English

Bluffing in Scrabble

History and Overview 2025-09-16 v1 Computer Science and Game Theory Combinatorics

Abstract

It is well known that in games with imperfect information, such as poker, bluffing with some probability can be a component of the optimal strategy. However, as far as we know, nobody has ever exhibited a Scrabble position in which the optimal strategy involves bluffing, or even a Scrabble position in which the optimal strategy is a mixed (i.e., randomized) strategy. We present a carefully constructed Scrabble position, that could actually arise in a tournament game with no invalid words played, in which the optimal strategy (assuming that a tied score leads to the point being split equally, with no recourse to so-called "spread points" as a tie-breaking mechanism) is to make Move A with probability 1/3 and to make Move B with probability 2/3. Move B can reasonably be called a bluff, in the sense that it sets up a threat which the player cannot in fact execute, but which the opponent may not be able to rule out.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2509.10471,
  title  = {Bluffing in Scrabble},
  author = {Nick Ballard and Timothy Y. Chow},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2509.10471},
  year   = {2025}
}

Comments

16 pages

R2 v1 2026-07-01T05:33:55.053Z