Russian scrabble

[scifigal.livejournal.com]

Even though I'm in Ukraine, I've so far been unable to find a Russian Scrabble game. BUT, I did find an English Scrabble game in a second hand store. Sadly, it was missing several tiles. But that did not dissuade me!

So I made my own tiles, and I've been playing with my Ukrainian friends.

We modified the rules to make it a language learning tool for me. I play with 8 tiles, I can use a dictionary, etc. I also write down all the rules. words

Playing in another language is IMMENSELY harder. I was surprised at how much harder it was.

BUT, I'm happy to report that I've been kicking butt in this game. I've consistently beat all my Ukrainian friends, because even though they know the words, it's word PLACEMENT that gives me the points. Plus, in my happiest move ever I placed the word ВИНО across the triple word score, creating not just that word, but also ВО, ИЗ, and НО.

Happily, I was also able to help my host sister with her Russian crossword puzzle.

I really enjoy language games. I think I should have started playing this much earlier.

Comments

[besisland.livejournal.com]

Here in Ukraine we play Scrabble by writting letters down on a sheet of paper :-)

[besisland.livejournal.com]

However, it’s not the same game.

[scifigal.livejournal.com]

yep, but I really like the idea.

If you're in Kyiv, we should play Scrabble sometime :) I'm in Zhytomyr but go to Kyiv at least once a month.

[besisland.livejournal.com]

We have to meet then!

[scifigal.livejournal.com]

I see the smile, but playing with tiles, and points and double words and so on are much more interesting.

Though I do like your idea and want to adapt it! Great!

[besisland.livejournal.com]

The game is called “Балда”. From what I found (I never played Scrabble), its rules are different from those of Scrabble, but the idea is the same.

At the beginning of the game, the random word is placed on the board (which is the sheet of squared paper).

Each player on their turn adds one and only one letter, and it must form the new word with some of the letters already of the board. The letters of the word must sequence each other on the board.

If the player fails to form new word, he is defeated.

[besisland.livejournal.com]

Or there is the scored modification. When the player forms a new word, the lenght of the word is added to his score. When the player cannot form a new word, he skips but is not defeated still. When no one of the players can form a new word, the game’s over and the winner is the player with the highest score.

I found it

[scifigal.livejournal.com]

http://www.naturalist.ru/Balda/balda.html

But I CAN'T figure out how to play! Grrr! I tried five times, but gave up. Perhaps you can help me.

And now I'm going to sleep, since as you know it's 5am. Guh.

[besisland.livejournal.com]

That interface is terrible. You have to select the letter from the list; then double-click the cell where you want to place the letter; then, one by one, click each letter of the new word you want to form. The word must include the newly placed letter and is displayed on the button right to the alphabet list. When the word is finished, you have to click that button, and your turn’s over.

[zveriozha.livejournal.com]

in Russian it's called Эрудит http://takegame.com/logical/htm/eruditru.htm

I also like a game when you make as many words as possible from one word, writing them down on paper You can also set time limit for that.. Like 5 mins.

[goluboglazaya.livejournal.com]

Good job!
I play scrubble in English with my students from time to time. I can see it's difficult for them, but even at low levels they do sometimes amaze me with the words they come up with)

[fm13.livejournal.com]

Russian online version:

http://www.wordgameolympics.ru/game.php

[est-lladon.livejournal.com]

Traditionally, in all russian word games be it Scrabble or Hangman or whatever you can use only common nouns in single form (except those who are always plural, like штаны or ножницы)in nominative case. So ВО, ИЗ and НО are unacceptable.

Scrabble is an English word game, not a Russian word game.

[scifigal.livejournal.com]

And as far as only using common nouns in single form in nominative cases in Russian Scrabble, I would completely disagree with you. It is too limiting in what you can play. The "S" is arguably one of the most powerful letters in Scrabble because you can create new words with it (turn CAT into CATS). According to the Scrabble rules,

All words labeled as a part of speech (including those listed of foreign origin, and as archaic, obsolete, colloquial, slang, etc.) are permitted with the exception of the following: words always capitalized, abbreviations, prefixes and suffixes standing alone, words requiring a hyphen or an apostrophe.

In other words, they would count. Especially since it is an American game that has simply been translated into another language. IE. the rules would remain the same.

But beyond that, if the purpose is for me to practice Russian--spelling and parts of speech, then even if in your variation these are unacceptable, they are both valid and useful.

Again, it's also "illegal" for me to use a dictionary and to use 8 tiles, but I am using this as a Language Tool, not to practice for a tournament.

Was your purpose simply to say "here's how we normally play" or to be critical?

Re: Scrabble is an English word game, not a Russian word game.

[est-lladon.livejournal.com]

In Эрудит they wouldn't count. Now they sell trademarked Scrabble in Russian that allows other words but it is considered an abomination by some people who got used to russian tradition. :)

My purpose was to introduce you to a piece of trivia about Russia you wouldn't learn at school. I do not usually criticise people for not knowing something they couldn't know. I just wanted to warn you about possible misunderstanding that can happen if you play any word game in Russian with a russian opponent.

Playing this way is not more limiting - it is more challenging. :)

Re: Scrabble is an English word game, not a Russian word game.

[scifigal.livejournal.com]

I apologize for misunderstanding.

Sorry--I'm an avid Scrabble player, and it brought back memories of people challenging rules. My instinct is to yell I KNOW THE RULES!!!

So I do apologize.

Thank you for letting me know.

[belacane.livejournal.com]

I have a russian scrabble game... it's really old.

[rwarner.livejournal.com]

As do I...it's the "official" version. I got it in a toy store in GUM when I was in Moscow back in the fall of '93. I also got the Moscow version of Monopoly when I was there. I remember one (drunken) night when me and a few of the others on my exchange group played both games with one of my Russian friends. Good times.