Monty Plays Scrabble (unofficial instructions)INTRODUCTIONMonty is a highly sophisticated computer program which allows you and other people to play Scrabbleagainst your computer. The program can provide you with up to 3 opponents in any one game. Eachprogrammed opponent can be assigned one of 4 skill levels.All you need is the Monty program and your C-64. The program provides an 'on screen' board and allthe facilities of the board game. You can even use a Scrabble board while Monty can provide a worthyopponent and also keep score!The Monty program includes a playing vocabulary of over 12,000 words. These have been carefullyselected from the 'Official Scrabble Player Dictionary' to ensure a consistent and competitive levelof play from the Monty program. The program has play levels 1 to 4 with level 1 being the easiest.RULES FOR PLAYING SCRABBLEScrabble is a word game for one to four players. The play consists of forming interlocking words,crossword fashion, on the Scrabble playing board using letter tiles with various score values.Each player competes for a high score by using his letters in combinations and location that takebest advantage of letter values and premium squares on the board. The combined total score for a gamemay range from about 500 points to 700 or more depending on the skill of the players.The Play:Each player has seven letters in his rack at the start of the game, and after each play crews enoughnew letters to maintain his total.1. The first player combines two or more of his letters to form a word and places them on the boardto read either across or down with one letter on the center square. Diagonal words are not permitted.2. A player completes his turn by counting and announcing his score for the turn. He then draws asmany new letters as he has played, thus always keeping seven letters.3. The second player, and then each in turn, adds one or more letters to those already down so as toform new words. All letters played in any one turn must be placed in order across or down the board.They must form on complete word and if, at the same time they touch other letters in adjacent rows,they must form complete words, crossword fashion, with all such letters. The player gets full creditfor all words formed or made from his play.4. New words may be formed by:a. Adding one or more letters to a word or letters already on the board.b. Placing a word at right angles to a word already on the board. The new word must use one of theletters of a word already on the board or must add a letter to it.c. Placing a complete word parallel to a word already played so that adjoining letters can formcomplete words.5. No letter may be moved after it has been played.6. The two blank tiles may be used as any letter desired. When playing a blank the player mustindicate what letter it represents, after which it cannot be changed during the game.7. Any player may use his turn to replace any or all of the letters on his rack. After discardingthem he draws the same number of new letters and his discarded ones are then mixed with thoseremaining in the pool. He then awaits his next turn to play.8. Any words found in the standard dictionary are permitted except proper names etc., usuallycommencing with a capital letter, those designated as foreign words, abbreviations and wordsrequiring apostrophes or hyphens. Consult a dictionary only to check a spelling or usage.9. Play continues until all tiles have been drawn and one of the players has used all the letters inhis rack or until all possible plays have been made.Scoring:10. The score value of each letter and the letter distribution is indicated in the table at the endof this section. Note that the value of a blank is zero.11. The score for each turn is the sum of the score values of all the letters in each word formed ormodified in the play plus the premium values resulting from placing letters on premium squares.12. Premium Letter Squares: A light blue square doubles the score of a letter placed on it; a darkblue square triples the letter score.13. Premium Word Squares: The score for an entire word is doubled when one of its letters is placedon a pink square; it is tripled when a letter is placed on a red square. Include premiums for doubleor triple letter values, if any, before doubling or tripling the word score. If a word is formed thatcovers two premium word squares, the score is doubled and then re-doubled (4 times letter count), ortripled and re-tripled (9 times letter count) as the case may be. Note that the center square is apink square and therefore doubles the score for the first word.14. The above letter and word premiums apply only in the turn in which they are first played. Insubsequent turns letters count at face value.15. When a blank letter tile falls upon a premium word square the sum of the letters in the word isdoubled or tripled even through the blank itself has no score value.16. When two or more words are formed in the same play, each is scored. The common letter is counted(with full premium value, if any) in the score value for each word.17. Any player who plays all seven of his letters in a single turn scores a premium of 50 points inaddition to his regular score for the play.18. At the end of the game each player's score is reduced by the sum of his unplayed letters, and ifone player has used all of his letters, his score is increased by the sum of the unplayed letters ofall the other players.Letter Values:Letter / ScoreA / 1B / 3C / 3D / 2E / 1F / 4G / 2H / 4I / 1J / 8K / 5L / 1M / 3N / 1O / 1P / 3Q / 10R / 1S / 1T / 1U / 1V / 4W / 4X / 8Y / 4Z / 10Blank / 0Letter Distribution:Letter / QuantityA / 9B / 2C / 2D / 4E / 12F / 2G / 3H / 2I / 9J / 1K / 1L / 4M / 2N / 5O / 8P / 2Q / 1R / 6S / 4T / 6U / 4V / 2W / 2X / 1Y / 2Z / 1PLAYING AGAINST MONTY1. Once loaded the program will ask you to select Monty's skill level. Press one of the keys 1-4 atthe top of the keyboard for the appropriate skill level.2. You will then be asked to enter the second player's name. Type up to five letters of the name andpress the RETURN key. Then you will be asked to select a skill level for the second player. If thecomputer is to be this player then press one of the keys 1-4 at the top of the keyboard for theappropriate skill level. If this is not a computer player, then press RETURN.3. The computer repeats the prompt asking for the next player's name. Up to 4 players can be enteredand any of them may be computer players.4. If all the names have