View source for World Scrabble Championship

{{Short description|Competition to determine the World Champion in Scrabble}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{about|the tournament in English||World Scrabble Championships (disambiguation)}}{{Not to be confused with|text=the [[Scrabble Players Championship]] or the [[World English-Language Scrabble Players' Association|WESPA Championship]]}}{{Infobox sports league
|title=World Scrabble Championship
|sport=Scrabble
|founded=1991
|champion=[[David Eldar]] <small>(2nd title)</small>
|champ_season = [[World Scrabble Championship 2023|2023]]
|sponsor=[[Mattel]], MSA
}}
The '''World Scrabble Championship''' ('''WSC''') is played to determine the world champion in competitive [[English-language Scrabble]]. It was held in every odd year from 1991 to 2013; from 2013 onwards, it became an annual event.

The most successful player in world championship history is [[Nigel Richards (Scrabble player)|Nigel Richards]] from New Zealand, who won a record five titles between 2007 and 2019.

==History==
Sponsorship of the World Scrabble Championship (WSC) formerly alternated between [[Hasbro]] and [[Mattel]], the North American and global owners of the Scrabble trademark, respectively. However, after Hasbro declined to sponsor [[World Scrabble Championship 2005|WSC 2005]], Mattel has organized and sponsored all championships. Mind Sports International (MSI) began sponsoring the event in 2013 after successfully organizing their own major Scrabble tournament in [[Prague]] in 2012. As of 2018, it has been sponsored by Mindsports Academy.

On 17 May 2013, Mattel announced<ref name="msi2013">{{cite web|url=http://forum.mindsportsinternational.com/yaf_postst349_PRESS-RELEASE---SCRABBLE-r--CHAMPIONS-TOURNAMENT-2013.aspx |title=Press Release |publisher=Forum.mindsportsinternational.com |access-date=2014-02-23}}</ref> that the event would be renamed the Scrabble Champions Tournament, and the tournament would be held annually as part of Mind Sports International's Prague Mind Sports Festival. MSI introduced a 'Last Chance Qualifier' tournament, giving players a last opportunity to qualify for 5 places in the main event if they failed to achieve a place on their national team. A four-way knockout stage was introduced for the top four finishers, which consisted of a best-of-3 semi-final followed by a best-of-5 final. [[Nigel Richards (Scrabble player)|Nigel Richards]] became World Champion here, making him the first player to defend his world title.

In 2014 the Scrabble Champions Tournament continued in London, but it became an open event, with all players invited to compete. A quarter-final stage was added, meaning that the top 8 progressed to the knockout stages. [[Craig Beevers]] won the event, making him the first British World Scrabble Champion since [[Mark Nyman]] in 1993.

In 2015, following cancellation of the SCT, Mattel and MSI agreed to allow WESPA to organize the [[WESPA Championship 2015|2015 WESPA Championship (WESPAC)]]. It was held in [[Perth]], Australia and followed the invitational format of pre-MSI WSC events. 130 players qualified to play. [[Wellington Jighere]] of Nigeria emerged as WESPA Champion after beating Lewis Mackay 4–0 in the final.

In 2016, the tournament was split into two divisions based on players' rankings. MSI also hosted world championships in other languages, including French, German, Spanish and Catalan, alongside the French Duplicate Championship.

The 2017 MSI World Championships followed the same format as the 2016 event. This was won by Australian [[David Eldar]]. 

The 2018 World Scrabble Championship was organised by Mindsports Academy. The main event was held in [[Torquay]], Devon, but the best-of-5 final was held in London to celebrate the game's 70th anniversary. The event was won by Nigel Richards. 

In 2019 Nigel Richards went on to defend his title (and win his fifth championship) against [[David Eldar]] at the Riviera International Centre in [[Torquay]].

After 2019, unofficial world championships are held at [[World English-Language Scrabble Players' Association#WESPA_Championships (WESPAC)|WESPAC]] because WESPA has been denied permission from Mattel and/or Hasbro to be called an official world championship.

