Opening vertically

[TheLamb]

Strategy? Or just a quirk?

Discuss.

[trashman]

I once played someone (an expert and club director) who insisted that opening vertically changed the game. Somehow. When I pressed him to prove it, he said something like, "I don't need to prove it, I know it!"

I always open vertically. Drives some nuts. Which is a form of strategy, I suppose

[CanadianBacon]

All I can think of is that it might throw off someone who always opens horizontally. But I don't think it really makes any difference. I open vertically maybe 4/10 games or so.

[TheLamb]

Hypothetical:

If you open vertically in a game, will the game progress exactly as it would have had you opened horizontally?

[CanadianBacon]

It's hard to say. I mean, there's a chance you might see a great overlapping play vertically that you might have missed horizontally (or miss a play you would have seen otherwise). You might play other turns differently, but it's impossible to say for sure.

[trashman]

Hypothetical:

If you open vertically in a game, will the game progress exactly as it would have had you opened horizontally?

Um, yeah. It's called symmetry, which isn't the least bit hypothetical.

[soccerguy]

Hypothetical:

If you open vertically in a game, will the game progress exactly as it would have had you opened horizontally?

Um, yeah. It's called symmetry, which isn't the least bit hypothetical.

Technically yes, it should progress exactly the same way. However, studies support the idea of people reading from left to right, top to bottom, which matches better with the typical horizontal opening play. Those who are not used to thinking in that slightly different configuration, especially if they rely on looking at the board and not raw anagramming power, may miss a word or words that they wouldn't normally miss. I'd say more often than not that it makes no difference, though.

[millcake16]

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[CharlesReinke]

I occasionally open vertically just for a change of pace. I don't feel like it has any impact on my play, although I don't know for sure. If it did, would my board vision be affected for all vertical words on the board?

[soccerguy]

I occasionally open vertically just for a change of pace. I don't feel like it has any impact on my play, although I don't know for sure. If it did, would my board vision be affected for all vertical words on the board?

Again, just my opinion, but after the first several moves I think it is inconsequential, since there are usually several horizontal and vertical plays by then. After several moves in, one should already be thinking vertically and horizontally anyway.