Controversy as "senior moment" hits Bangkok oldies Scrabble tournament.

 

 

BANGKOK:-- There was high drama and more than a little controversy as a "senior moment" hit the final stages of the World Senior Scrabble Championships in Bangkok yesterday.

 

In one of the crucial final games an experienced Malaysian player put down the winning move - but it didn't connect to another word on the board.

 

The opponent challenged and the offending word - DANCIER, that is a valid word - was removed from the board. 

 

The incident virtually handed the championships to Singaporean veteran Tony Sim on a plate. 

 

Bangkok resident Gerry Carter who was third in the event said: "After playing Scrabble for 25 years I have never known this to happen. But like in any major sport there is a lot of pressure and extraordinary and unexpected things happen all the time!" 

 

In Scrabble - the world's most popular word game -  all words played must join onto others on the board  to make valid scores. 

 

The event at Central Bang Na was for over 55s and competitors from seven countries competed for the fourth edition of the title. David Webb of the United Kingdom, a former winner of the Countdown TV show was second.

 

Organiser Karen Richards of Australia said at the awards ceremony that it was indeed "a senior moment".

 

Full results

 

Prize List Winner Country

First Tony Sim Singapore

Second David Webb   England

Third Gerry Carter Thailand

Fourth Pui Cheng Wui Malaysia

Fifth Ron Baginski Australia

Best Novice Khin Saw Khine (Charlotte) Myanmar

High Word Ron Baginski 131 - LARNIEST Australia

High Word Graham Buckingham 131 - SMELTERS England

High Game David Webb (596) 

Best 60+ Tony Sim Singapore

Best 65+ Graham Buckingham England

Best 70+ Pui Cheng Wui Malaysia

Best 75+ Tan Jin Chor Malaysia

Best 80+ Daniel Milton USA

Best 85+ Khin Saw Khine (Charlotte) Myanmar

 

Results from round 20

 

1 Tony Sim 15 +1302

2 David Webb 14 +1248

3 Gerry Carter 13 +541

4 Pui Cheng Wui 11 +648

5 Ron Baginski 11 +308

6 Tan Jin Chor 11 +90

7 Graham Buckingham 11 +72

8 Karen Richards 10.5 -53

9 Sanjoy Gupta 10 +252

10 Olga Visser 9 +64

11 Sunny Wright 9 -574

12 Daniel Milton 8.5 -762

13 Kay Anderson 5 -1377

14 Khin Saw Khine 2 -1759

High game: David Webb 596

High word: Ron Baginski LARNIEST 131

      Graham Buckingham SMELTERS 131

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2016-11-26

 

"a senior moment" this tournament is a big joke and not news worthy. 14 players and 1 of them in the final stages totally <deleted> up

I was expecting to read that one of the contestants had soiled his nappy.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWgg20IqibM

 

And I was expecting the "senior moment" being they had all been arrested for allegedly gambling.

 

Now that would have been a "senior moment".

5 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

"a senior moment" this tournament is a big joke and not news worthy. 14 players and 1 of them in the final stages totally <deleted> up

Evidently this tournament was news worthy enough that you read it and commented. 

My question is this.if any Americans play in the competition,do they have to abide by the Collins Dictionary or the Websters? What dictionary do the thais/singaporeans etc use for the game.?

Competion in Thailand ends when someone makes something up which is against the rules  that decides who has won - makes perfect sense to me!

Heartening to see so many Thai names in that list....is this a dry run for the F1 in Buriram?

Jason Bourne... second in a Bangkok scrabble tournament... who'd have thought...

After the event hooligan supporters of both the winner and runner up fought running battles in the streets with each other and the riot police forcing the latter to fire tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannon at the rampaging fans. 

A number of arrests were made and a cache of weapons confiscated including a machete, Stanley knives, a pair of comfortable slippers, packets of Werther's originals and a sawn-off copy of Roget's Thesaurus.

Retired Luton bus driver and "top boy" of the Rachadapisek Headhunters Arnold Grimesthorpe said " We ran 'em! And if they ever...hold on, let me catch me breath I'm no spring chicken. Ooer I don't feel too sharp where are me heart pills.."