National SCRABBLE Championship 2010

August 11, 2010

Day 1

COMPUTER PROGRAMMER FROM NEW YORK LEADS 400 WORD WIZARDS

Proving he has a way with words, Chris Lipe, 29, a computer programmer from Rome, New York, leads all players after 6 rounds the first day of the 2010 National SCRABBLE Championship (NSC). Nigel Richards, 43, of Malaysia is in 2nd place for the $10,000 top prize. Richards is a former National and World SCRABBLE Champion. Both are the only undefeated players with a 6-0 record. 408 SCRABBLE enthusiasts are going head-to-head at the Hotel InterContinental Dallas. Competitors ages 12 to 92 from 42 states and 4 countries are playing in a total of 31 rounds. Only one will be crowned the National SCRABBLE Champion and earn bragging rights among North America's 10,000 tournament players.

Unusual words played today include: FJELD (a high, barren plateau), KAFIR (a cereal grass) and QANAT (a system of underground tunnels and wells in the Middle East).

Day 2

FORMER WORLD AND NATIONAL CHAMPION IN FIRST AFTER 13 ROUNDS

Nigel Richards, 42, a security consultant from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia leads a strong field of SCRABBLE experts competing for the $10,000 first prize at the 2010 National SCRABBLE Championship being held at the Hotel InterContinental Dallas. 408 SCRABBLE enthusiasts ranging from 12 to 92 years old are competing in 31 rounds. Only one will be crowned the National SCRABBLE Champion and earn bragging rights among North America's 10,000 tournament players. After 13 rounds of intense play over the past two days, Orry Swift, 23, an accountant and MBA student at the University of Houston from Dayton, TX is in 2nd with an 11-2 record and a +956 point spread. Rafi Stern, 21, a college student from Seattle, WA follows him with an 11-2 record and a +925 point spread.

Unusual words played today include: JIAO (a monetary unit of china), FAQIR (a Hindu ascetic) and COATI (a tropical mammal).

Day 3

FORMER CHAMPION LEADS FIELD OF 400 EXPERTS

Nigel Richards, 43, former World and National SCRABBLE Champion from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is in the lead after 20 rounds and three days of play at the National SCRABBLE Championship (NSC). Over 400 SCRABBLE players from 42 states and 4 countries are competing at the Hotel InterContinental Dallas.

Behind Richards’ 16-4 record and +1256 point spread is Rafi Stern, 21, a college student from Seattle, WA with a 15-5 record and a +789 point spread. Another former National and World Champion, Brian Cappelletto, 40, an options trader from Chicago, IL is in third with a record of 15-5 and a +755 point spread.

Some unusual words played today include: KEX (a dry, hollow stalk), JAWAN (a soldier of India), AGOUTI (a burrowing rodent) and YAFF (to bark).

Day 4

AFTER FOUR DAYS, WEARY WORD WIZARDS HEAD TO FINALS OF NATIONAL SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP IN DALLAS. FORMER NATIONAL AND WORLD CHAMPION IN LEAD FOR $10,000 TOP PRIZE.

In a word, it’s mind-numbing. After four days of non-stop SCRABBLE, over 400 competitors aged 12 to 92 are headed into the home stretch at the 2010 National SCRABBLE Championship. After 27 rounds, former National and World Champion Nigel Richards, 43, a security analyst from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia remained on top. Scott Appel, 29, a statistician from Trenton, NJ, held second place while former National SCRABBLE Champion Dave Wiegand, 36, a mortgage underwriter from Portland, OR was in third. Another former National and World Champion, Brian Cappelletto, 40, an options trader from Chicago was in fourth place.

Among the words played were FILARIID (a parasitic worm), TWAE (two), YENTA (a gossipy woman) and ZINGY (enjoyably exciting).

The final game will be held Wednesday at the Hotel InterContinental Dallas at approximately noon to determine the winner of the most prestigious tournament for the world’s 25,000 tournament SCRABBLE players.

Day 5

NEW ZEALANDER HAS THE FINAL WORD AND WINS $10,000

Spread the word. Nigel Richards, 43, a New Zealand security analyst who lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia spelled his way into first place at the 2010 National SCRABBLE Championship. Richards, now a two-time National Champion, as well as a World Champion, won $10,000 and bragging rights among the world’s 25,000 SCRABBLE tournament players. Richards finished 25-6 with a +2213 spread.

Second place was won by another former National and World Champion, Brian Cappelletto, 40, an options trader from Chicago. Cappelletto finished 21-10 with a +1231 spread. In third was Laurie Cohen, 43, a research director at a community college from Tempe, AZ. Cohen finished 21-10 with a +172 spread. This was the second highest finish by a woman in the 30-year history of the event.

More than 400 word wizards from 42 states and 4 countries played for five days at the Hotel InterContinental Dallas. Competitors ranged from ages 12-92.

Nigel Richards, 43, a New Zealander currently working in Malaysia contemplates his next play in the winning game at the 2010 National SCRABBLE Championship in Dallas. His final record was 25-6. More than 400 players aged 12 to 92 competed for the $10,000 first prize. Photo Credit: Patricia Hocker, National SCRABBLE Association