The top-rated Scrabble players in the country go head-to-head this Easter weekend. Watch games live on the stream below.
Day three – Sunday:
Click here for results and standings.
Day two – Saturday:
Day one – Friday
How does it all work?
The Masters is different to most Scrabble tournaments in that it’s invitational, open only to the top-rated players in the country. The field of 24 all play each other over 23 rounds across three days, and one game each round will be played on a table rigged up with cameras broadcasting all the furious tile-shuffling anagram action live on the internet, where Scrabble freaks and curious bystanders alike can watch and analyse every move.
What dictionary are they using?
NZ Scrabble adopted the CSW24 lexicon at the start of the year, bringing us in line with most of the rest of the world. The update means a handful of potentially offensive slur words are no longer valid and introduces modern lingo like ADORBS, CHONKY, and WOKERY. (See the full list of new additions here.)
Who are the ones to watch?
Last year Wairarapa’s Howard Warner won the double, taking home the Masters and Nationals titles, making him the clear one to beat this year. Hot on his heels will be the current top-rated player in the country Chris Tallman, a Canadian expat playing in his first Masters. Last year Wellington’s Dylan Early led the field pretty much the whole tournament only to fall agonisingly short, so should be out for revenge this year.
The youngest player in this year’s tournament is 20-year-old Lewis Hawkins, a former Scrabble child prodigy (he played in his first Masters at the age of 12) making a comeback to the competitive scene. At the other end of the spectrum, 86-year-old Shirley Martin becomes the oldest player to compete in the tournament, while the legendary Glennis Hale is playing in her 40th Masters this year – she’s played in all but one since the inaugural event in 1984.
Donde esta Nigel?
Last time a local Scrabble tournament (the Trans-Tasmans – which New Zealand won!) was live streamed, Nigel Richards (New Zealander, greatest Scrabble player of all time) was in Spain winning the Spanish Scrabble world champs (the third language he’s been world champion in, along with English and French). Who knows where he is or what tournament he’ll be winning this weekend.
How do I play?
There are Scrabble clubs scattered around New Zealand, and they welcome new players of all ages, abilities and competitiveness levels. There’s also a weekly online Scrabble club on Tuesday nights where you can test yourself against other keen Scrabblers around the country.