== List of finals ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Winner
! Runner-up
! Location
! Entrants
! Winner's prize
! Total prize pool
! Sponsor
|-
|[[World Scrabble Championship 1991|1991]]
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Peter Morris (Scrabble)|Peter Morris]]
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Brian Cappelletto]]
|London, United Kingdom
| align="right" |48
| align="right" |{{currency|10000|USD|linked=no}}<ref name="wscprizes1991">{{cross-tables tournament|tid=1407|tname=WSC 1991}}</ref>
| align="right" |{{currency|19000|USD|linked=no}}<ref name="wscprizes1991" />
|Spears
|-
|[[World Scrabble Championship 1993|1993]]
|{{Flagicon|ENG}} [[Mark Nyman]]
|{{Flagicon|CAN}} [[Joel Wapnick]]
|[[Plaza Hotel]], New York City, United States
| align="right" |64
| align="right" |{{currency|10000|USD|linked=no}}<ref name="wscprizes1993">{{cross-tables tournament|tid=1408|tname=WSC 1993}}</ref>
| align="right" |{{currency|24950|USD|linked=no}}<ref name="wscprizes1993" />
|Hasbro
|-
|[[World Scrabble Championship 1995|1995]]
|{{Flagicon|CAN}} [[David Boys (Scrabble)|David Boys]]
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Joel Sherman]]
|[[Park Lane Hotel]], [[Piccadilly]], London, United Kingdom
| align="right" |64
| align="right" |{{currency|11000|USD|linked=no}}<ref name="wscprizes1995">{{cross-tables tournament|tid=1242|tname=WSC 1995}}</ref>
| align="right" |{{currency|29550|USD|linked=no}}<ref name="wscprizes1995" />
|Mattel
|-
|[[World Scrabble Championship 1997|1997]]
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Joel Sherman]]
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Matt Graham (Scrabble)|Matt&nbsp;Graham]]
|[[Mayflower Hotel]], Washington, D.C., United States
| align="right" |80
| align="right" |{{currency|25000|USD|linked=no}}<ref name="wscprizes1997">{{cite web|author=John J. Chew III |url=http://www.wscgames.com/1997/prizes.html |title=WSC 1997 Prizes |publisher=Wscgames.com |access-date=2014-02-23}}</ref>
| align="right" |{{currency|50100|USD|linked=no}}<ref name="wscprizes1997" />
|Hasbro
|-
|[[World Scrabble Championship 1999|1999]]
|{{Flagicon|CAN}} [[Joel Wapnick]]
|{{Flagicon|ENG}} [[Mark Nyman]]
|Carlton Crest Hotel, [[Melbourne]], Australia
| align="right" |98
| align="right" |{{currency|15000|USD|linked=no}}<ref name="wscprizes1999">{{cross-tables tournament|tid=1567|tname=WSC 1999}}</ref>
| align="right" |{{currency|34200|USD|linked=no}}<ref name="wscprizes1999" />
|Mattel
|-
|[[World Scrabble Championship 2001|2001]]
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Brian Cappelletto]]
|{{Flagicon|CAN}} [[Joel Wapnick]]
|[[The Venetian (Las Vegas)|Venetian Hotel]], [[Las Vegas Strip|Las Vegas]], United States
| align="right" |88
| align="right" |{{currency|25000|USD|linked=no}}<ref name="wscprizes2001">{{cite web |url=http://www.scrabble-assoc.com/tourneys/2001/wsc/#prizes |title=2001 World SCRABBLE® Championship |publisher=Scrabble-assoc.com |date=3 May 2001 |access-date=2014-02-23 |archive-date=8 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090408023540/http://www.scrabble-assoc.com/tourneys/2001/wsc/#prizes |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| align="right" |{{currency|50100|USD|linked=no}}<ref name="wscprizes2001" />
|[[Hasbro]]
|-
|[[World Scrabble Championship 2003|2003]]
|{{Flagicon|THA}} [[Panupol Sujjayakorn]]
|{{Flagicon|THA}} [[Pakorn Nemitrmansuk]]
|[[Corus Hotels|Corus Hotel]], Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| align="right" |90
| align="right" |{{currency|17500|USD|linked=no}}<ref name="wscprizes2003">{{cite web|url=http://www.wscgames.com/2003/prizes.html |title=Scrabble Masters |publisher=Wscgames.com |access-date=2014-02-23}}</ref>
| align="right" |{{currency|40000|USD|linked=no}}<ref name="wscprizes2003" />
||Mattel
|-
|[[World Scrabble Championship 2005|2005]]
|{{Flagicon|CAN}} [[Adam Logan]]
|{{Flagicon|THA}} [[Pakorn Nemitrmansuk]]
|[[Marriott International|Marriott]] Regent's Park Hotel, London, United Kingdom
| align="right" |102
