HOW TO IMPROVE SCRABBLE RULES?

It is easy to play the role of the armchair critic; but it is really hard to come with practical solutions that would address problems. I have stretched my imagination to the extent of trying to design an "automated tile dispenser". I worked on a couple of unsuccessful prototypes, where tiles got stuck on their way to the delivery chute! Even if I were to be successful, tournament gear would be too bulky to move around. I guess we will have to wait for a computer guru that would put the game in one piece, with virtual tiles and score calculators. The computer would replenish your tiles, calculate the score, tell you how many tiles are left in the virtual bag, and even progressively tile track for you. It could have a facility for resolving challenges. This feasible wish might sound like the electric or hydrogen-driven car. The technology is available, but mass production never saw the light. Experimental cars were fitted with small gadgets that split water by simple electrolysis into hydrogen and oxygen. All you needed in the way of fuel would be a bottle of water.

Back to Earth, I have several feasible suggestions to be incorporated in the rules:

• Make it compulsory to have the bag opening face away from the player;

• players must avert the bag;

• the bag remain closed until the above conditions are satisfied.

This might overcome the widespread evil of looking into the bag while replenishing tiles.

• During the period between placement of tiles on the board and replenishing your rack, you should not handle the tiles on the rack. This would effectively do the job of the American rule requiring showing an empty hand. It is simple and not as cumbersome as showing an empty palm every time you obtain tiles from the bag.
  

Peeking into the bag might not always be an effective cheating method, but it is certainly annoying and distracting for the honest opponent at the receiving end. I have recently faced a player who got the tiles one by one out of the bag, which was dangling right under his eyes. He carefully examined every tile on its way out of the bag. I must admit that he might not have been trying to cheat. It could very well be a simple case of poor eyesight, but I did not like the idea of looking into an open bag. This is different from the case of "A", who is really irritating me, and sapping much of my concentration on the game, by her bag mishandling, which is followed by superb exemplary bag handling, as soon as she is comfortably ahead. I guess I should show my less accommodating side, next time I face her.