World Scrabble Championship : Thais taking on the world in English - Korat teen in 8th

 

The Thai team at the WESPAC World Scrabble event in India

A team of six Thai men are taking on the world in India at the World English Language Scrabble Players' Association Championships.

They are led by Chiang Mai physician Dr Jakkrit Klaphajone and include teen sensation Tarin Pairor from Korat, a young man of mixed Thai and Canadian parentage. After day one he is currently in eighth place.

The biennial event, considered by many players to be a world championship, has attracted a field of 140 international players from around the world, many of whom are considered grand masters of the English Language word game.

It is being played in a large stadium in Goa, befitting the claims of many Scrabble players that the game is a true sport as well as a sport of the mind.

The top Scrabble playing nations in the world are all represented; these include the US, the UK, Canada, New Zealand, Nigeria, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Kenya and Thailand.

 

Chiang Mai doctor Jakkrit (left) at the WESPAC event in Goa

The field includes the undisputed greatest Scrabble player of all time Nigel Richards of New Zealand who lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Nigel has been crowned world champion in both English and French lexicons.

Surprisingly missing from the event is the world's currently highest rated player Ganesh Asirvatham of Malaysia who told Thaivisa that moving into a new role and his father's worsening health had kept him away.

Also missing from the Thai team was Taewan Sutthasin who had a car accident on the way to the airport. He is recovering now.

Day one on Wednesday saw the field play nine games. Tarin from Nakhon Ratchasima was the best of the Thai players finishing the day with 7 wins and two losses to lie in eighth place two ahead of tenth placed Nigel.

 

Top ten standings at the WESPAC after Day 1

Jakkrit was in 39th place on 5-4 while Bangkokian Thacha Koowirat was in 21st on six wins and three losses.

Jesse Day of the US - second in the King's Cup in Bangkok in July - leads the way with a perfect 9-0 record. 

 

Rooster

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-10-17

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Riveting stuff....and I missed it again!

Must be fake news, as Rooster is not on the list..... Rooster, rooster where for art thou?????

 FARANGOPHOBIA - how many points is that ? 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

grand masters of the English Language word game.

Pat, I would like to buy a vowel??

Edited October 17, 20196 yr by mok199

I've taught English in China and Thailand. My experience has been most Thais couldn't care a hoot about learning English compared to the Chinese who value it most highly.

I seem to remember that about a year ago, a top Thai scrabble 'champion' was found to have cheated - and (if memory serves me correctly) cheated more than once.

 

Of course, cheating is exceptionally rare in Thailand ...

A great game to keep dementia at bay.

Can I have a P(ee) please Bob

33 minutes ago, leeneeds said:

A great game to keep dementia at bay.

 I can't remember who said that and when.

Seems these Pattaya  farang pensioners scrabble players haven’t been released back into society yet? 

14 hours ago, colinneil said:

Must be fake news, as Rooster is not on the list..... Rooster, rooster where for art thou?????

Despite qualifying to play for Thailand I decided to stay home in Bangkok on this occasion, Colin. That's why the news has been so, er..... interesting this week ????

 

Rooster

5 hours ago, leeneeds said:

A great game to keep dementia at bay.

cuse me what is dementia ?

Watching people play Scrabble sounds about as exciting as watching a chess game

22 minutes ago, Fred white said:

Watching people play Scrabble sounds about as exciting as watching a chess game

Watching grandmasters play chess is great. Some good videos on youtube that run you through the thought processes of some of legendary matches.

5 hours ago, overherebc said:

 I can't remember who said that and when.

what were we talking about?

38 minutes ago, Fred white said:

Watching people play Scrabble sounds about as exciting as watching a chess game

watching paint dry beat beats them all.

8 minutes ago, Greyhat said:

Watching grandmasters play chess is great. Some good videos on youtube that run you through the thought processes of some of legendary matches.

Back years ago when I believe it was a Russian and an American played my dad would watch them me I'd just as soon watch the grass grow of course my dad loved the game tought me how to play but I could never get the hang of it

8 hours ago, Eligius said:

I seem to remember that about a year ago, a top Thai scrabble 'champion' was found to have cheated - and (if memory serves me correctly) cheated more than once.

