Scrabble Words

If you are like most of us, you have at least played the popular board game Scrabble a few times while growing up. It is an easy game to learn how to play, but it requires quite an extensive vocabulary to play well. The best players quickly learn all of the two and three letter combinations that qualify for use.

Because of space limitations I won't list all of the possible two and three letter word combinations here, but I will list a few of the most common. Common two letter words that also are worth a decent amount of points include JO, KA, KI, QI, EX, XI, XU and ZA and these five (KAS, KIS, QIS, XIS and ZAS) can be made plural by simply adding an S. Many of the other two letter words in the English language can also be used in a plural form by adding an S.

It is always a good strategy to look for open S tiles in other words, especially as you get near the end of the game. By using a two or three letter combinations on an open S you can not only add a few points to your score, you may be able to block one of your opponents possible plays and keep from being stuck with a penalty because you have tiles you can't play. There are complete lists of two and three letter words available online. Just do a search for them in Google or MSN or Yahoo and then print a list out. How I learned them is by keeping the list with me while I played online. This way you can memorize them as you play.

Online Video Game Rentals

In this article I will explain what online game renting entails, why it's better, and best place to use for renting video games on the Internet.

What's the deal with online game rentals anyways?

Basically it's a website you can go onto pick out the game you want to rent and they will mail it to your home. Its great in theory and even better in real live, no you can sit at home read about the game and then select the tile and next day its in your mail box. When you're done with it plop it back in envelope and put in the mailbox - easy as that!

Why is it better?

That's the most common question but the answer is very simple. By renting video games off the Internet you get a better selection, no late fees, no hassle, and you don't have to drive anywhere. Its by far the best means of getting games for any real gamer.

What's the best place?

So things to watch out for...

1. Bad looking website, if they aren't able to put money into a good website probably not a company you want be paying monthly for a service.

2. Check and see how fast the games actual are shipped out and if you have to pay for return postage.

3. See what their policy if you lose a game, we're all human and sometimes that happens but you don't want to be stuck paying 50-100 bucks for a game.

Ceramic Tile Drilling

Usually all home owners in some point or the other will like to have a towel stand or a special mirror place in the bathroom and that will involve drilling some kind of a hole into the ceramic tiles. Ceramic tiles are a different ball game when it comes to drilling as they are hard and when applied with extra force and can break.

The composition of ceramic tiles used in most homes is that they have a soft inner core and then thin layer of hard glaze which means that once you drilled a hole into the outer layer the rest of the drilling will just be a breeze. The ceramic tiles can vary in hardness across countries or even regions and that hardness is purely based on the clay and the silica content in the tile. Also, the hardness can vary depending on how much time the ceramic tile was baked in the kiln.

Most of the ceramic tile available in the market today can be drilled into by using the carbide drill bit. These bits generate a lot of heat and hence you need to make sure that you have adequate oil or water to cool the bit otherwise it can be permanently damaged. The diamond drill bit is another solution but they are expensive though they work beautifully for drilling holes into glass or ceramic tiles. The soft tiles can be drilled with carbide drill bits but harder ones will surely need diamond drill bits.

As far as the drill goes never ever have a hammer drill to drill through ceramic tiles. It causes enough vibrations that it will be crack the tile. You will have to use the other type of drills available and also make sure that you drill through the hard glazed covering of the tile very very slowly and by that I mean using absolutely the slowest drill speeds.

The ceramic tile drilling is a very slow process initially as if you get it wrong you will have either the cracked ceramic tile or scratch marks on the tile. The scratch marks can happen if you apply more than the needed pressure the drill may slip away and scratch the surface of the tile.

Be careful and approach slowly and your work will be done without any damage to the tile.

Free Mah Jong Games on the Internet

It is not hard to find free mah jong games on the internet. However, what is the value of playing them? There are actually a number of reasons you should consider free mah jong games on the internet. By taking a look at those, you will find that perhaps you will want to start downloading free mah jong games on the internet.

