Playing Games

As much as I love word games as well as the sheer joy of playing all types of games (except "mind," of course!), I've had to make the difficult decision to stop playing the popular, Alec Baldwin-endorsed game, Words with Friends on Facebook.

I have always loved games, ranging from board games, card games, video games, and PC games.  Clue, Euchre, Super Mario Brothers, Plants vs. Zombies, and Bejeweled Blitz are some of my favorites.  So why would this game lover stop playing Words with Friends?

I admit I like to win (who doesn't?), but I play fair and square.  I play for the simple pleasure of playing, whether is against others or challenging myself to improve.  I hope I'm always what's termed "a good loser."  I try to be gracious, and truly don't mind losing.  For me, the exhilaration and camaraderie of playing is far more important and fun than winning, plus I understand winning involves forces of chance and sometimes the cards do not fall in one's favor. 

After joining a legion of others playing Words with Friends, I noticed a couple (not everyone!) of my friends played words I know they could not possibly have known.  For example, dare to tell me you know most of the following words:  pointillism, quotidian, scoria, becquerel, crozier, avocet, dubnium, valerian, mirepoix, quoit, and sclera.  This coming-up-with-exceptionally-obscure-words from a gamut of different fields happened play after play with these few folks.  In addition, these players also demonstrated the uncanny ability of playing four, five, and six words time after time, all in the same move -- not an easy feat.

Did you realize people cheat at Words with Friends?  Anyone can search for a scrabble word generator in a search engine and type in either the letters themselves, or recreate the game play board before before entering a move. The results are astonishing.

I believe everyone should play fairly.  Sure, I could use a word generator, too, but I prefer to play games without resorting to using outside resources rather than relying upon my own abilities.

Words with Friends is simply a game.  Games involve chance.  A small degree of skill is also part of the equation.  Even the best player in the world can lose because of luck.  Games are supposed to be fun.  Victory is so much sweeter when you can play a good game and win fairly.  Winning by devious means does not prove you are a champion -- you're a cheater. 

I've decided not to play any Words with Friends so I don't have to evaluate who plays fairly and who does not.  I choose not to play with anyone who wants to win so much that they feel compelled to cheat.  It's simply not as much fun playing with them.  Besides, as the old adage goes, "Birds of a feather flock together."  I intend to play fairly and enjoy the game-playing adventures that pop up.  To the others, I wish them much joy in their compulsive quest to win at all costs.