Hubert Wee of Singapore, the top seed at the tournament, secured the first prize of Rs 1.35 lakh in Division A.
Bengaluru hosted the Karnataka State Scrabble Association Indian Open, one of the biggest events of its kind in the country, from January 23 to 26. The competition was held at the offices of Mu Sigma, the event sponsor, in Whitefield.
While the previous edition of the tournament saw the participation of world champion Nigel Richards, many high-ranked international players also participated in the competition this year. These included Hubert Wee of Singapore, ranked third in the world, and the World Youth Scrabble Championship 2024 silver medallist, Bengaluru’s Suyash Manchali, aged 14. Over 140 participants from 12 nations participated in this year’s edition.
The tournament was divided into Divisions A, B, C, and D to account for differing skill levels. While Division A accommodated the highest grade of participant skill, the separate competition for the D Division on the last day of the tournament was intended to give exposure to new entrants to the competitive rules of Scrabble, which operates under a strict time limit.
Competitive scrabble is starting to prove a hit with Indian youngsters too. According to Ganesh Ramakrishnan of the Karnataka State Scrabble Association, “At the World Youth Scrabble Championship, two Indians came in the top five. Suyash won the silver medal, and 13-year-old Madhav Kamath, who came fourth, also came to the event (Karnataka State Scrabble Association Indian Open).”
Hubert Wee, the top seed at the tournament, secured the top prize of Rs 1.35 lakh in Division A. The Division B prize was taken by Delhi resident Sudhir Kamath, while the Intermediate C Division was won by Bengalurean Nirupama Sivaraman. Among the newcomers, Abel George Mathew came out on top in the D Division.
source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)