 

Of course, cheating is exceptionally rare in Thailand ...

Whenever I test my Mathayom students, the right results are on all other students' phones on the same day and other classes then have the answers and finish an answer sheet with 50 questions in 2 minutes.

 

   They are World Champions. ( In Cheating...)

 

It's "normal" for them to cheat. And so did their teachers cheat their way through. 

 

    It's quite difficult to take all their phones away and watch all of them.

 

But there are ways, for example to make some different tests, then they're fooling themselves. ????

 

    

18 hours ago, colinneil said:

where for art thou

The origin of this was "wherefore art thou Romeo?" written by William Shakespeare and is taken from Romeo and Juliet.  It is not asking where a person is as it and means WHY.   Juliet is lamenting the reason why was Romeo born a Montague and refers to the feud between their families.

'nuf sed.

Edited October 17, 20196 yr by wotsdermatter

11 hours ago, Isaanbiker said:

Whenever I test my Mathayom students, the right results are on all other students' phones on the same day and other classes then have the answers and finish an answer sheet with 50 questions in 2 minutes.

 

   They are World Champions. ( In Cheating...)

 

It's "normal" for them to cheat. And so did their teachers cheat their way through. 

 

    It's quite difficult to take all their phones away and watch all of them.

 

But there are ways, for example to make some different tests, then they're fooling themselves. ????

 

    

Why is it difficult to take the phones or make them leave them in a locker most schools in the US do that but then t I t

17 hours ago, Isaanbiker said:

Whenever I test my Mathayom students, the right results are on all other students' phones on the same day and other classes then have the answers and finish an answer sheet with 50 questions in 2 minutes.

 

   They are World Champions. ( In Cheating...)

 

It's "normal" for them to cheat. And so did their teachers cheat their way through. 

 

    It's quite difficult to take all their phones away and watch all of them.

 

But there are ways, for example to make some different tests, then they're fooling themselves. ????

 

    

Get them to play Scrabble. Each rack needs working out, the benefits to maths and critical thinking as well as English are enormous. If you pay me a stipend and travel expenses I'll come to your school and show you how. 

 

I might even bring Tarin with me.....

 

Rooster

Edited October 18, 20196 yr by Jane Dough
Extra

On 10/17/2019 at 9:43 PM, Fred white said:

Watching people play Scrabble sounds about as exciting as watching a chess game

Did you never watch Countdown on Ch4, with the delectable rachel Riley.

I have never pulled one off over Boris Spasky!    LOL

On 10/17/2019 at 10:20 PM, Artisi said:

what were we talking about?

Rooster's breakfast.

Scrabbled eggs??????

5 hours ago, wgdanson said:

Did you never watch Countdown on Ch4, with the delectable rachel Riley.

I have never pulled one off over Boris Spasky!    LOL

Sorry but I don't know what you're talking about

3 minutes ago, Fred white said:

Sorry but I don't know what you're talking about

You've led a sheltered life! 

Countdown is a words/numbers game on UK TV's Channel 4 and has been on for 27 years. It was the first programme shown.

The first hostess was Carol Vorderman, a very attractive lady who won Rear of the Year Contest several times, but got the boot 10 years ago cos she wanted too much dosh. Her place was taken by a lovely 21 year old Rachel Riley.

And also 8 of 10 Cats does countdown, the late night version, do a search on youtube for good (filthy adult)comedy version !!

16 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

You've led a sheltered life! 

Countdown is a words/numbers game on UK TV's Channel 4 and has been on for 27 years. It was the first programme shown.

The first hostess was Carol Vorderman, a very attractive lady who won Rear of the Year Contest several times, but got the boot 10 years ago cos she wanted too much dosh. Her place was taken by a lovely 21 year old Rachel Riley.

I guess so but being from the US it would have been kind of hard to watch it but we did have Vanna White and wheel of Fortune

22 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

And also 8 of 10 Cats does countdown, the late night version, do a search on youtube for good (filthy adult)comedy version !!

One of the funniest, filthiest programmes on Ch4, with some very clever guys as contestants.. Jimmy Carr is a legend.

Edited October 28, 20196 yr by wgdanson