2024 KSSA Indian Open Scrabble Championship

Normally I would do a detailed post on the 2024 KSSA Indian Open Scrabble Championship sponsored by Mu Sigma. However, Will Anderson has made an excellent video on it, capturing the genius of the GOAT Nigel Richards (the eventual winner) that was on display throughout the tournament. Here it is:

Pune Scrabble Tournament - Finale

 The 3 day Pune scrabble tournament concluded today. Sherwin was the runaway winner, Udayan finished 2nd while Ishika came 3rd. Here is the action from the final day:

Pune Scrabble Tourney - Day 2

The Pune Scrabble Club celebrates it's 25 th anniversary this year. The 3 day national tournament held in this regard has reached day 2. Here is some coverage from day 2. Sherwin has set the pace and remains undefeated after 17 games:

KSSA Indian Open Scrabble Championship 2023 - Gameboards

The KSSA Indian Open Scrabble Championship 2023 sponsored by Mu Sigma concluded in January. Here are some game boards from the action:

My opening game against India's best missed dentist with a blank on the opening move and missed yetties the next and soon find myself a 100 down, came back with antisera, twiglets, and Qigong to secure an unlikely 453-398 win:

The next game was dominated by my opponent who had the excellent plays of axillae and ottoman for an easy 535-378 win:

The next board is action from one of the top tables, with an interesting play of ballonne:

In my next game, I had the lead throughout with some high probable bingos running out a 484-413 winner:

Another board from the top tables:

My next game was against one of India's young guns built a good lead and clinched it with forehand, 431-382: 

A good board from one of the top tables:

Was routed in the next one by my opponent who started with oxazole and had 3 more bingos in a 555-336 win:

Another board from a top table, featuring the s hook to podium:

I briefly led in this one after I played steming, but it was all him from there winning easily 512-362:

Led from start to finish in this one with some high probable bingos, winning 447-388:

Another game I lead all the way through, with some high probable bingos winning 487-376:

This was a game I blew after leading by over 100, by going into a defensive shell, probably should have changed, didn't, and lost 362-374:

This was a game I lead throughout had two good plays of similor and queridas that saw me through 433-394:

A game against one of India's young guns, that I deserved to lose after trying scowsing, still could've won it had I spotted tsaddik on the triple lane, lost 432-497:

This game was close with my suboptimal play of us jags instead of quay us costing me the game 373-375:

I missed aecidium early in this one and struggled throughout, losing  382-477:

Was lucky in this one after I started with azurite for 107, was up throughout the game, winning 532-400:

Was trailing throughout in this one after her manorial and tiercet bingos, only managed to reduce spread losing 415-382:

Never in this one, and was playing catchup most of the game, losing 391-434:

 

Played poorly in this one, stratous on the triple was definitely better than outrates early, missed stengahs as well, and trailed after his heatings but set up scowl/tasting to win 418-316:

Chickened out of outgiven in this one, which gave her the lenition play, and she ran out an easy winner 440-377:

Was trailing for most of this one, and he went out with detainees to win 513-383:

He started with aetatis, and was up nearly 100 after he played shouter. I came back with olefiant,  riblets, and striven to take this 424-368: 

Got a bit greedy in this one trying a double-double, had oper challenged off while farrens was valid, trailed by a bingo, came back with stearine, aboideau, and seamier clinched it 448-382:

Her hairpins, donative, my amulets, arenite, made this very close, went out with doobs to win 421-395:

Was up early in this one and led throughout for a 506-418 win:

This was close but tried titchy and riya (phony), in the end, which cost me the game 385-415:

A game I was up throughout. Chickened out of baguios/swelting but didn't matter. Won 458-340:

Close game this, he tried zincide, which I challenged off. His retiary, my avianize, he took the lead with synodal, I came back with bestain, and clinched it 431-413:

Another close one, he extended roseate to roseately, but after his drys play I thought he had gone out and hit the clock, allowing him to go out and throwing away the game 445-460:

Close game, but she phoneyed early with caesure (only cesurae), and later on, with moxy, I went out with induct to seal it 441-409:

Was playing catchup, dronish got me within 8, but he pulled away with potlucks, frigates, and virandas for an easy 569-439 win:

I had a comfortable lead in this one after we traded bingos, and ended up winning 489-439:

Final game had a chance to finish in the top 10, but was not to be as my opponent led throughout following his raucous and germain, I exchanged the Q got it back, and was stuck with it, losing 389-452. Lost all my 4 games to friendly opposition form Srilanka, giving up over 400 in spread:

All in all a decent tourney for me after a hiatus, went 9-4 in my last 13 games to finish 13th.

