World Scrabble Championship 2016

The MSI World Scrabble Championship 2016 was a Scrabble tournament organised by Mattel and Mindsports International (MSI) to determine the world champion in English Scrabble. It was held from 31 August to 4 September 2016 in Lille, France.

World Scrabble Championship 2016
31 August 2016 — 4 September 2016
WinnerBrett Smitheram
Number of players72
LocationLille, France

The event was split into two divisions based on players' World English-Language Scrabble Players' Association (WESPA) ratings. The top division comprised some 72 players. 24 games were played on the first three days, after which the top eight proceeded to a 3-game quarterfinals, with the winners advancing to a 5-game semifinals on the same day; the top two players, Brett Smitheram and Mark Nyman, played a best-of-five final the day after for the top prize of €7,000. Smitheram beat Nyman 3–0. The World Championship was held in conjunction with that of Scrabble in other languages.

Background
The MSI World Scrabble Championship 2016 was held in Lille, France.

The MSI World Scrabble Championship 2016 was held from 31 August to 4 September 2016 under the auspices of Mindsports International and sponsored by Mattel and HarperCollins (the publisher of the official lexicon used in play), as part of the Mindsports International 2016 Championships.[1] The playing venue was the Lille Grand Palais. There were two divisions based on players' WESPA ratings: A (1700 and above, or by invitation by WESPA or the World Mind Sports Federation) and B (below 1700 or unrated).[1] MSI also hosted World Championships in other languages, including French, German, Spanish and Catalan, alongside the French Duplicate Championship.[1]

Participants

The top division comprised a total of 72 players, as listed below alphabetically.[2]

  1.  Adam Logan (CAN), 2107
  2.  Allan Simmons (SCO), 2094
  3.  Austin Shin (ENG), 2025
  4.  Barry Grossman (ENG), 1709
  5.  Bob Jackman (AUS), 1736
  6.  Brett Smitheram (ENG), 2170
  7.  Charles Micallef (MLT), 1520
  8.  Charles Tachie (GHA), 1985
  9.  Chris Lipe (USA), 1869
  10.  Chris Vicary (ENG), 1812
  11.  Craig Beevers (ENG), 2157
  12.  Dan Sandu (ROU), 1511
  13.  David Delicata (MLT), 1795
  14.  David Eldar (AUS), 2220
  15.  David Koenig (USA), 2013
  16.  David Webb (ENG), 2002
  17.  Dave Wiegand (USA), 2168
  18.  Dennis Ikekeregor (NGA), 2048
  19.  Elie Dangoor (ENG), 1767
  20.  Eta Karo (NGA), 2015
  21.  Evan Berofsky (CAN), 2053
  22.  Evan Cohen (ISR), 1969
  23.  Evans Clinchy (USA), 2061
  24.  Femi Awowade (ENG), 1837
  25.  Gerry Carter (THA), 1781
  26.  Gunnar Andersson (SWE), 1573
  27.  Hasham Hadi Khan (PAK), 1093
  28.  Herve Bohbot (FRA), 1500
  29.  Jack Durand (ENG), 1437
  30.  Jakkrit Klaphajone (THA), 2012
  31.  Jason Broersma (CAN), 1565
  32.  Jason Keller (USA), 1869
  33.  Jason Tsang (HKG), 1047
  34.  Jason Ubeika (CAN), 1632
  35.  Jesse Day (USA), 1986
  36.  Joel Wapnick (CAN), 1990
  37.  Karen Richards (AUS), 1528
  38.  Komol Panyasoponlert (THA), 2145
  39.  Kunihiko Kuroda (JPN), 1140
  40.  Leslie Charles (TTO), 1717
  41.  Lewis McKay (ENG), 2115
  42.  Lucas Freeman (USA), 1817
  43.  Mark Nyman (ENG), 2065
  44.  Marlon Prudencio (SGP), 1870
  45.  Martin Teo (MYS), 1804
  46.  Michael Tang (SGP), 1730
  47.  Mohan Chunkath (IND), 1702
  48.  Moiz Ullah Baig (PAK), 1792
  49.  Natalie Zolty (ENG), 1705
  50.  Neil Scott (SCO), 1923
  51.  Nigel Richards (MYS), 2258
  52.  Omri Rosenkrantz (ISR), 1539
  53.  Orlet Bullock (BAR), 1770
  54.  Paul Allan (SCO), 2015
  55.  Peter Armstrong (USA), 2053
  56.  Puneet Sharma (USA), 1571
  57.  Rafal Dominiczak (POL), 1828
  58.  Rik Kennedy (NIR), 1816
  59.  Robert Linn (USA), 1808
  60.  Rob Robinsky (USA), 2024
  61.  Scott Jackson (USA), 1661
  62.  Shan Abbasi (CAN), 1588
  63.  Stefan Rau (USA), 1821
  64.  Stephen Hunt (ENG), 1797
  65.  Steve Perry (ENG), 1655
  66.  Terry Kirk (ENG), 1851
  67.  Trevor Halsall (AUS), 1933
  68.  Vincent Boyle (ENG), 1747
  69.  Waseem Khatri (PAK), 1928
  70.  Wayne Kelly (ENG), 1873
  71.  Wellington Jighere (NGA), 2132
  72.  Winter (USA), 1774

