If you’ve never attended a Scrabble tournament, you might feel a little intimidated. Perhaps you’ve heard of legendary players such as Nigel Richards, Joel Sherman, and 2014 national champion Conrad Bassett-Bouchard. These players are rumored to have photographic memories, have practically memorized the Scrabble dictionary, and can win major tournaments with their eyes closed.

But the important thing to remember is that all of them were once beginners. And unless you’re playing in an “open” tournament, you will likely start in the bottom division with others who are new to it, too. [Read more…]