Rack management

Balance your rack: aim for roughly 3 to 4 vowels and 3 to 4 consonants after every play. Save the S and the blank for a bingo; playing them for 8 to 12 points early is almost always a mistake. If you draw a Q without a U, get rid of it fast (QI, QAT) or swap.

Bingo hunting

A bingo is a seven-tile play, worth an extra 50 points. Learn the high-frequency stem-plus-letter combinations (SATIRE, RETINA, RETAIN and their anagrams). Track how many S and blank tiles are gone from the bag; when both are out, stop saving hooks and play open.

Opening moves

The opening play covers the centre star. Aim for a word 5 to 7 letters long, scoring 20 to 30 points, that does not expose a triple-word square to the opponent. Avoid opening with a J, Q, X or Z on a double-letter unless you can spend it fully.

Endgame counting

Once the bag empties, the game is a puzzle. Count your opponent’s remaining tiles from the initial distribution (100 tiles, 98 lettered) minus what has been played. Plan the last two or three plays to go out first if you are ahead, or to stick your opponent with a high-value tile if you are behind.