First of all, downloading free mah jong games on the internet will save you money. Sets of mah jong can be expensive, even the cheap sets. When you get free downloads on the internet you get to play the game in different versions any time you please. If you want to do that in real life, you have to buy various sets. A lot depends on what different versions you want, but buying one set is expensive, much less several.

Secondly, if you download free mah jong games on the internet you will get the chance to play many versions and learn many rule sets. Mah jong, since going global, has literally hundreds of versions of play. When you download you get not only the sets necessary and layouts you need, but also the rules you need to play any version. Playing versions of the game is what can make you a more complete player.

Third, may jong is a competitive game. If you download free versions off of the internet, you can play different people all you want. The more you play the better idea you have about strategy and how to compete. If you want to enter tournaments and even dream of playing internationally, then playing free online downloads is a great way to hone your skills. It also allows you to adjust to different rules depending on how a tournament plays the game.

Finally, by downloading free mah jong games on the internet, you just get something to pass the time. Even if you have never played the game before, you will likely find it incredibly intriguing and fun. It is a challenging game that will occupy you on your laptop or palm for hours as you wait in line, sit it traffic, or even relax at home in the evening. Even if you have never played the game before, downloading free versions of it can be enjoyable.

Free mah jong games on the internet are common and easy to find. You get to play varying versions of this popular game, get better at it, or simply learn how to play in the first place. That means you will be able to pass time and get away from the solitaire and free cell traditions that are so common with many online gamers or lap top time passers. So go ahead, download free mah jong games and broaden your gaming mind to the point where you are ready to compete.

Garage Floor Paint Or Garage Floor Tiles - What's the Better Investment?

If you are one of the many who loves engaging in home improvement tasks, then you must have already covered every room of your house. And will also mean that you must have already improved all of the problem areas around your homes. You might be looking forward to your next do-it-yourself project by now. Now here is a good suggestion: What do you think about remodeling the floor of your garage? This should be something exciting for you as you have all of these options to go about it: garage floor mats, garage floor paints, and garage floor tiles.

If you choose tiles, then your garage would certainly see notches of improvement than the bare concrete floor it used to have. Tiles are especially useful if you use your garage for storing things, parking your cars, or even as a game room and workshop in one. With the addition of garage floor tiles, the look of your garage will be perked up greatly. And it will feel more homey and relaxing too. You have lot of options when it comes to tiles. Garage floor tiles come in varied colors, designs, and sizes. Just get the one that would perfectly match the walls of the garage and you should be good.

As for garage floor paint or garage floor mats, there are quite many store outlets that sell them out there. The local hardware store should have a wide selection of more flooring ideas for you too. Avail of great deals from online retailers as well. Try to buy in bulk for discounts and one-time shipping costs. The main idea is to save as much as you can while improving your homes. Shop around and find the best deals in town. Measure the entire garage area where you are to place the tiles, mat, or paint on. This way, you will a fair estimate of the money you are to spend.

If you are not so sure about anything, talk to an expert homebuilder or a local contractor. They should be able to help you out as you make that decision from tiles to mats to paints for your garage floor. Just tell them what you want and how you use your garage. They should be able to make an informed recommendation of what type of garage floor covering that is perfect for you.

Mahjong Game Set - a classic board game

Mahjong sets are as varied as the game is complicated. Here you will find the set of marble, ivory, bone, wood and plastic resin. The tiles of a series are divided into three categories.

The first set of cards together in a full suit is the mahjong tiles. The suit tiles, the tiles are made ​​up of dots, lines and characters, is a habit, like a game of cards. Each set of mahjong tiles together in the seed,consists of four sets of tiles nine points, four sets of nine and four tiles line character set of nine tiles.

The honor tiles consists of four groups of three tiles dragons, a red dragon, a green dragon and a white dragon. The white tile dragon is sometimes represented simply with an empty plate. Also included in the honor tiles, the tiles of the wind directions. There are four groups of four tiles wind, which shows both aThe wind blows, in other words, east, west, north and south.

