Scrabble New South Wales

Guidelines for Starting a Scrabble Club

Updated 1/11/2004
Recommended Steps First Needed
Assistance Available
Recommended Reference Materials
Charges to Attendees
Seating Arrangements
Club Playing Conditions
Club Handicap System
Affiliation with ASPA (NSW)
Benefits of Membership of ASPA (NSW)
Further Enquiries
n.b. ASPA (NSW) = Australian Scrabble Players Association (New South Wales Division), also known as Scrabble New South Wales

Recommended Steps

Once you have decided you would like to start a club, these steps are recommended:

Assistance Available

The following resources are available from ASPA (NSW), by contacting the State President, Bob Jackman by phone on 02 9456 2659, or email.

ASPA (NSW ) will reimburse organisers of new clubs up to $100, for expenses incurred in advertising, photocopying, postage and telephone whilst establishing the club. Where possible, expenses should be supported by receipts.

Reference Materials

ASPA (NSW) recommends the Official Scrabble Words International as the complete list of all words up to 9-letters in length allowable in club play. All words in the OSWI are sourced from two dictionaries, the Chambers 1999 edition (UK words) and the Official Scrabble Players Dictionary (North American words)

The Official Scrabble Words International is available to ASPA (NSW) members for $40, plus postage. Other discount publications can be obtained through the State President, Bob Jackman (Ph. 9456 2659)

Charges to Attendees

Most clubs charge a nominal amount, from $1 to $5 per night to cover venue hire, tea, coffee, biscuits, prizes etc. Clubs need to accumulate some revenue to cover costs for dictionaries, additional scrabble sets, and possibly staging a tournament or a Christmas party. It is advisable for clubs to appoint a treasurer to operate a bank account.

Seating Arrangements

Two players per board is recommended with both players keeping scores for themselves and their opponent. This then enables scores to be cross-checked during games and the winner to be properly determined.

Club Playing Conditions

It is up to individual club organisers to determine their own procedures for club play, insofar as looking up and challenging go. A good system which enhances skills, and enables games to be played relatively quickly, is one which includes limited access to word lists. It is best for games to be conducted to suit the least experienced player. This could mean that: Most established clubs play to the single challenge rule, meaning no looking up, and the player of an incorrect word misses a turn. In single challenge, there is no penalty for challenging.

It is a good idea to limit club games to one hour, so that a good turn-around of games is achieved.

Club Handicap System

You may wish to implement a handicap system in your club to evenly match opponents and provide a gauge for player improvement. The following system is recommended:
  1. Prepare a booklet in which to record current handicap
  2. At the meeting that you wish to commence handicaps, allocate a rating of 1200 to each player. All new players entering the system later receive 1200 to start with
  3. For each game a player wins, credit the player with 20 rating points and for each game lost, debit the player with 20 points At the end of the meeting adjust the handicap for each player present eg a player wins 4 and loses 1 = net gain of 60 points
  4. Add net gain or loss to player rating and carry this over to the next meeting at which the player is present
  5. At next meeting, compare handicaps against paired players and allocate a points start to the player with the lower handicap of one tenth of the difference in rating eg player with rating of 1260 meets player of 1200 rating = 6 points start to the 1200 player
  6. Continue the system

Affiliation with ASPA (NSW)

An affiliated club is deemed to be a club with at least one member (preferably the convenor) being a member of ASPA (NSW). Clubs need to be affiliated to be covered by national public Liability insurance. Clubs that require proof of public liability insurance in order to operate are encouraged to sign all their regular members as ASPA (NSW) members, in line with the user pays principle.

ASPA (NSW) supports and promotes its affiliated clubs as part of its stated aim of promoting scrabble in New South Wales. The main advantage in clubs becoming affiliated is that it provides an avenue for players to join into the wider Scrabble community, by participating in activities sanctioned by the State Association.

Benefits of Membership of ASPA (NSW)

It is not compulsory for members of your club to become members. However, we request that you make all members of your club aware of the fact that membership of ASPA (NSW) is available, in return for the support given to you . The ideal way to do this is simply to hand new club members an Application Form for membership of ASPA (NSW). Many clubs subsidise the ASPA (NSW) memership fees for their club members by allocating a small portion of their playing fee to ASPA (NSW) membership. Club players who become members of ASPA (NSW) will then be able to realise the following benefits:

Insurance

Some venue managers will insist on sighting current insurance cover. Clubs affiliated with Scrabble NSW are automatically covered by National Public Liability insurance. The current insurance certificate is available for viewing or printing.

Further Enquiries

Further enquiries about starting a new club should be directed to the NSW State President, Bob Jackman. He can be contacted by phone (02 9456 2659) or email.