Cheating at Scrabble – Thaivisa story hits UK national news

[webfact]

Cheating at Scrabble – Thaivisa story hits UK national news

 

 

The Thaivisa World Exclusive about a former UK Scrabble champion and author caught cheating has now been picked up by influential UK media including national BBC television.

 

The story has even reached Australia.

 

The man at the center of the allegations told The Times, who have employed him as a columnist, that it wasn’t really cheating but drawing tiles in a manner inconsistent with tournament rules.

 

However, Thaivisa can reveal that many in the Scrabble world – including some of his principal accusers - view this as nonsense covering up his misdoing.

 

Many are saying that Allan Simmons, from Coldingham in Scotland, should be banned for life and even have his titles rescinded.

 

Mr Simmons has written several books about Scrabble vocabulary and strategy and wrote a column in The Times. Thaivisa understands his position is in jeopardy.

 

He has also won multiple titles, played in at least five world championships and was a founder of the Association of British Scrabble Players that ultimately sanctioned him after an investigative committee of players was set up.

 

Two leading competitive Scrabble players have condemned Mr Simmons with one making the allegations that saw him first banned for a year then have the ban extended to three years after further details came to light.

 

Thaivisa have spoken to insiders in the world of competitive Scrabble who say that Mr Simmons was drawing tiles from the cloth bag and dropping ones back in that he didn’t want. This would give an experienced Scrabble player an enormous advantage enabling them to win prize money at the expense of legitimate players.

 

The former champion, playing since the 1970s, told the Daily Mail about how he drew letters saying that he believed he always showed an open hand before drawing fresh letters, but if drawing one or two at a time he may not have always had an open hand for each dip into the bag.

 

“Likewise holding the bag may not have always been strictly at shoulder height.

 

“From the outset I have said that no one is beyond suspicion and complied fully with the investigative process”.

 

But Thaivisa spoke to a leading UK player who has played Mr Simmons in the past.

 

He preferred not to be named but said: “His statements are false and the evidence from the witnesses contradicts his account. The independent panel decided that he was cheating, not just violating procedures.

 

“I feel let down by his actions as he was someone I trusted and I can’t understand why he did what he did. I am in favour of life bans for any adult who cheats.

 

“I would be more likely to have sympathy if he admitted what he has done”.

 

One of Mr Simmons’ accusers, a leading player called Lewis Mackay, said on Facebook: “At one point, I was surprised to see him draw a tile, look at it, and return it to the bag, all at shoulder height. I thought I was seeing things at first - I was shocked to witness this at all. I said nothing to anyone at the time.

 

“I decided that the next time I played him in a tournament, I would be sure to watch him carefully when drawing tiles.

 

“While I was scoring his moves, I had my eyes fixed on the tiles on the table as he drew them. He would draw tiles one at a time and lift each tile slightly to look at it once it was on the table. On three separate occasions, I saw him lift the tile out of my vision, having looked at it. I then heard the shuffling of the tile bag and saw a tile descend into my vision and placed on the table. I do not know if this was the same tile or a different one, for I did not see the bag throughout this. Each of these occasions occurred in the first half of our game. This sequence of events led me to the only sensible conclusion: that he was returning a drawn tile to the bag and drawing a new one.”

 

Meanwhile MSI 2017 World Scrabble Champion David Eldar of Australia was in no doubt about what should happen to Scrabble cheats: “If it is proven beyond doubt I think it should result in a lifetime ban with the removal of all titles”, he told Thaivisa.

 

Mr Eldar, who is also a well-known poker player, is currently involved in setting up Scrabble tournaments in London with UK Champion Austin Shin that will use tablets to play the game face to face using computer software.

 

Their first tournament in a pub was a great success with many interested to try the new format that does away with the traditional need for a board and letters.

 

“With tablets cheating won’t be an issue as it is borderline impossible”, he added.

 

At press time we understand that the BBC’s popular Newsnight show were planning to feature news about the cheating incident that was revealed first on Thaivisa.com.

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-11-14

[FritsSikkink]

Scrabble isn't world news, it is a hobby.

[gk10002000]

So that one player now claims he saw him return a tile to the bag but said nothing at the time?  What's up with that? 

[bendejo]

25 minutes ago, webfact said:

it wasn’t really cheating but drawing tiles in a manner inconsistent with tournament rules.

 

So he was playing by alternative rules?

 

DING DING DING DING!!!  We have a winner!

He wins a dream-date with Kellyanne Conway, the great American patriot who taught the world the term "alternative facts."  She is married, but it's ok because there are alternative definitions of that term.  Here she is now giving an alternative answer to the question "how much is 4 plus 4?"

 

 

 

41 minutes ago, webfact said:

“While I was scoring his moves, I had my eyes fixed on the tiles on the table as he drew them. He would draw tiles one at a time and lift each tile slightly to look at it once it was on the table. On three separate occasions, I saw him lift the tile out of my vision, having looked at it.

 

He wasn't looking at them, he was glancing.

The brass of this guy, an expert who even writes books about it. 

 

 

 

[nkg]

I bet he doesn't have the words to describe how he's feeling right now.

[Dexlowe]

37 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

Scrabble isn't world news, it is a hobby.

There are a handful of pros and quite a few semi-pros in scrabble. There are huge tournaments with quite reasonable prize money around the world, including in Thailand where the game is lively and where there are a number of champions and top-ranked players. A lot of schoolkids play the game in Thailand and enter the various tournaments, and like all kids, they look up to their idols. For these reasons, not to mention the moral issues, this story is important around the world and in this country (and on this forum). Sure, scrabble is not big, and sure it's more of a homey thing, but to suggest this story isn't news is wide of the mark.

Edited November 13, 2017 by Dexlowe

[ezzra]

What a scum bag to cheat in scrabble... i bet he was using steroids too...

good thing it came out the way it did, who knows what more damage

to humanity it could have cause leaving in unchecked.. are still talking

about Scrabble yes?

[Dexlowe]

4 minutes ago, ezzra said:

What a scum bag to cheat in scrabble... i bet he was using steroids too...

good thing it came out the way it did, who knows what more damage

to humanity it could have cause leaving in unchecked.. are still talking

about Scrabble yes?

Roid rage in scrabble is destroying the game. Why, one player even gave me a dirty look one day -- shocking!!!

[bendejo]

If Scrabble were a casino game, I'd like to see this guy try his stuff in Las Vegas.  The real test would be of the UK NHS, and how well they deal with injuries incurred overseas.

 

 

[newatthis]

4 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Scrabble isn't world news, it is a hobby.

IMO, football isn't world news either, but it seems to hog the limelight a lot.

[Kadilo]

I could think of an 8-pointer which describes him well. 

[Maestro]

Removed some troll posts.