| align="right" |{{currency|15000|USD|linked=no}}<ref name="wscprizes2005">{{cite web|author=John J. Chew III |url=http://www.wscgames.com/2005/prizes.html |title=2005 WSC Prizes |publisher=Wscgames.com |access-date=2014-02-23}}</ref>
| align="right" |{{currency|30500|USD|linked=no}}<ref name="wscprizes2005" />
|Mattel
|-
|[[World Scrabble Championship 2007|2007]]
|{{Flagicon|New Zealand}} [[Nigel Richards (Scrabble player)|Nigel Richards]] (1)
|{{Flagicon|MAS}} [[Ganesh Asirvatham]]
|[[Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces|Taj President Hotel]], [[Mumbai]], India
| align="right" |104
| align="right" |{{currency|15000|USD|linked=no}}<ref name="wscprizes2007">{{cite web|author=John J. Chew III |url=http://www.wscgames.com/2007/prizes.html |title=2007 WSC Prizes |publisher=Wscgames.com |access-date=2014-02-23}}</ref>
| align="right" |{{currency|30500|USD|linked=no}}<ref name="wscprizes2007" />
|Mattel
|-
|[[World Scrabble Championship 2009|2009]]
|{{Flagicon|THA}} [[Pakorn Nemitrmansuk]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=WSC 2009 Standings: Round 24|url=http://live.wscgames.com/2009/standing/1/24.html|access-date=2022-02-16|website=live.wscgames.com}}</ref>
|{{Flagicon|New Zealand}} [[Nigel Richards (Scrabble player)|Nigel Richards]]<ref name="wscfinals2009">{{cite web|author=John J. Chew III|title=WSC 2009: Finals|url=http://live.wscgames.com/2009/finals.html|access-date=2014-02-23|publisher=Live.wscgames.com}}</ref>
|[[Johor Bahru landmarks#The ZON Shopping Mall|Zon Regency Hotel]], [[Johor Bahru]], [[Malaysia]]<ref name="wscvenue2009">{{cite web|author=John J. Chew III |url=http://www.wscgames.com/2009/venue.html |title=2009 WSC Venue |publisher=Wscgames.com |access-date=2014-02-23}}</ref>
| align="right" |108
| align="right" |{{currency|15000|USD|linked=no}}<ref name="wscprizes2009">{{cite web|author=John J. Chew III |url=http://www.wscgames.com/2009/prizes.html |title=2009 WSC Prizes |publisher=Wscgames.com |access-date=2014-02-23}}</ref>
| align="right" |{{currency|30500|USD|linked=no}}<ref name="wscprizes2009" />
|Mattel
|-
|[[World Scrabble Championship 2011|2011]]
|{{Flagicon|New Zealand}} [[Nigel Richards (Scrabble player)|Nigel Richards]] (2)
|{{Flagicon|AUS}} [[Andrew Fisher (Scrabble)|Andrew Fisher]]
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20080808142914/http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/WAWHIHI-Hilton-Warsaw-Hotel-and-Convention-Centre/index.do Hilton Hotel], [[Warsaw]], [[Poland]]<ref name="hotel2011">{{cite web|author=John J. Chew III |url=http://www.wscgames.com/2011/venue.html |title=2011 WSC Venue |publisher=Wscgames.com |access-date=2014-02-23}}</ref>
| align="right" | 106
| align="right" |{{currency|20000|USD|linked=no}}<ref name="prizes2011">{{cite web|author=John J. Chew III |url=http://www.wscgames.com/2011/prizes.html |title=2011 WSC Prizes |publisher=Wscgames.com |access-date=2014-02-23}}</ref>
| align="right" |{{currency|50000|USD|linked=no}}<ref name="prizes2011" />
|Mattel
|-
|[[Scrabble Champions Tournament 2013|2013]]
|{{Flagicon|New Zealand}} [[Nigel Richards (Scrabble player)|Nigel Richards]] (3)
|{{Flagicon|THA}} [[Komol Panyasophonlert]]
|Andel's Hotel, [[Prague]], Czech Republic
| align="right" | 110
| align="right" | {{currency|10000|USD|linked=yes}}<ref name="prizes2013">{{cite web|url=http://event.poslfit.com/2013/sct-me/build/tsh/prizes.html |title=Prize Table |publisher=Event.poslfit.com |access-date=2014-02-23}}</ref>
| align="right" |{{currency|25000|USD|linked=no}}<ref name="msi2013" />
|Mattel, MSI
|-
|[[Scrabble Champions Tournament 2014|2014]]
|{{Flagicon|ENG}} [[Craig Beevers]] 
|{{Flagicon|USA}} Chris&nbsp;Lipe 
|[[ExCeL London|ExCeL Arena]], London, United Kingdom
| align="right" | 108
| align="right" | {{currency|3000|GBP|linked=no}}
| align="right" | {{currency|7000|GBP|linked=no}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scrabbleplayers.org/w/World_SCRABBLE_Championship#2014_SCRABBLE_Champions_Tournament |title = World SCRABBLE Championship – NASPAWiki}}</ref>
|Mattel, MSI
|-
