Thai Scrabble genius takes coveted Bangkok crown by beating former Canadian World Champion

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Thai Scrabble genius takes coveted Bangkok crown by beating former Canadian World Champion

 

Tense closing moments as Komol Panyasophonlert takes on Canadian Adam Logan in the Scrabble final at Central Westgate on Sunday //Picture by Gerry Carter

 

BANGKOK: -- Thailand is celebrating a major victory in what is usually the domain of English native speakers – the world of competitive tournament Scrabble.

 

Thailand took first place in the iconic and prestigious 32nd Brands International tournament that concluded in the Central Westgate shopping center in the outskirts of Bangkok on Sunday.

 

Victorious for the first time in the event was Bangkok computer programmer Komol Panyasphonlert who has been consistently rated as one of the top ten players in the world in the last half a dozen years.

 

And Komol, 33, had to do it the hard way first of all edging past the best Scrabble player in the world in the preliminary rounds then coming from behind in the final itself to beat Canadian mathematician Adam Logan who won the World Scrabble Championship in London in 2005.

 

The Brand’s Essence of Chicken sponsored event is known in the Scrabble world as the biggest and best crossword gaming tournament on earth. Its US$10,000 first prize and attendance from all corners of the earth is one thing – the fact that it attracts almost ten thousand Thai schoolchildren to its student divisions quite another.

 

In addition there was an international Sudoku event and a host of other games that surprised many Bangkok shoppers out at the mall in Bang Yai at the weekend.

 

But it was the English Scrabble event – using the international Collins dictionary that has more than a quarter of a million obscure and everyday words – that was the showpiece once again.

 

As the 29 game preliminaries came to an end on Sunday it was clear that Komol was going to have to get lucky to get to the final. He had to beat world number one Nigel Richards of New Zealand in the final two games to achieve his aim.

 

Nigel, the greatest player of Scrabble in the history of the game since it was invented in America more than 60 years ago, was leading by 40 points when Komol found a sensational move to win on the last turn of the final game – his world was XYLONITE, a kind of plastic previously made in England.

 

The score was 107 points on a triple word square and propelled Komol unexpectedly to the final played on stage on the ground floor of the busy shopping center and broadcast throughout the world on Facebook.

 

In the three game final Adam got off to a great start and Komol made several mistakes with two words that were not in the dictionary and were challenged off – the second of these was the plausible sounding GHOSTILY that is not allowed.

 

Adam led one – nil but Komol came storming back with sensational plays like bonus words EQUIVOKE, ANNATTA and SWERFING to claim the coveted trophy by just seven points after both players scored well in excess of 1,300 points each over the three games.

 

A relieved Komol who was runner up in the world championships, the US Championships and several other big tournaments worldwide over the last few years was finally a winner of an international event.

 

He told Thaivisa simply: “I was lucky!”

 

Komol began playing at school in Bangkok and quickly rose through the ranks. The game is expertly promoted in Thai schools and universities as a way to help students learn English in a fun way.

 

Two Thai players have even been crowned world champions in 2003 and 2009.

 

The tournament in Bangkok and the training programs taken to Thai schools were the brainchild of ABAC alumnus Amnuay Ploysaenngam who managed to introduce the game to tens of thousands of Thais. In addition he secured the financial backing of big business sponsors and the gracious patronage of the Thai Royal family.

 

A princess in the Royal Household presided over the opening ceremony on Saturday.

 

Sadly Amnuay, the Thai crossword game club’s founding president, passed away in April.

 

Said Bangkok resident Gerry Carter who competed in the event: “Komol’s achievement was not just a personal triumph but a victory for Thai Scrabble.

 

“It is many years since a local player won this prestigious event and it is a testament to the hard work of Khun Amnuay and his army of helpers who put on the greatest show in Scrabble in Bangkok every year.

 

“The training programs in schools nationwide mean that many Thai schoolchildren use their time well at weekends learning not just English vocabulary but tactics, strategy and good sportsmanship and fair play.

 

“English Scrabble and many other associated games developed by the Thai club are a great success story for Thailand”.

 

In third place was Nigel Richards with Chiang Mai teacher Taewan Suthasin in fourth.

 

The Sudoku international event with a first prize of US$5,000 went to Estonian world champion Tiit Vunk who beat a Czech Republic player and a Japanese into second and third. Thais filled the fourth and fifth places.

 

The World Scrabble Championship will be held in England in August. The event was moved from Qatar to Nottingham after the political instability in the Gulf state.

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News Pic: Tense closing moments as Komol Panyasophonlert takes on Canadian Adam Logan in the Scrabble final at Central Westgate on Sunday. Credit Gerry Carter

 

[timendres]

Impressive! If I had to play Scrabble in Thai, I would lose in the first round.

[clockman]

What use are obscure words, in todays society?

[TerryLH]

"What use are obscure words, in todays society?"

 

US$10,000 first prize

 

 

[madusa]

1 hour ago, clockman said:

What use are obscure words, in todays society?

What use are taking Selfie in todays society? To experience narcissism in its highest form?

[Skeptic7]

Impressive and very well played! Congrats! 

[phantomfiddler]

Eye fined it very hard to beeleave that in a country soh renowned four poor education that won of its stewdents could possibly beet the best forrin players from around the wereld ! Hat softwo him.

[tj916]

Great result.

Good on him.

[johng]

I thought Thai was going to soon be the new "lingua franca"