The bonus tiles are exactly that, a bonus. When you select a tile, and that it be given a bonus, simply put aside, face up to play at a later time, and pull another stone. The bonus tiles usually a flower show, with a number, going 1-4, there are eight of these tiles, two groups of four.

It is in a mahjong game, you will also find a number tiles, the seasons, winter, spring, autumn and of course show in the summer. During the game of mahjong sets may vary slightly, it will generally consist of at least 136 tiles and up to 144 sheets.

There are also sets of Mahjong, the bridges are actually preferred, however, the tiles, because they have the real feel of the game, as well as the traditional sound of> Tile clinking together.

The Mahjong game is a complicated game of the year 4000 years at a time when only royalty played the game. It 'been handed down from generation to generation, and now there are several versions of the game. Included in this release are the Chinese version, American version, Taiwan version, Vietnamese and Japanese versions.

Sets in each version of the mahjong game, will contain differentAccessories, such as a retailer of tiles and scorecards owner.

If You Thought Scrabble Was a Word Game, Think Again

Scrabble is commonly cited as being the world's most popular word game. Truly, Scrabble is a popular board game played throughout the world on kitchen tables and in a thriving international tournament scene. Is it, however, accurate to describe Scrabble as a word game?

At face value, a bag of one hundred letter tiles with each player having racks of seven letters at a time from which to form words and place on the board, it may appear to be a word game. On a closer examination, one must question that common assumption.

If Scrabble was truly a word game, one could expect that the most expert players would be those players with the best linguistic skills. These would include authors, journalists, language professors and similar professions. The reality tells a different story. These occupations are a rarity amongst Scrabble players at the top of the international competitive ranks.

If you were to survey the participants at any of the biennial World Scrabble Championships, you would discover a very significant proportion of these elite level Scrabble players come from mathematics, actuarial, accounting, architectural and engineering occupations. These professions reflect the strategic skills, the critical and strategic thinking skills and the mathematical and statistical skills that marks the difference between a winner and loser in Scrabble, or the difference between a masters level competitor and an intermediate or novice player.

Vocabulary is far less important than one might initially imagine in a Scrabble game. Whilst obviously vocabulary plays an important, in fact essential, role in the game, vocabulary alone won't win many Scrabble games. You could liken it a little to war. In a battle, one side may have a majority of the weapons and even a larger army, though without a solid strategic battle plan the war is all but over before it even begins. Without a strong battle plan, the biggest army with the most weapons will not defeat their opposition.

On the Scrabble board, strategic decisions are made with every move. You may have a great word ready to play, but which is the best position on the board to play it? There will often be multiple positions where a word could be played. Rapid mental calculations need to be made as to which position will produce the highest score. Even then, it may not always be wise to play in the highest scoring position if, for example, it opens up a triple-triple bonus scoring opportunity to your opponent. Settling for a different position on the board for a lower score may sometimes be the better strategic decision.

Likewise, the strategic player considers the balance between vowels and consonants in the rack. It is often the wise choice to play a small scoring word and maintain a well balanced rack than to go for a higher scoring word that leaves you with no vowels at all for your next move.

The strategic player will also consider the statistical probabilities of drawing good tiles from the Scrabble letter bag. Playing away a single tile from your rack in the hope of picking up the Q is generally unwise due to the low probability of actually picking out that Q. The same play for the purposes of picking up a far more common letter that you need to form your next bonus word, such as an E, can more often be rewarding.

To further reinforce the case that Scrabble isn't primarily a word game, a look at some of the recent victors in international tournaments tells a vivid story. A growing trend is for competitors from countries such as Thailand and Malaysia, where English is not even the primary language, to walk away with the tournament trophies. What these competitors may lack in terms of every day English language vocabulary, they more than compensate with their strategic, mathematical, statistical and logic skills.