Scrabble star wins Spanish world title – despite not speaking Spanish

Re:Scrabble star wins Spanish world title – despite not spea... by vunderba on Thursday December 12, 2024 @09:19PM (#42405426)

What does "perfectly optimized" even mean?

If you're suggesting that a game feels less meaningful because its predisposed towards memorization, I'm not sure that leaves a lot of games left on the proverbial table for you.

Furthermore, there's quite a bit more to Scrabble strategy such as:

- balancing your rack

- the natural RNG from drawing tiles

- time pressure

- anagramming

I guess here's hoping you can start an international tournament of world champions for Snakes and Ladders, or Candyland?

More seriously, perhaps you'd enjoy Fischer Chess.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess960

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Scrabble star wins Spanish world title – despite not spea... by etrautmann on Thursday December 12, 2024 @09:34PM (#42405493)

I agree with the parent that many games or sports are more fun to watch or participate in when not over optimized. Whether it’s the metagame, memorizing two letter words, or nailing a perfect serve in tennis or volleyball. It’s not fun for me to watch the very top where it’s so far optimized to have less variability, less serendipity, and less fun. Basketball may be an exception to that. All of this is personal opinion.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Scrabble star wins Spanish world title – despite not spea... by zem on Friday December 13, 2024 @12:21AM (#42406126)

scrabble is by no means over optimised; the randomness means every move is different, and single-game upsets (someone beating a much higher ranked player) are very common. what makes a champion is winning over the course of tens of games.

[ Parent | on HN ]