Results

Preliminary

After 24 preliminary rounds, the top eight advanced to the quarterfinals. Three-time World Champion Nigel Richards (2007, 2011, and 2013) failed to qualify for the knockout rounds, as did 2015 and 2014 World Champions Wellington Jighere and Craig Beevers.[3]

PositionNameNumber of winsCumulative spread
1Mark Nyman19+1262
2David Webb19+1152
3Allan Simmons18+974
4Robert Robinsky17+1216
5Brett Smitheram16+1424
6Adam Logan16+854
7Lewis MacKay16+771
8Joel Wapnick16+676
9David Koenig15+334
10Paul Allan15+175
11Dennis Ikekeregor15−50
12Terry Kirk14½+155
13Nigel Richards14+987
14Peter Armstrong14+985
15Moiz Ullah Baig14+924
16Evans Clinchy14+649
17Winter14+393
18David Eldar14+312
19Scott Jackson14+224
20Jason Keller14+93

Source:[3]

Knockout
Quarterfinals (best of 3) Semifinals (best of 5) Final (best of 5)
         
1 Allan Simmons 0
8 Adam Logan 2
Lewis MacKay 2
Brett Smitheram 3
5 Robert Robinsky 0
4 Brett Smitheram 2
Brett Smitheram 3
Mark Nyman 0
3 David Webb 1
6 Lewis MacKay 2
Adam Logan 2
Mark Nyman 3
7 Mark Nyman 2
2 Joel Wapnick 1

Source:[4][5]

Semi-finals losers Lewis MacKay and 2005 World Champion Adam Logan were scheduled to play a best-of-three third-place playoff, but Logan forfeited and MacKay automatically clinched the title of second runner-up.[6]

Finals
 Brett Smitheram (ENG)  Mark Nyman (ENG)
3 0
Born 8 March 1979
37 years old		 Born 14 October 1966
50 years old
Finalist Finalist and winner of the World Scrabble Championship 1993
WESPA Rating: 2170 (World No. 3)[7] WESPA Rating: 2065 (World No. 20)[8]
RoundBrett SmitheramMark Nyman
1583323
2451403
3638351
4––
5––

Source:[9]

UK-based recruitment consultant Brett Smitheram beat fellow Englishman and writer Mark Nyman, the 1993 World Scrabble Champion, 3–0 in the best-of-five finals, and became the 2016 World Scrabble Champion and won €7,000.[10] Notable plays by Smitheram included BRACONID for 181 points[11] (176 points plus 5 points for an unsuccessful challenge by Nyman), GYNAECIA (95) and PERIAGUA (76).[12] Incidentally, Smitheram was a former contestant on the television programme Countdown, and Nyman was one of its producers.[12] In the second division, Jack Mpakaboari beat Sandy Nang 3–0 in a best-of-five finals.[13]

References
  1. "Mindsports International 2016 Championships". Mind Sports International. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  2. "02.09.2016 MSI WSC Lille: Ratings". WESPA. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  3. "02.09.2016 MSI WSC Lille: A". WESPA. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  4. "MSI World Scrabble Championships Semi Finals – Top 8". Mind Sports Academy. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  5. Duncan, Natalie. "MSI World Scrabble Championships Semi Finals – Division A". Mind Sports Academy. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  6. "It's 3rd and 4th Play Off". Mind Sports Academy. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  7. "02.09.2016 MSI WSC Lille: Brett Smitheram". WESPA. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  8. "02.09.2016 MSI WSC Lille: Mark Nyman". WESPA. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  9. "It's The Final, Who Will Be World Scrabble Champion 2016?". Mind Sports Academy. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  10. Willgress, Lydia. "Parasitic wasp wins British recruitment consultant World Scrabble Championship". The Telegraph.
  11. "Braconid: Briton wins Scrabble world title with 181-point word". The Guardian. 5 September 2016.
  12. "Brett Smitheram wins World Scrabble Championship". BBC.
  13. "Division B Finalists". Mind Sports Academy. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
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