North American Scrabble Championship

The North American Scrabble Championship (formerly the National Scrabble Championship) is the largest Scrabble competition in North America. The event is currently held every year, and from 2004 through 2006 the finals were aired on ESPN and ESPN2. The 2019 event was held in Reno from July 20-24, 2019, with Alec Sjöholm emerging as champion.[1]

The 2020 Championship will be held August 1-5, 2020 in Baltimore, MD.[2]

NSC/NASC history

The first officially sanctioned Scrabble tournaments in the U.S. were spearheaded, organized and run by Joel Skolnick in the mid-1970s. Skolnick was a recreation director for the New York City Parks and Recreation Department. He approached Selchow and Righter in late 1972, and the first tournament, open to Brooklyn residents only, commenced on March 18, 1973. The Funk and Wagnalls Collegiate Dictionary was used to rule on challenges, and the official word judge was Skolnick's then-wife Carol. Carol's sister, Shazzi Felstein, who would later finish in ninth place at the first North American Invitational tournament, won the first preliminary round with 1,321 points over three games. The final round took place on April 15, and Jonathan Hatch was the winner of the first official Scrabble tournament

The summer of 1973 saw two more tournaments, held respectively at Grossingers (won by Minerva Kasowitz) and the Concord hotel (won by Harriet Zucker) in New York's Catskill region. Another two tournaments quickly followed in November that same year: in Baltimore, Gordon Shapiro topped approximately 400 contestants; and at the Brooklyn War Memorial approximately 2,000 people entered the nine weekly preliminary rounds of the first all–New York City Scrabble Championship. It was won by Bernie Wishengrad. The New York City Championship was thereafter held annually, jointly sponsored by Selchow and Righter and the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation.

The first national tournament was the North American Invitational, held May 19–21, 1978, in the Presidential Suite of the Loews Summit Hotel in New York City. Joel Skolnick and Carol Felstein, as usual, served as the tournament director and word judge, respectively. David Prinz took the $1,500 first prize, followed by Dan Pratt and Mike Senkiewicz.

In 1980, soon after the publication of the first Official Scrabble Players Dictionary, control of the national tournament passed to the National Scrabble Association. They continued to organize the tournament until 2008.

The official name of the tournament has been National SCRABBLE Championship in recent years, except in 2006 when it was named US SCRABBLE Open.[3] In 2015, to recognize the longtime eligibility of Canadian members, it was renamed North American SCRABBLE Championship.

Since 2009, the tournament is organized annually by the newly formed North American SCRABBLE Players Association. The first event under NASPA was held in Dayton, Ohio in August, 2009. Since then, the championships have been held at various U.S. cities (see table below), with the 2018 championship in Buffalo, New York. The 2019 championship was held in Reno.[4][5]

Collins play

In 2012, a Collins division for international-English play was added for the first time, won by Sam Kantimathi with a 24-7 record.[6] In 2013, John O'Laughlin, creator of the Quackle software program, won the division with a 24-7 record, winning $2,500 and claiming his first NSC divisional title.[7] Past world, national, and Canadian champion Adam Logan won the division easily in 2014 with a 23-4 record and four byes.[8] Peter Armstrong prevailed over past champion Dave Wiegand in 2015, winning 3-2 in the final best-of-five series.[9] David Eldar won the division in 2016 with a 27-4 record, beating past champion Logan by a six-game margin.[10] Austin Shin won the top division in 2017 with a 22-9 record, prevailing over runner-up Dave Wiegand in the final round; this was the first year that Collins players were divided into two divisions.[11]

Youth in the community

Bradley Robbins of New Hampshire became the first minor to win a division in 2008 with a 24-4 record in Division 6.[12] In 2010, Richard Spence of Arizona won Division 4 with a 25.5-5.5 record, and in 2011 won Division 2 with a 25-6 record.[13][14] In 2012, Amalan Iyengar of North Carolina won Division 4 with a 22-9 record.[15] Also in 2012, Chris Canik of Texas won Division 3 with a 26-5 record, the highest record in that division's history.[16] In 2013, Andy Hoang of North Carolina won Division 3 with a 23-8 record.[17] Bradley Robbins and Andy Hoang are the only people to have won both the National School Scrabble Championship (2010 for Robbins, 2009 and 2012 for Hoang) and a division in the National Scrabble Championship (2008, Division 6 for Robbins & 2013, Division 3 for Hoang). Mack Meller of New York placed seventh in Division 1 in 2013.[18] He started the 2014 event with a 7-0 record, giving him first place in Division 1 after the first day of the event, and again finished seventh overall.[19]

