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Visitors of any level of playing ability are always welcome at the National Scrabble® Association Club No. 581 in Memphis. The club meets every Monday evening from 6:00-10:00 p.m. at Jason's Deli in Cordova, TN. Additionally, the club also meets the fourth Saturday afternoon of each month at the main branch of the Memphis Public Library. For more information call club director Mike Muller at 901-767-6137 or e-mail at memull@aol.com; club co-director Roy Naylor at 731-772-1657 or e-mail at roytnaylor@yahoo.com or club co-director/treasurer Dorothy Tatum at 901-754-1846.
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Many new or novice players to club Scrabble® are unfamiliar with the rules. Club 581 is a sanctioned club by the NSA and is bound by the rules of that organization. Club members will be glad to answer any questions you may have.
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Visitors to Club 581 are not required to pay weekly dues until their fourth visit. At that time they are considered a club member and are requested to pay the weekly dues of $1.00. Dues are collected to cover incidental expenses (score sheets, photocopying, stamps, etc.).
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For many visiting or new players, use of the digital timer can be intimidating and confusing. Any seasoned club player knows that the more often a new player uses the timer, the more comfortable they become with its operation until it eventually becomes an automatic response after each play. For their first three club meetings, new players are urged to go ahead and start using the timer but only for the purpose of practicing. There will be no timer penalties for new players. Beginning with the fourth visit, club rules regarding timers will be in effect.
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Word challenges are another unfamiliar rule in club Scrabble® for some new players. A challenge is when your opponent plays a word which you think is not spelled correctly. You challenge him to see if the word is acceptable or not. If the word adjudicator rules it is acceptable, then the word stays on the board, you lose your turn and your opponent gets to play again. If the word is ruled unacceptable, then your opponent takes the tiles off the board and loses his turn. You proceed to take another turn. Until the fourth visit, all new players will be allowed "free challenges"---if they challenge a word that is acceptable, they will not lose their turn.
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Additionally, if as a new player you put down a word which your opponent challenges, and the word is deemed unacceptable, you may take up your tiles and play another word. Again, this is only for the first three visits. The regular rule takes effect for the new player on their fourth visit.
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The Official Tournament and Club Word List (OWL) is the only source used in club Scrabble® to determine the correct spelling of words. However, words longer than nine letters require using Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 10th Edition, to check spelling. The OWL is not the same dictionary that is available in bookstores which is The Official Scrabble® Players Dictionary (or OSPD). While the OSPD has nearly all the words acceptable in Scrabble® playing, the OWL contains additional eligible words which are considered offensive. The OWL is available for purchase only by members of the National Scrabble® Association. New or visiting members who would like a copy of the OWL can see the club director about ordering one.
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New players to Club 581 will be allowed to use the two and three letter word list put out by the NSA for their first four visits to the club. They should make good use of this as they will discover that the key to doing well in a Scrabble® game is having a good knowledge of the two and three letter acceptable words.
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Members of Scrabble® Club 581 will be glad to help out new players any way they can. We want you to have fun, enjoy playing club Scrabble®, make new friends, and return to club meetings as often as you can and become a full-fledged member.
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