Frustrating Scrabble

[watervole]

I'm having one of the most frustrating Scrabble games of my life.

Owing to some bug in Scrabble Worldwide, instead of a game with megamole , it set me up with someone else.  As the other person seemed quite happy to play, I decided to continue with the game.

She's an absolutely terrible player (14% wins in 157 games), though I realised she was bad from her opening move which wasted a number of good tiles for hardly any score at all.

The laughable thing about it is that her playing style (all two and three letter words, spread out along the double word scores) is actually making it quite difficult to beat her (that and a lucky play that gave her a two letter word with Z in a good position that netted her 60 points).  There's simply nowhere to play long words.  I've already had to discard one bingo as there was nowhere to place it.

I guess it's good for me in a way. For once, I'm actually having to think hard about how to create hooks and bingo lines, whereas normally, I just rely on them appearing in the normal course of the game.

It's actually possible that she'll beat me through sheer grinding board-lock. (I'm not the world's best player, but I expect to win around 2/3 of my games - with a bit of help from Richard)

She's just blocked a 'I' that I'd set up so there would be something to cross through. I wouldn't mind so much if it had been a better use of the position.  She wasted her Q there for 11 points, when there was a free U not far from a double word score which she could surely have used to much better effect if she'd waited to collect whatever she needed.  (The U would still have blocked me, but at least I'd have felt it was doing something useful)

Anyway, enough moaning. I'd better try and set up a new bingo line.  I nearly did it this time, but I could only make six letter words from the tiles I had in hand.

Comments

[philbradley.livejournal.com]

I see what you mean, what you say, and accept your definitions. Of course, you're right to say she's a terrible player in that respect of losing a lot of games.

However, your post cuts right to the heart of games playing. Perhaps she's having a great time, really trying, cheering to herself when she gets a few points and so on. While that may make her a bad player in one sense, on the other hand, if she's getting a lot out of the game, and enjoying it then I'd say that she's actually a good player. From what you've said, the major point that you have in playing is to win; that comes out in everything you've written here. Consequently you're getting irritated, confused and annoyed and not really enjoying yourself; it could be argued in that sense that you're not a good player.

I think the problem here is a total conflict in attitudes, approach and style. I think if I'd been you I'd have resigned ages ago. But then I don't play to win; winning is hardly even a consideration when I play - any game.

[watervole.livejournal.com]

It depends on the type of game and who I'm playing. Some games I play almost entirely for the social aspect. If I'm playing a friend, then the social aspect will be more to the fore.

However, in this game there is no social aspect at all. I've sent her a few messages trying to open a conversation, but she isn't interested.

When you're playing an online game against a total stranger with no conversation, then playing to win is really the only aspect left.

[philbradley.livejournal.com]

But... if you're not enjoying it, why do it?

[watervole.livejournal.com]

Because I'm getting so annoyed with her that winning is the only way of getting rid of the irritation...

And also because it's bad manners to drop out of a game.