your turn or when the clock is
neutralized for some other reason. If your opponent plays a
mis-oriented tile and ends her turn without correcting it, you
may voice an objection, specific to that incident, before your
subsequent turn ends. After three such timely objections, you
may notify the Director and receive an extra minute of playing
time for that game.

During your turn, you may rotate the board to the viewing
angle you prefer. Do not touch the board when your
opponent's clock is running.

G. Exchanging Tiles

You may use your turn to exchange one or more tiles on your
rack for new tiles, provided there are at least seven tiles in
the bag. The exchange constitutes your entire turn and scores
zero.

The procedure:

1. Announce how many tiles you wish to exchange.

2. Separate the tiles to be exchanged from those to be
retained, placing one group face down on the table and leaving
the other group on your rack. If all seven tiles are to be
exchanged, they need not be placed on the table.

3. Start your opponent's clock. Once you start the clock
or begin to draw tiles, you must exchange the group of tiles on
the table. If the group of tiles on the table does not contain
the number announced, you must exchange those on the table and
alert your opponent to the discrepancy between your announcement
and your action, making clear the actual number of tiles finally
exchanged. If "exchange" is said, without a number
announced, the clock is started and NO tiles are on the table,
the player has effectively passed, without exchanging any
tiles.

4. Draw the required number of tiles from the bag.

5. Place the new tiles face down on the table to verify the
count.

6. Put the replaced tiles in the bag and shuffle the bag.
However it is allowable to place the new tiles directly on
the rack, but it is not advised.

H. Improper Tile Exchange

If you exchange tiles when there are fewer than seven in the
bag, and combine at least one newly-drawn tile with your old
tiles, the following penalty applies, where X = the number of
tiles exchanged:

Neutralize the clock and complete the exchange (as announced)
if you have not done so. Mix all your tiles face down on the
table. Your opponent selects X tiles randomly from that mixed
group, exposes those X tiles and all the tiles remaining in the
bag face up to common view, and within one minute returns X
tiles of her choice to you. The remaining tiles are returned to
the bag, and your opponent's clock is started. However, no
penalty applies if your opponent ends her turn before the
infraction is noted.

If you stop the improper exchange before you draw any tiles,
your turn counts as a pass, and no other penalty applies.

If you stop the exchange after beginning to draw but before
combining any drawn tiles with your old tiles, your turn counts
as a pass, and no other penalty applies. Expose the drawn tiles
face up to common view and return them to the bag.

I. Passing

You may pass your turn at any time during the game, scoring
zero. Passing is not exchanging. Passing does nothing to change
the board or your rack. To pass, announce that you are passing
and start your opponent's clock.

For clarity, we recommend saying "pass zero",
though this is not mandatory.

J. Playing the Blank

1. Designating the Blank

When playing a blank tile, you must state what letter it
represents, print that letter on a new plain sheet and show this
paper to your opponent, all before ending your turn. If you
neglect any of these actions, your opponent may neutralize the
clock until you comply.

You may repeatedly change a blank tile's designation
during your turn; but once your turn has ended, the designation
cannot be changed for the rest of the game.

K. Completing the Turn

Sequentially, this is how a turn proceeds:

After your opponent's turn ends, record the cumulative
score before beginning your play.

Position your tiles on the board. You may remove or
reposition your tiles as you like to change your play during
your turn.

Designate the blank, if applicable.

Declare the score

Start your opponent's clock, ending your turn.
Record the cumulative score to that point in the game. You may
NOT pre-record the cumulative score.

Draw tiles to replenish your rack.

Track tiles, if desired.

EXCEPTION: Steps 1 and 6, recording the cumulative score, are
waived if there are no tiles remaining to draw.

L. Challenges and Adjudication

1. Challenging the Play

When your opponent's turn ends, you may challenge any
word(s) formed on that play. To do so, call
"challenge" and neutralize the clock. A challenge
announcement before your opponent's turn ends is void and
improper.

2.Holding the Play

If you do not challenge at once but are considering a
challenge, call "hold" to notify your opponent not to
draw replacement tiles. Once your clock is started, you may hold
or challenge the play within 20 seconds, or until your opponent
has performed steps 1 through 6 of Section K above (Completing
the Turn) and has drawn at least one tile. After that the play
cannot be held or challenged. (If your opponent begins to draw
tiles before starting your clock,) A verbal challenge during the
allowed period is binding. Recording a score or verbally
accepting the play does not affect your right to hold or
challenge.

A player may hold only because of uncertainty about whether
to challenge, not solely to delay opponent's replenishing
her rack.