NSC/NASC events and Division 1 winners

TWL


Year Winner Location Entrants Winner's Prize Total Prize Pool
2019 Alec Sjöholm Reno 249[20] USD 10,000 USD 36,150[21]
2018 Joel Sherman (2) Buffalo 403[22] USD 10,000 USD 52,000[23]
2017 Will Anderson New Orleans 365[24] USD 10,000 USD 54,350[25]
2016 David Gibson (2) Fort Wayne 417[26] USD 10,000 USD 49,275[27]
2015 Matthew Tunnicliffe Reno 340[28] USD 10,000 USD 50,225[29]
2014 Conrad Bassett-Bouchard Buffalo 524[30] USD 10,000 USD 45,775[31]
2013 Nigel Richards (5)[32] Las Vegas 521[33] USD 10,000 USD 43,725[34]
2012 Nigel Richards (4)[35] Orlando 339[36] USD 10,000 USD 36,150[37]
2011 Nigel Richards (3)[38] Dallas 329[39] USD 10,000 USD 42,075[40]
2010 Nigel Richards (2)[41] Dallas 408[42] USD 10,000 USD 42,075[43]
2009 Dave Wiegand (2)[44] Dayton 486 USD 10,000 USD 43,175[45]
2008 Nigel Richards (1)[46] Orlando 662 USD 25,000 USD 85,385[47]
2006 Jim Kramer Phoenix 625 USD 25,000 USD 85,385[48]
2005 Dave Wiegand (1) Reno 682 USD 25,000 USD 85,415[49]
2004 Trey Wright New Orleans 837 USD 25,000 USD 92,805[50]
2002 Joel Sherman (1) San Diego 696 USD 25,000 USD 89,290[51]
2000 Joe Edley (3) Providence 598 USD 25,000 USD 89,290[52]
1998 Brian Cappelletto Chicago 535 USD 25,000 USD 82,200[53]
1996 Adam Logan Dallas 412 USD 25,000 USD 75,485[54]
1994 David Gibson (1) Los Angeles 294 USD 15,000 USD 50,585[55]
1992 Joe Edley (2) Atlanta 315 USD 10,000 USD 35,910[56]
1990 Robert Felt Washington 282 USD 10,000 USD 37,400[57]
1989 Peter Morris New York 221 USD 5,000 USD 24,425[58]
1988 Robert Watson Reno 315 USD 5,000 USD 23,100[59]
1987 Rita Norr Las Vegas 327 USD 5,000 USD 16,850[60]
1985 Ron Tiekert Boston 302 USD 10,000 USD 52,370[61]
1983 Joel Wapnick Chicago 32 USD 5,000 USD 13,600[62]
1980 Joe Edley (1) Santa Monica 32 USD 5,000 USD 10,100[63]
1978 David Prinz New York 65 (invitational) USD 1,500 USD 8,400[64]

Collins


Year Winner Location Entrants Divisions Winner's Prize Total Prize Pool
2019 Jesse Day[65] Reno 35[20] 1 USD 3,000 USD 5,850[23]
2018 Evans Clinchy[66] Buffalo 73[22] 2 USD 4,000 USD 10,000[23]
2017 Austin Shin[67] New Orleans 64[24] 2 USD 4,250 USD 10,550[25]
2016 David Eldar[68] Fort Wayne 44[26] 1 USD 2,500 USD 6,000[27]
2015 Peter Armstrong[69] Reno 48[28] 1 USD 2,500 USD 6,000[29]
2014 Adam Logan[70] Buffalo 63[30] 1 USD 2,500 USD 5,775[31]
2013 John O'Laughlin[71] Las Vegas 40[33] 1 USD 2,500 USD 4,700[34]
2012 Sam Kantimathi[72] Orlando 38[36] 1 USD 1,500 USD 3,450[37]
gollark: > microsoft doesnt spy on uħæħæħæħæħæħæħæħæħæħæħæħæħæħæħæħæħæħæ
gollark: And don't have to suffer random broken updates.
gollark: But at least I'm not constantly spied on by Microsoft.
gollark: Yes, it can, you can say basically anything.
gollark: Windows bad, solarflame5. Windows bad.