been entered, press RETURN instead of typing a name. This tells the programthat all the players have entered and that you are now ready to start playing. (The program willautomatically continue after a fourth player has been entered.)5. The Monty program follows with a series of Yes/No questions which can be answered with onekeystroke (Y for yes and N for no). DO NOT press the RETURN key after answering prompts. It willautomatically advance to the next question.The questions are described below:a. Are you using a color television?The Monty program substitutes special symbols for the premium square colors to enable play on a blackand white set. It always assumes a color television to start with (this is the assumed response).b. Do you want to watch me thinking?While Monty (or another computer player) chooses his play, it is possible to see his 'thoughts' as hetries and scores different words.c. Do you want to see all the racks?While others (or the computer) are playing, you may want to see your current rack and the program candisplay it for you continually on the screen. However, this may mean that players can see yourletters and alter their strategy. In practice we have found most players find little assistance frobeing able to see other players' racks.If you reply with N to this question, the program will pause each time a player starts and ends aturn. A note can then be made of the new rack. Players take turns using the screen and keyboard,effectively hiding their racks.d. Do you want sound effects?Although you can switch the television sound off, the program does then appear to pause whileproducing sounds. The N reply ensures that there are no apparent delays due to sound generation.e. Are you also using a Scrabble board?If you are using a Scrabble board, the program expects the tiles to be drawn from the board game andit will simply keep track of the scores. In addition, someone will need to draw tiles for Monty andtype in the new rack after his turn.6. The last prompt deals with the speed at which the program places words on the board, not the timeit takes 'thinking'. The speed can vary from 0 (fastest) to 9 (slowest). If you are watching theMonty program 'thinking' then a speed setting of 3 or 4 is best.7. If you are playing with a board the program prompts you to draw tiles to choose the first player,otherwise it draws the tiles itself and tells you who will play first. Play continues in the order ofthe players' name.THE PLAY1. The current player's rack and name are displayed at the bottom left of the screen if you areplaying with a board, then the current player's name is displayed but the rack will not be shown(except on Monty's turn). The player must then enter either a word or one of the options displayed inthe center of the screen.2. The options are numbered 1-9 and are used as follows:   I. Quit: This means that you wish to stop playing immediately without completing the game.  II. Pass: If you cannot find a place to play any of your tiles to form a word then you can skip aturn by passing. Normally, this is only used at the end of the game, when there are no tiles leftwhich could be exchanged. III. Premium: The program responds to this option by displaying the premium score colors (orsymbols) in the center of the screen.  IV. Values: The full set of tiles is displayed in the center of the screen, showing the values.    V. Tiles: The full set of tiles is displayed in the center of the screen, showing the distributionof the tiles.  VI. Change: This option allows you to exchange 1-7 tiles from your rack for new ones. This alsocounts as a turn. After choosing this option, type in the letters in your rack when you wish toexchange, then press the RETURN key. The program will exchange those letters you typed and pick newtiles for you. If you are playing with a board, then this option is the same as the Pass option. VII. Juggle: The program will juggle the letters in your rack giving a new arrangement. This ishelpful as a way of looking for playable words.VIII. Hint: If you are stuck, the program can give you a hint of one playable word.The program looksat your rack and the board and displays a playable word as if you had moved. The position and scoreare shown. The hints are randomly chosen and are not necessarily the best play.  IX. Swap: At some stage, you may want to reverse your position in the game or take over Monty'srack. This option will give you Monty's rack and Monty will take over your rack. Your turn continuesfrom that point. This option is only possible in a two player game where you are playing againstMonty on your own.3. To enter a word, simply type the word in full including any letters which may appear on the board.After you have typed the word, press RETURN. This will allow you to position the word on the board.NOTE: The blank tile is entered by pressing the space bar at the bottom of the keyboard and followingwith the letter it represents. It will display on the board in 'inverse' color. If you press thespace bar in error use the left (<-) cursor key to clear the error.4. A cursor will then appear on the board at the top left-hand corner of the Scrabble board on thescreen. Using the keys which control the cursor (bottom right on the keyboard), position the cursorwhere the first letter of your chosen word should go (to go up or left press SHIFT and the cursorkey). Then press A for across or D for down and the program will display your word on the board.5. After displaying the word, it will calculate the score achieved and ask whether you are happy withthe result. If you enter N, you may try another word - you can do this as often as you wish! This isalso where another opponent can challenge your word.6. Because Monty's vocabulary is limited to 12,000 words there are many valid words which he will notrecognize. Therefore Monty will not challenge your word even if it is not in his vocabulary.7. After your word is played, the scores on the top right-hand corner of the screen are updated andnew tiles are given to replace those you have used.AT THE END OF THE GAME1. The Monty program recognizes the end of the game by the fact that there are no new tiles left todraw after a turn, and that each player must pass for a full round.2. When the end has been reached, the program adjusts each player's score by the letters left intheir racks and announces the winner.3. You then have the opportunity to play again with the same players and levels.Good luck and Scrabble on!