Which tiles should you keep?

After every move some tiles stay on your rack. This leave is half the battle for your next move.

Why the leave matters

You cannot choose which tiles you draw. You can choose which ones you keep. Two moves compared:

• Move A scores 22 points and leaves U₁U₁I₁.
• Move B scores 18 points and leaves E₁R₁S₁.

Move B is almost always better. With E, R and S you have lots of options next turn, maybe even all seven tiles and the 50-point bonus. With two U and an I it gets tight.

The best tiles

English words often end in -ER, -ED, -ES, -EST or -S. That is why the one-point letters E, R, S and T are so valuable: they fit almost anywhere. There are 12 E tiles in the game, so two E on your rack is perfectly fine.

The S is especially handy because it turns so many words into plurals, such as C₃A₁T₁ into C₃A₁T₁S₁. That way you extend a word on the board and play your own at the same time.

The blank is the most valuable tile of all. Only use it when it gets you clearly more: all seven tiles at once, or noticeably more points than the best move without it.

Tiles that cause trouble

• Duplicates: two U, two I or two O rarely fit into one word. Keep one at most.
• V: there is no two-letter word with V, so it is hard to place on a crowded board.
• Q: almost always needs a U. Without one, only a few words like Q₁₀I₁ and Q₁₀A₁T₁ help.
• Expensive singles such as J, X, Z and K: play them soon on a premium square instead of waiting for the perfect word. Short words like X₈I₁, X₈U₁, J₈O₁, Z₁₀A₁ or K₅A₁ help, see The two-letter words.
• Too many vowels or too many consonants: both block you.

Three rules of thumb

1. If the leave is bad, play more tiles. Every new tile is a new chance.
2. When you look at the word finder’s suggestions, check not only the points but also what is left over.
3. If your rack stays bad despite everything, an exchange is worth considering: When to exchange?