Duplicate Scrabble

Although duplicate is rarely played at competition level in the United States,[citation needed] it is the most popular form of the game in Europe, most notably in France[citation needed], Romania[1] and the Netherlands,[2] and is also played in Canada.

The largest European Scrabble festivals can attract over 2000 people and some individual tournaments can count over 1000 participants per game.

Although not popular for competitions in the US, the computer game Scrabble 2005 contains a duplicate version allowing up to 16 players to play on the same board at once.

[4] Duplicate Scrabble was invented by Hippolyte Wouters circa 1970,[5] a Belgian lawyer who spoke French as his first language.

In French, duplicate is practised in France, Belgium, Canada, Switzerland, Senegal, Benin, Tunisia, Lebanon and many other countries.

At the end of the allotted time, the players must hold up their slips to be collected by a runner.
A completed duplicate game in French.