|[[WESPA Championship 2015|2015]]
|{{Flagicon|NGR}} [[Wellington Jighere]]<ref name="BBC News 9 November 2015">{{cite web | title= Nigeria celebrates Africa's first English-language Scrabble win |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-34764670| author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date= 9 November 2015| website= [[BBC News Online]] | access-date= 9 November 2015}}</ref>
|{{Flagicon|ENG}} Lewis Mackay 
|[[Gloucester Park, Perth|Gloucester Park]], Perth, Australia
| align="right" | 130
| align="right" | {{currency|10000|AUD|linked=yes}}
| align="right" | {{currency|28400|AUD|linked=no}}
|[[World English-Language Scrabble Players' Association|WESPA]] (1)
|-
|[[World Scrabble Championship 2016|2016]]
|{{Flagicon|ENG}} [[Brett Smitheram]]
|{{Flagicon|ENG}} [[Mark Nyman]]
|[[Grand Palais]], [[Lille]], France
| align="right" | 72
| align="right" | {{Euro|7,000|link=yes}}
| align="right" | {{Euro|40,000|link=no}}
|Mattel, MSI
|-
|[[World Scrabble Championship 2017|2017]]
|{{Flagicon|AUS}} [[David Eldar]]
|{{Flagicon|ENG}} [[Harshan Lamabadusuriya]]
|[[Nottingham]], United Kingdom
| align="right" | 77
| align="right" | {{currency|7000|GBP|linked=yes}}<ref name="Daily Telegraph 27 August 2017">{{cite web |url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/08/27/obscure-word-propels-londoner-victory-world-scrabble-championships/|title= Obscure word propels Londoner to victory in world Scrabble championships |author= <!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date= 27 August 2017|website= www.telegraph.co.uk |publisher= [[Telegraph Media Group]] | access-date= 28 August 2017 }}</ref>
| align="right" |
|Mattel, [[Mind Sports International|MSI]]
|-
|[[World Scrabble Championship 2018|2018]]
|{{Flagicon|New Zealand}} [[Nigel Richards (Scrabble player)|Nigel Richards]] (4)
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Jesse Day]]
|[[Torquay]] (final in [[Westfield London]]), United Kingdom
| align="right" | 75
| align="right" | {{currency|6200|GBP|linked=yes}}
| align="right" | {{currency|15500|GBP|linked=yes}}<ref>{{cite news |title=Sulky word wins Scrabble championship |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-46013964 |access-date=30 October 2018 |work=BBC News |date=29 October 2018}}</ref>
|[[Mattel]], [[Mind Sports Academy|MSA]]
|-
|[[World Scrabble Championship 2019|2019]]
|{{Flagicon|New Zealand}} [[Nigel Richards (Scrabble player)|Nigel Richards]] (5)
|{{Flagicon|AUS}} [[David Eldar]]
|Riviera International Centre, [[Torquay]], United Kingdom
|align="right"| 46
|align="right"| $8,000 
|align="right"| 
| [[Mattel]], [[Mind Sports Academy|MSA]]
|-
|[[World Scrabble Championship 2023|2023]]
|{{Flagicon|Australia}} [[David Eldar]] (2)
|{{Flagicon|England}} Harshan Lamabadusuriya
|[[Las Vegas]], United States
|align="right"| 134
|align="right"| $10,000
|
|[[World English-Language Scrabble Players' Association|WESPA]]
|-
|
|}
From 1993 to 2023, New Zealand, represented by Nigel Richards with his 5 victories, is the most successful country participating in the World Scrabble Championship. This accounts for 27.8% of the total wins. The United Kingdom and Canada each secured 3 victories, placing them both in second place.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Percantage of World Scrabble Championship by Country (1993–2023) |url=https://www.crosswordsolver.com/scrabble-championship/world |access-date=2024-08-01 |website=www.crosswordsolver.com}}</ref>

==Championships by country==
{|class="wikitable "
!Country
!Titles{{ref label|id1|1|1}}
|-
|{{Flag|New Zealand}}
|5
|-
|{{Flag|USA}}
|3
|-
|{{Flag|Canada}}
|3
|-
|{{Flag|England}}
|3
|-
|{{Flag|Thailand}}
|2
|-
|{{Flag|Australia}}
|2
|-
|{{Flag|Nigeria}}
|1
|}

==See also==
*[[World Youth Scrabble Championships]]
*[[List of world championships in mind sports]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{WSC}}
{{Scrabble}}
{{Main world championships}}

[[Category:World Scrabble Championships|World Scrabble Championships]]
[[Category:Recurring events established in 1991]]
[[Category:Biennial events]]