3. Courtesy Rule

If you call "hold," your clock continues to run,
and there is no limit on the time you may take to challenge or
release the hold. However, after one minute of hold time has
elapsed, your opponent may draw and look at replacement tiles,
keeping them separate from any unplayed tiles. If you then
successfully challenge the play, your opponent shows the
replacement tiles to you and returns them to the bag before
removing her play from the board.

4. Challenge Slips

When challenging a play, neutralize the clock, alert the Word
Judge and record on a challenge slip the word(s) you are
challenging. Your opponent may require you to use a challenge
slip if you neglect to do so. Have your opponent verify the
spelling and legibility of words on the slip, correcting if
necessary. The Word Judge looks up only the words on the
challenge slip, after confirming that they correspond to words
actually played and requiring the players to resolve the
discrepancy if they do not.

5. Adjudicating Challenges/ Penalties for wrong
Challenges

Only the Director or designated staff may rule on the
validity of a challenged word.
If any word you challenge is judged unacceptable, the Word Judge
labels the play "unacceptable." Your opponent returns
the tiles played to his/her rack and then starts your clock,
losing her turn and scoring zero. The Word Judge does not
specify which word(s) are unacceptable.

If all the words you challenged are judged acceptable, the
Word Judge labels the play "acceptable." The play
remains on the board and you start your opponent's clock,
with 10pts added to the score of the player
with you the challenger not loosing a turn. Note that no new
words of the same play can be challenged after the result of the
challenge has been returned

6. Requesting a Review

Either player may request a review of the challenge ruling
and may obtain a third adjudication if the first two differ, or
at the Director's discretion.

7. Erroneous Adjudication

If you lose a turn inappropriately because of an erroneous
adjudication, and you notify the Director before leaving the
tournament area for the day, your cumulative point spread will
be increased by an amount equal to the value of the play (as
verified by the score sheet and your opponent) plus 25 points.
Note that it is only after 6 above have been
satisfied, that this rule may apply.

8. Misunderstanding the Blank's Designation

If you challenge a play because you misunderstood the
designation of a blank tile, you may withdraw the challenge
without penalty.

M. End-of-Turn Irregularities

If you make a play, announce the score and draw a tile before
starting your opponent's clock, your turn ends. Your
opponent has 20 seconds to hold the play.
If you draw tiles before recording the cumulative score, your
opponent has 20 seconds to hold the play.
If in either of these situations he/ she then successfully
challenges, and you have already drawn tiles, they are treated
as extra tiles under the overdraw penalty.

N. Verifying the Score

Throughout the game you should verify that your record of the
score agrees with your opponent's. Ask for verification only
while your clock is running. Your opponent must respond by
agreeing or disagreeing with the suggested score. Neutralize the
clock only to resolve a discrepancy.

O. Announcing an Incorrect Score

If your opponent ends her turn having announced an incorrect
score for the play, you may voice an objection, specific to that
incident, before your subsequent turn ends. After three such
timely objections, you may notify the Director and receive an
extra minute of playing time for that game.

P. Leaving the Playing Area During a Game

If you must leave the playing area during the game, do so
only after making a play, starting your opponent's clock and
recording the cumulative score. Do not draw tiles. If your
opponent makes a play while you are gone, she starts your clock
and records the cumulative score, but does not draw tiles. Upon
your return she must point out her play; you then have five
seconds to hold or challenge the play.

Emergency Break:

A player may leave and later return to a game in progress if
emergency circumstances warrant and under the supervision of the
Tournament Director (TD). The TD may declare a game forfeited in
cases where a player has abandoned a game or committed a
flagrant breach of the rules. The NSF technical committee may
impose a suitable penalty on such player.

Q. Observing Infractions

Bring to the attention of the relevant players or staff any
rules violation or improper situation that you observe in your
own game or other games.
Suggest that the affected player ask for a second opinion if you
think a ruling or word adjudication is incorrect.
Prompt the Word Judge to check other allowable word source for
longer words.
Inform the players involved if a player has more than seven
tiles on her rack.

DO NOT alert players at games other than your own when you
notice mistakes regarding either scores or the time clock. Such
mistakes are the sole responsibility of the players
themselves.

III. Ending the Game

A. Final Play

The game ends when:
One player goes out when she successfully plays all of her tiles
when none remain to be drawn, or
There are six successive scores of zero resulting from passes,
exchanges or challenges and the cumulative game score is not
zero-zero.

B. Neutralizing the Clock on the Out Play

When making a play to go out, you must neutralize the clock,
NOT start your opponent's clock. If you do
start the clock, any overtime penalty or increase in penalty you
thereby cause does not apply. Once you neutralize the clock,
your opponent has five seconds to voice " hold" or
" challenge ". If she does not, the game ends. If your
opponent holds the play, start her clock. It runs until she
releases the hold (ending the game) or challenges. An
unsuccessful challenge ends the game. If the clock is not
neutralized after the final play of the game, the game is
considered over and the clock considered neutralized five
seconds after either player reveals her unused tiles or declares
their total point value.

C. Adjusting the Score

1. Unplayed Tiles

If you go out, increase your score by double the total value
of the un played tiles on your opponent's rack. Her score
does not change.
If the game ends with neither player going out, each player
reduces her score by the total value of the tiles remaining on
her rack.

2. Overtime

If you use more than your allotted 25 minutes, reduce your
score by 10 points for each minute of overtime or fraction
thereof. A digital clock is not in overtime when it reads 0:00
or -0:00.

D. Winning the Game

The player with the highest adjusted score wins the game. If
both players have the same adjusted score, the game is a tie,
and each player is awarded one-half (1/2) a win.

E. Recounting the Game

Either player, or both, may recount a game. No third party
should participate. If your opponent wishes to recount, you must
provide your score sheet whether or not you participate.

If you choose not to participate in the recount, you may
contest only a specific mistake or mistakes found by your
opponent. You may not begin or demand another recount.

The Director may call an end to a recount that interferes
with tournament function.

F. Recording the Game

When the game is over, fill out your contestant scorecard and
sign your opponent's card, thereby attesting that the scores
recorded are correct. When both cards are signed, no further
scoring adjustments may be made, unless both players, in
agreement, notify the Director that there was a scoring
error.

Leave the tiles on the board after the game to facilitate the
next pre-game count.

G. Byes and Forfeits

If you fail to show up for a scheduled game, you receive a
forfeit loss, with 50 points subtracted from your total spread;
and your designated opponent receives a forfeit win, with 50
points added to his/her total spread.
However, you may postpone a game without forfeit if both your
opponent and the Director agree.

If you must leave a game in progress, and you and your
opponent cannot finish at a later time agreeable to both of you
and the Director, you receive a forfeit loss for that game. If
you are ahead in score when you leave, 50 points are subtracted
from your total spread. If you are behind, 50 points plus the
amount you are behind are subtracted from your total spread. A
game that begins with both players present and is then forfeited
is rated as a completed game.
A game is considered to have begun when the first player has
drawn at least one tile while the second player is alerted to
this action.
A bye counts as a win, with 50 points added to your total
spread.

At the end of a round, if the Director believes that allowing
any more games to finish naturally threatens the timely running
of the tournament, s/he may stop such games at that point with
the scores standing as is.

The Director should advise the players a few minutes prior to
ending the game, so they may be given warning and attempt to
finish the game themselves. The Director must use his/her good
judgment and discretion to determine if one player is taking
advantage of this rule to win, against the spirit of the game,
using unnecessary delay-of-game tactics.

When there is no official starting time for the next round,
as sometimes happens on the 2nd, 3rd or 4th round of a playing
session, the Director should avoid starting late players'
clocks, though warnings, followed by appropriate clock-starting,
may be issued to repeat offenders who abuse this situation.
Players not involved in recounts should be allowed a 10-minute
break between rounds. Then after a full-game recount, if the
next round has already been in progress for at least 10 minutes,
the break is limited to 5 minutes.

H. Adjacent game with Equivalent Tiles

If player A makes a play that includes tiles from an
adjoining game, then upon being noticed before player B
announces his score after making his/her next play , the
Director should remove the extra tiles and have player A draw
new tiles and make another play . If player B has already
announced his score for his next play following Player A,s use
of extra tiles then the Director simply removes those unwanted
tiles and replace them with equivalent tiles from the bag. If
this is not possible (for example; extra X on board) , then
those irreplaceable tiles remain on the board for the remainder
of the game.

I. CODE OF CONDUCT

The following code of conduct shall be strictly
applied in Tournaments

Punctuality

Players are expected to arrive punctually to Tournaments. No
player should coerce the Director to register him or her after
the initial draw has been made.

Smoking of cigarette, drinking of alcohols, and eating of
food is highly prohibited on the playing table.

Noise making at the playing arena is not permitted

Cheating or aiding of a player by what ever means is highly
abhorred, and will attract instant disqualification after proper
investigation and proven to be true.

Acknowledgement

These Rules are adapted from the NSA Scrabble Rules of
2005.

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