The Scrabble board is made up of 225 squares in a 15×15 grid pattern. Each square on the Scrabble board has a distinct meaning and purpose. In this article, we will take a close look at the different types of squares on the Scrabble board and what they signify.
The Star Squares
The most important squares on the Scrabble board are the 4 star squares located in the center of the board. These star squares are colored red or pink and have a large star in the center. Landing on a star square doubles the letter value of that play. This makes the star squares highly strategic positions to build words from or land bonus tiles on.
| Star Square Locations |
| H8 |
| J8 |
| H12 |
| J12 |
Having a tile on a star square is a great way to maximize your score. All experienced Scrabble players understand the importance of the star squares.
The Premium Squares
Surrounding the star squares are 4 premium squares. These squares are colored pink or red and have a small dot inside them. Landing on a premium square increases the letter value by 50%.
| Premium Square Locations |
| G7 |
| K7 |
| G13 |
| K13 |
The premium squares combine well with the star squares to create high scoring plays. Controlling premium squares aids strategic board positioning.
The Double Letter Score Squares
There are 12 pink or red squares marked with a “DL” on the board. These are double letter score squares. Playing a tile on these squares doubles its letter value.
| Double Letter Score Square Locations |
| D1 |
| L1 |
| D15 |
| L15 |
| A5 |
| O5 |
| A11 |
| O11 |
| G3 |
| C11 |
| M11 |
| C3 |
Proper positioning on double letter score squares is key for building high scoring words.
The Triple Letter Score Squares
The 8 dark pink or red squares marked with a “TL” are the triple letter score squares. Landing a tile on these squares triples its letter value, making them highly valuable real estate.
| Triple Letter Score Square Locations |
| F5 |
| K5 |
| A1 |
| O1 |
| F11 |
| K11 |
| A15 |
| O15 |
Experienced players actively work to occupy the triple letter score squares whenever possible.
The Double Word Score Squares
There are 16 light pink or red squares marked “DW” called double word score squares. Playing a word that covers one of these squares doubles the total word score.
| Double Word Score Square Locations |
| B2 |
| N2 |
| B6 |
| N6 |
| B10 |
| N10 |
| B14 |
| N14 |
| E1 |
| E15 |
| M1 |
| M15 |
| D3 |
| L3 |
| D13 |
| L13 |
Word placement around the double word score squares is an important strategy.
The Triple Word Score Squares
The 4 dark red squares marked “TW” are the triple word score squares. Building a word over one of these squares triples the entire word score.
| Triple Word Score Square Locations |
| H4 |
| J4 |
| H10 |
| J10 |
The triple word score squares are the most valuable real estate on the board. Playing words through them is a key scoring strategy.
The Center Square
The very center square at H8 is a pink square simply called the center square. It acts as a star square, doubling the letter value. This makes it an important tactical position.
The Regular Squares
The remaining 112 squares are white regular squares. These have no scoring bonuses. However, they provide opportunities to build words off bonus squares.
Conclusion
Knowing the location and purpose of each square type on the Scrabble board is crucial. The star, premium, double and triple letter and word squares allow for big scoring plays. Understanding how to maximize their potential through strategic word building is a hallmark of expert Scrabble playing. Keeping these high value squares in mind will help elevate your game.