# Ethical quandary while playing SCRABBLE

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethical-quandary-while-playing-scrabble/118777>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [July 13, 2002, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethical-quandary-while-playing-scrabble/118777 "2002-07-13T14:02:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2002, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethical-quandary-while-playing-scrabble/118777/21 "2002-07-15T15:37:47Z")

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I don’t agree with letting someone win. It’s one thing to not try your absolute hardest, it is very different to just tank the game on purpose. There’s no need to play your best strategic game, thinking many moves ahead, and blocking your opponent at every turn, but when an opportunity falls into your lap, you should take it.

Like some others here, I would be insulted and disappointed that a friend didn’t even try to win.

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**Author:** ![Opus1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/858c86/32.png) [@Opus1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Opus1)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2002, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethical-quandary-while-playing-scrabble/118777/22 "2002-07-16T00:59:31Z")

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I’d pass up the play. Cheering up a friend is way more important than a great Scrabble play.

OTOH, I usually bingo (use all seven tiles) at least once a game, so the loss wouldn’t be as great for me as for someone who had never done it before.

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