See also

References
  1. "NASC 2019 Live Coverage". event.scrabbleplayers.org. Retrieved 2019-08-06.
  2. "2020 North American Scrabble Championship". Retrieved 2019-10-29.
  3. National SCRABBLE Association: Championship Archive
  4. North American SCRABBLE Players Association: NASPA
  5. North American SCRABBLE Players Association: National SCRABBLE Championship
  6. http://www.scrabbleplayers.org/tourneys/2012/nsc/build2/standing/5/31.html
  7. http://event.scrabbleplayers.org/2013/nsc/build/tsh/2013-nsc-s/html/CSW-ratings-031.html
  8. http://event.scrabbleplayers.org/2014/nsc/build/tsh/2014-nsc-s/html/CSW-ratings-031.html
  9. http://event.scrabbleplayers.org/2015/nasc/build/tsh/2015-nasc-f1/html/
  10. http://event.scrabbleplayers.org/2016/nasc/build/standing/5/31.html
  11. "NASC 2017 Live Coverage".
  12. http://www.scrabbleplayers.org/tourneys/2008/nsc/build/player/6/069.html
  13. http://www.scrabble-assoc.com/tourneys/2010/nsc/build/standing/4/31.html
  14. http://www.scrabble-assoc.com/tourneys/2011/nsc/build/standing/2/31.html
  15. http://www.scrabbleplayers.org/tourneys/2012/nsc/build2/standing/4/31.html
  16. http://cross-tables.com/tourney.php?tourneyid=7717&div=3
  17. http://event.scrabbleplayers.org/2013/nsc/build/standing/3/31.html
  18. http://event.scrabbleplayers.org/2013/nsc/build/standing/1/31.html
  19. http://event.scrabbleplayers.org/2014/nsc/build/standing/1/31.html
  20. NASC 2019: Registered Players
  21. 2019 North American SCRABBLE Championship prizes
  22. NASC 2018: Registered Players
  23. 2018 North American SCRABBLE Championship prizes
  24. NASC 2017: Registered Players
  25. 2017 North American SCRABBLE Championship prizes
  26. NASC 2016: Registered Players
  27. 2015 North American SCRABBLE Championship prizes
  28. NASC 2015: Registered Players
  29. 2015 North American SCRABBLE Championship prizes
  30. NSC 2014: Registered Players
  31. 2014 National SCRABBLE Championship prizes
  32. NSC 2013 Division 1 Standings: Round 31
  33. NSC 2013: Registered Players
  34. 2013 National SCRABBLE Championship prizes
  35. NSC 2012 Division 1 Standings: Round 31
  36. NSC 2012: Registered Players
  37. 2012 National SCRABBLE Championship prizes
  38. NSC 2011 Division 1 Standings: Round 31
  39. NSC 2011: Registered Players
  40. 2011 National SCRABBLE Championship prizes
  41. NSC 2010 Division 1 Standings: Round 31
  42. NSC 2010: Registered Players
  43. 2010 National SCRABBLE Championship prizes
  44. NSC 2009 Players: Alphabetical Listing
  45. 2009 National SCRABBLE Championship prizes
  46. "NSC 2008 Division 1 Standings: Round 28". Archived from the original on 2011-05-18. Retrieved 2012-02-17.
  47. 2008 NSC Prizes
  48. 2006 Prizes
  49. 2005 NSC Prizes
  50. 2004 NSC Prizes
  51. 2002 NSC Prizes
  52. 2000 NSC Prizes
  53. 1998 NSC Prizes
  54. NSC 1996 results at cross-tables.com
  55. NSC 1994 results at cross-tables.com
  56. NSC 1992 results at cross-tables.com
  57. NSC 1990 results at cross-tables.com
  58. NSC 1989 results at cross-tables.com
  59. NSC 1988 results at cross-tables.com
  60. NSC 1987 results at cross-tables.com
  61. NSC 1985 results at cross-tables.com
  62. NSC 1983 results at cross-tables.com
  63. NSC 1980 results at cross-tables.com
  64. NSC 1978 results at cross-tables.com
  65. NASC 2019: CSW Final Standings
  66. NASC 2018: CSW Final Standings
  67. NASC 2017: CSW Final Standings
  68. NASC 2016: CSW Final Standings
  69. NSC 2015: CSW Final Standings
  70. NSC 2014: CSW Final Standings
  71. NSC 2013: CSW Final Standings
  72. NSC 2012: CSW Final Standings
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.