Grabble Rules


Allow 2-3 hours for the game


Rationale

The rules of Grabble are significantly different from the rules of English Scrabble. The rules are designed to facilitate group learning of the Greek language whilst maintaining an element of competition.

The score is calculated at the end of the game, after a short "group quiz" on each of the words placed.

The scoring system rewards players for:


Basic gameplay

Use the score sheet to record words and scores

To start

  1. Each player is issued with a scoresheet.
  2. All the letter tiles are turned face downwards or kept in a bag. To decide who will start the game, each player picks out one tile and the person drawing the letter nearest to the start of the alphabet plays first.
  3. Each player picks ten tiles. An "open game" is preferred, where each player can see the tiles of all other players and assist them to form words.

Turns

  1. Each player puts the letters on the board to make a word, either ‘across’ or ‘down’ (as in a crossword).
    1. The first player places one letter of the word on the central square (marked arcou)
    2. All subsequent new words must use at least one of the letters that is already on the board.
    3. Single-letter words are not acceptable
    4. Elided prepositions are acceptable
  2. The player must demonstrate to the satisfaction of all other players that this word (or words) is a real Greek word. At the very least, the player must fully parse each word formed.
  3. The player may get help from any source, for example
    1. Lexicons
    2. Grammar books
    3. Other players
    4. NB It is to your advantage to help other players form and parse words
  4. All players write the word and its "base score" on their scoresheets. Scoring rules for the base score:
    1. A premium square increases the base score of any word which covers that square for the first time. Either the individual letter (gramma) or the whole word (logoV) can be multiplied by two or three.
    2. The first word always scores double, as the centre square has a ‘double word score’.
    3. A bonus of 50 points is awarded to any player who uses all his or her tiles in one move.
    4. Players score for any word made or changed by their moves – but premium bonuses apply only the first time that letters are played.
  5. The first player picks out from the unused tiles the same number of tiles as was used to make the word, so as to make up the number to ten again.
  6. Instead of laying down a word, any player can exchange any number of tiles from their rack for new tiles from the ‘bank’.
  7. The Grabble set includes two blank tiles, which can represent any letters its player chooses, after which it cannot be changed during the game.

Ending the gameplay

The game ends when all the tiles have been used and one player has laid down all his or her tiles, or nobody can think of new words to place on the board.


Scoring

  1. After the gameplay has finished, conduct a group quiz on each of the words played during the game
    1. For each turn, all players should attempt to parse the word (or words) formed
    2. Each player who perfectly parsed the word (or words), including the player who placed the word, gets a "learning score" for that turn
      1. The learning score is equal to the base score for that turn
      2. Partial points may be awarded if the group agrees
    3. In addition, the player who placed the word (or words) gets a "teaching score" for that turn
      • The teaching score is equal to the sum of all the learning scores of the word (including the learning score of the player who placed the word).
  2. The final score for each player is the sum of all learning scores plus the sum of all teaching scores.

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