More thorough but shorter: version 2 of rules released

Overdrawing and acceptance of turn are two key areas addressed in the long-awaited second version of WESPA's international Scrabble rules. The Rules Committee has just released the updated version, along with a summary of the key changes.

Other key changes concern writing when the bag is empty, amending of signed result sheets, conduct, recounts, board orientation, clock position, materials at table, tile spills and forfeits.

The Rules Committee worked on the update for nearly a year, including reviewing every rule of Version 1 several times. They also took on board submissions from member countries, especially issues highlighted by incidents at tournaments.

Rules drafter and committee member Chris May says: "Version two is now both shorter and more thorough than its predecessor."

He notes that the timing of this release is awkward, given that several major international tournaments (including the Causeway Challenge and the World Youth Scrabble Championship) are about to kick off. "It will be up to the WESPA committee and the directors of those tournaments which version of the WESPA rules will be in force." The 'official' adoption date for version 2 is 1 January 2011.

The Association of British Scrabble Players (ABSP) has already voted to adopt version 1 of the international rules for domestic competition, from the start of 2011.