7th Joint-School Scrabble Tournament for Novices (2024-2025)

7th Joint-School Scrabble Tournament for Novices (2024-2025)

The annual opportunity for new players to meet opponents of similar levels is back!

The Joint-School Scrabble Tournament for Novices allows new Scrabble players to play with opponents of similar levels in a competitive yet friendly environment. It also provides a platform for new players to familiarise themselves with competitive Scrabble rules to prepare them to play in competitive Scrabble tournaments in future.

The Joint-School Scrabble Tournament for Novices 2025 will be held on 8 February 2025 (Saturday) at Methodist College (50 Gascoigne Road, Yau Ma Tei). This fantastic full-day event, including a workshop and a mini-tournament, will bring joy and fun to new Scrabble players.

Workshop

The workshop will be held from 09:30 to 11:00 and will cover the following topics: Basics of Scrabble: Introduction, Word Skills (Anagramming and Hooks), Game Rules, and Score Calculation.

The workshop is open to all primary and junior secondary students. The workshop will be in Cantonese, while the handout will be in English. Special arrangements for non-Chinese students could be arranged upon request. Players who have joined the workshop in prior years need not to enroll.

Tournament

A 3-game mini-tournament will be held from 12:30 to 16:30 to provide hands-on experience for participants.

  • 25 minutes per player, Free Challenge, latest version of WESPA rules
  • 3 Rounds, first round random draw, Round 2 and Round 3 Australian Swiss. All players MUST compete in all the 3 games.
  • Players from the same school will not play against each other in all rounds.
  • The official dictionary is Collins Official Scrabble Words 2024 (CSW24).
  • We will provide Two- and three-letter word lists to all participants. Players are allowed to refer to it during the game. However, players are not permitted to write anything on the word list, bring in their own word list, or any other reference materials.
  • The top 8 players will receive a medal. All participants will receive a Certificate of Participation.

Other details

Eligibility: All Primary and Junior Secondary (S1-S3) novices. “Novices” refer to all players except the following players:

  • Players who have participated in at least one WESPA-rated overseas tournament (e.g. WESPA Youth Cup / World Youth Scrabble Championship)
  • The winners (1st – 8th) in any previous Joint-School Scrabble Tournament for Novices
  • Players who have played more than 10 games in HKSPA-rated or HKSPA-recognised tournaments, including rated or non-rated games

Players who need help determining whether they are eligible may consult the organiser before enrollment.

Quota: There will be an overall quota of approximately 80 players due to the capacity limitation of the venue. If the quota is full, applications from HKSPA Individual Members will receive priority entry to the event. All other applications will be accepted on a first-come-first-served basis. The tournament organiser reserves the right to refuse entry when deemed necessary.

Each school may send up to 8 players to the event. Schools that would like to send more than eight players to the tournament may submit additional names to be placed on the wait list by email. The organiser will confirm the successfully enrolled entries with all applicants after the closure of the application period.

Players may also apply individually if their school is not enrolling as a team. Please confirm with the school before making an application. The individual application may be declined or merged into the school-based application if the school has (subsequently) submitted a school-based application.

Special note for teachers and parents: For campus security reasons, we are unable to accommodate parents inside the venue. Parents may meet their kids outside the school campus for lunch and after the tournament. We will have official photographer to take photos during the tournament.

How to enter: Application can be made on a School or Individual Basis. Please complete the online application form via the HKSPA Tournament Application System on or before 20 January 2024.

We assume each player will attend both the workshop and the tournament. If this is not the case, please advise us by email (info@hkscrabble.org) immediately after submitting the online application form.

Changing players on or before the enrollment deadline may be done online. Requests made after the enrollment deadline may be addressed to info@hkscrabble.org with justification. All accepted changes are subject to a HK$50 administrative charge per name change, as certificates / other materials with the players’ names may have been prepared by us already.

Verification policy: Please show us your student handbook (with school chop on your photo), student ID card, or any other school-issued documents to show the school you are studying in. Original of the above is preferred. We will check your documents at the registration counter, and return them to you immediately after inspection. You must show us the document before the first game begins to be allowed to play, even if you know the committee members personally or are wearing the school uniform.

Enquiry: Please direct all queries to info@hkscrabble.org.

Venue Sponsor: The venue for the event is kindly sponsored by Methodist College.

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