Scrabble for glory in Warsaw

photo - wsc

Some 116 contestants from across the globe will be testing their linguistic brilliance in the biennial showdown, with a prize of 20,000 dollars (62,000 zloty) in store for the winner, and of course the world title.

Competitors will take part in at least 34 games each, after which the results will be totted up and the two highest scoring players will face each other in a grand final.

All games will be held in English, giving native-speakers something of an advantage, butthat hasn't dissuaded four Polish players from throwing their hats into the ring.

Bartosz Pieta, Rafal Dominiczak, Zbiegniew Wieckowski and Wojciech Usakiewicz will be attempting to do Poland proud this week, with games held at Warsaw's Hilton Hotel.

The title is being defended by Thai ace Pakorn Nemitrmansuk, who is going all out to repeat his 2009 performance.

Scrabble, which was invented by American architect Alfred Mosher Butts in 1938, is nowsold in 121 countries, and is available in 29 languages.

Although a number of Polish enthusiasts developed a cut-out version of the game in the 1980s, a full Polish version did not come onto the market until 1993,after the fall of communism.

Since then, interest inthe game has become phenomenal, hence the decision to host thecontest in Warsaw this year.

On 16 October, the last day if the event, a special Scrabble Day will be held at the WarsawHilton hotel, with workshops held by the Polish Scrabble Federation. (nh/pg)

You can follow the championships at the World Scrabble Championships site here.