KSSA Indian Open 2022

India's best player Sherwin Rodrigues has won the KSSA Indian Open Scrabble tournament organized by MuSigma. Here are some gameboards from the event:

Did find patinized through ZE:

and nostalgia starting with NO:

 

Nothing like yahrzeit through a floating A and poorwill(s) from the champ:

Here are some more boards from the top tables:

Vadodara All India Open Scrabble Tournament

Competitive scrabble returns to lovely Vadodara, home to some magnificent, palaces, gardens and lakes. The tournament set to take place from February 28 to March 1 will be conducted by Vadodara Scrabble Club in association with Polytech Plastics.
This will be SAI rated. There will be 3 divisions. Division A is for players rated 1000 and above while division B is for players rated 600-999. In addition there will be a division C for newbies. For more details contact Vimisha Patel (9825164654, vimisha.patel@gmail.com)

Mu Sigma International Scrabble Tournament 2020

Here are some recorded games from the recently concluded Mu Sigma International Scrabble Tournament:

WESPA World Scrabble Championship Goa 2019 - Division A

Heres a recap of my games in Division A of the WESPA World Scrabble Championships in Goa. Coach Tikolo won it. Yours truly in second:

Game 1 against a rising star in Indian scrabble and a fellow chemical engineer and he dominates from start to finish my rotchies not withstanding and a desperation phoney oralise:

Game 2 against my good friend and I just about bingo more than him to take it:

Game 3 I start with readily, then bingo 3 more times to take it easily:

Game 4 my only highlight was a double double with Organza. It was all him the rest of the way to win by 100 plus:

Game 5 was my worst loss to a very good player from New Zealand. Her warpaint and rejoneos were nice indeed:

Game 6 was a good win for me. Was pleased with my unsawed and chinones:

I loose by over 100 in this one despite my phoney aven staying on the board against my good friend and end day 1 on 3-4:

Start well day 2 but give up spread as I try booteed needlessly after challenging off trialings. Just pushed through in the end:

Did take the next one with very good tile flow:

Talking about what you should not do in scrabble, phoneyed thrice trying winkier,minkier and tarsy,changed twice and blew a 100 point lead to lose by over 60:

Lose the next one to my good friend, who led all the way through so now at 6-6:

The next one was a very good game against a very good friend. The crucial blank pickups in the end meant that I found my only 9 letter word of the tournament with believers  and was able to extend  locating to relocating and go out in 2 and eke out a smallwin:

Was lucky not to lose by 150 plus in the next one as he phoneyed with a blank and an s, he did block my bowlines earlier on. Just happy to reduce spread:

7-7 now and I kind of wake up. This was a multi bingo game for me and I extended water on the board to topwater. Unakites was nice and an easy win in the end:

End the day on a high note with a good win against a good friend, 9-7 after day 2:

Day 3 starts good but I needlessly chicken out of medlars mid game and sizers towards the end to give up valuable spread in a narrow win:

Finally a good game against the brilliant New Zealander who had dominated me thus far. Kinda picked everything, gobshite was nice:

So from 7-7 I have pulled it back to 11-7 and enter a close game which he should have won had he played vom instead of mob, instead I win by 5:

Now I play the king and start with a double double with upstates and bingo 3 more times to just about win:

Now I meet my good friend and fellow chemical engineer yet again. I challenge doably and cabalers off (the anagram was berascal) and still find myself down 57. I hit Nandines which he challenged. It let me win by 5 in the end:

Up against yet another rising star of Indian scrabble. Started by changing 2 ee's and ended up picking an a and another e, thought I should change again but suddenly see chaetae, vidames came next and two more.He minimized spread with godetia and I am on an 8 game winning streak:

Well all good things have to come to an end and they certainly did that in the next game. My 3 bingos to his 1 not withstanding, Coach Tikolo runs out a winner by over 100 and wraps up a well deserved title. Playing for second:

From coach to chief and I build a 150 point lead with virando and trephine. He comes back well with subtones and takes the lead with a few moves to go. It was all his if he had hit any one of bi/tri/re cycles. He was under a bit of time pressure and missed and that's the only thing that prevented a Nigerian 1-2-3. I finish 2nd winning 9 out of my last 10: