WESPA

The Mattel WSC Preview

Torquay to host in October


Last year’s World Scrabble Championship in Nottingham gave Australia its first winner of the World Scrabble Championships (this after providing three World Youth Scrabble Champions to date!)

The finals series was a dramatic affair that saw David Eldar defeat the World Number 1, Nigel Richards, then get past Goutham Jayaraman to reach the final, where a 3-0 victory over the UK’s Harshan Lamabadasuriya provided him with a deserved World Championship Title. You can read more about last year's Worlds in our August Report for 2017.

This year, the World Scrabble Championship returns to the UK for what is a special year in Scrabble: its 70th birthday.

Earlier in the year, Mattel announced that the World Scrabble Championships 2018 and the World Junior Scrabble Championships 2018, will be held at The Riviera International Conference Centre (RICC) in Torquay. The event to be run by organizers TMA International.

Rachael Sweet, from TMA, explains: “We are excited to be a part of the Scrabble 70th celebrations and organising the World Scrabble Championships this year. Joined by our tournament team Amy, James and Pete, this will be a grand event”

The event will run from 20th October 2018 to 28th October 2018.

Details for the 2018 Mattel WSC


From Saturday 20th October to Monday 22nd October, the World Junior Scrabble Championships will be played. Open to players aged 21 and under, it is a 24 round event played over 3 days.

And then.. The big one. From Tuesday 23rd October to Sunday 28th October, the World Scrabble Championships will be a 35 round event played over 4 days.

WESPA Chairman, Elie Dangoor observed “I am very much looking forward to this event, as it always attracts a large pool of top players, and it is being held in a very attractive location”

There will be 2 divisions. At the end, the top 8 return to play on the final Saturday in a Quarter Final and Semi-Final with the Grand Final to complete the week on Sunday 28th.

Alongside this event, TMA will feature other events and activities throughout the week to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of Scrabble™.

All information can be found at the official site for the Mattel WSC

David Eldar, the current World Champion. Who will it be this year?



Additional text with thanks to Rachael Sweet at TMA