Play Words with Friends 2 Lightning Rounds Better
Lightning Rounds in Words with Friends 2 is a team-based game. You win when your team scores 750 points first.
I love to play Words With Friends 2 Lightning Rounds. I am going to explain the strategies I have learned so you can score more points and win more often.
Avoid Playing Defensively in Lightning Rounds
Playing defensively in Lightning Rounds is a bad idea. Play too many short words, and it is much harder to think of a word to play.
Avoid Staying on the Board for Long
You do not want to be stuck on one screen for too long. The goal is to play a word fast and move on. But if the team is playing too defensively you will have to think longer about what to do next.
Play Longer Words
Unless you are an expert and have all the short words memorized things will get confusing. Getting stuck in this situation is why it is important to play long words.
Playing long words allows opportunities to play future words. You want to help the team out by doing this often.
Use Bonus Tiles
Use Bonus Tiles Often
You also want to use bonus tiles as much you can. By using Triple Word Score spaces and the right letters, I have scored over 100 points in one move!
If you and your team both play bonus tiles often, you will all win more games.
Set up Team Members
You want the team to use bonus tiles frequently. Setting up your teammates to score with bonus tiles is a huge priority. Play long and open words.
You want your teammates to have opportunities to play high scoring words.
Play as Fast as You Can in Lightning Rounds
Lightning Rounds Is About Playing Fast!
You want to play fast in Lightning Rounds. You do not want to stall on one board for too long. It is better to play a word then to spend too much time thinking of one.
It is possible your teammates have a much better chance of scoring big than you. If you are on a very confusing game board and have no words to play swap or skip your turn.
Play Short Words When in the Lead
If your team has a huge lead play a bunch of short words quickly. This tactic works when your team has a lead of over 100 points.
Use Suffixes and Prefixes While Playing Lightning Rounds
Add on to Existing Words
Remember all the ways to add on suffixes and prefixes to words. Because you will get points for the original word and your letters. If your letters land on a bonus tile, you get even more points!
There are also some words that are two words combined. Knowing these words are also a way to make long words and score points.
Letter Value Is Important
Keep in mind that some letters are worth more points. Because scoring the most points involves using some of these letters.
Example of a High Scoring Word
A great word that is easy for me to remember is zax. Get this word on a triple letter or a triple word tile, and you are scoring many points!
Words with Friends Letter Scores
| Letter Score | Letters |
| 0 | Blank Tile |
| 1 P | A E I O R S T |
| 2 Points | D L N U |
| 3 Points | G H Y |
| 4 Points | B C F M P W |
| 5 Points | K V |
| 8 Points | X |
| 10 Points | J Q Z |
The ENABLE Dictionary
The Words with Friends 2 dictionary uses the ENABLE dictionary with some changes. From what I can see they removed the mean and naughty words and added some modern words to it.
How to Use Blank Tiles
Use Blank Tiles Carefully
It is important to use blank tiles in a helpful way. Blank tiles are worth zero points. Playing a blank tile on a double or triple letter tile does not score any points.
Use Blank Tiles to Make Words Fast
Lightning rounds are about being fast. If I don’t see any word that looks good, sometimes I make whatever word comes to mind with a blank tile and move on.
Lightning rounds are too fast to wait for the perfect opportunity. I wouldn’t hold a blank tile for more than one or two turns.
Use Blank Tiles to Score Many Points
When used to reach a double or triple word tile black tiles can score many points. Using blank tiles to position high scoring words into good places is a great strategy.
Lightning Rounds Strategy Overview
- Avoid playing defensively
- Use long words.
- Play towards bonus tiles
- Use bonus tiles as much as possible.
- Play high scoring letters often.
- Use blank tiles strategically.