Who can play at the New members are always welcome. We have players of every skill level, and endeavor to match players of comparable abilities. When and where do you meet? We meet Wednesday evenings at the Isabel Turner Branch of the Kingston Frontenac Public Library in How many competitors play in a game? At Clubs and NASPA tournaments, one player plays against another player. What equipment should I bring? Bringing your own equipment is recommended but not required, nor expected of first-time visitors. Deluxe or custom boards are preferred by tournament players. The tiles do not move freely when placed and the swivel turntable feature allows for ease of movement between plays. "Smooth" protiles are preferred over wooden engraved tiles. A digital game timer or chess clock. Are the games timed? Yes. When playing with a timer, each player has 25 minutes per game, which works out to about two minutes per play, although it is not unusual for a play to take a few seconds or even several minutes. Overtime minutes carry a penalty of 10 points per overtime minute, or part thereof. Example: a player ends his game going overtime 2 minutes and 5 seconds – he must subtract 30 points from his total endgame score. Are the "box rules" used? We use the official NASPA tournament rules and not the rules that come with Scrabble sets. The NASPA rules spell out in detail such procedures as how to use a timer, what to do if you misdraw tiles, and when and how to challenge words. How do I make a play under NASPA rules? You must, in strict order: 1) Place your tiles on the board. 2) Announce the score of your play. 3) Start your opponent's timer. 4) Write down your accumulated score. 5) Draw new tiles (if any) with eyes averted and tile bag held at arm's length. Your opponent may say "Hold" after step 3 and before step 5, to consider challenging your play. What if I don't know the rules? You can pause the timer and call "Director" at any time for a clarification on the rules. What can I expect on my first evening at the club? You will be given a printed list of all acceptable two and three-letter words, that you may keep and refer to during your first three visits. Who decides which words are acceptable? As described in the NASPA rules, we use a private publication called the Official Tournament and Club Word List. If you think that your opponent has played a "phoney," pause the timer and say "Challenge!" The word judge will make a ruling and the losing player will lose their turn. Either player can request a second opinion concerning any ruling. The Kingston Scrabble Club owns a laptop with an interactive adjudication program. The player challenging the play must write down the word or words challenged. The slip of paper is shown to the opponent for verification. Both players must go to the computer station; the player who is challenging the play types the word (or words). The opponent verifies that the typing is correct and hits the “TAB” button to activate the adjudication. No other words may be entered at this time. What are the benefits of joining the NASPA? NASPA membership entitles you to play in rated tournaments.