World scrabble heavyweights storm London for MGI International Classics

Photo : Mayor of Milton Keynes, Mick Legg

A host of top wordsmith led by 2016 World English Scrabble Players Association Championship (WESPAC), Champion Brett Smitheram, have confirmed their participation in the MGI International Scrabble Classics – UK, which starts on Saturday, at Leonardo Hotel, (formerly Jurys Inn), in Milton Keynes, England.

This heart warming news was made public Thursday by the Head of the Main Organizing Committee (MOC), of the tournament Lukeman Owolabi
Brett Smitheram, is a Scrabble Grand Master and one of the most successful players in the history of the game. Smitheram was 2022 United Kingdom National Scrabble Champion, defeating a high-calibre field in June that year.

He won the 2016 World Scrabble Championship and has been ranked in the World top 5, and as a United Kingdom Scrabble Grand Master for nearly 20 years. Originally from Camborne, Cornwall, He currently lives in London.

Smitheram, won the British National Scrabble Championship in 2000 and 2022, the ABSP Masters invitational event in 2005 and the British Matchplay Scrabble Championship in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2010.

He is three-times Northern Ireland Champion, having won in 2011, 2017 and 2018. Entering only 2 Uniyed Kingdom majors in 2019 (SIMPLE, which replaced the Spring Matchplay for that year, and the British Elimination Scrabble Tournament/BEST), Smitheram won both, ahead of large and high-calibre fields.

Smitheram has won the award for United Kingdom highest rated player a record 5 times (most recently, the last time it was awarded in 2019) and is the current British number 1.

Joshua Sokol-Rubenstein, another big name in the scrabble fraternity has also landed in the United Kingdom, for the grueling 25 rounds of games event.

Joshua Sokol-Rubenstein, born some three decades ago, is a Canadian competitive Scrabble player and influencer. He won the 2023 Scrabble Players Championship.

Harshan Lamabadusuriya, 2023 WESPA Championship runner-up who gave members of ‘Team Nigeria’ a night mare in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, is already rehearsing his final jamming plans in London alongside United Kingdom Grand Master David Webb.

The President of Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF), Engineer Toke Aka, and the Technical Director of the Federation, John Curtis, were the early arrivals for the three-day competition that has over 11,000 pounds as prize money.

Before leaving for London on Tuesday, John Curtis stated that he will give his best, to stay in the money spinning bracket at the tournament.

“I’m not going to London to sell groundnuts or count street lights, as well as bridges. But to compete among the very best wordsmith and prove my status as a Masters Player.”

“I will be defending and showcasing the colours of Nigeria, as well as that of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), with pride and the very best of commitment that is associated with what top scrabble players can give.” John Curtis added.

Lukeman Owolabi, an Executive Member of World English Scrabble Players Association (WESPA), explained that two world renowned scrabble commentators and analysts Austin Shin and Will Anderson, will be anchoring the live streaming and broadcast of the MGI International Scrabble Classics – UK that has attracted players from Africa, Asia, America and Europe.

The three-day tournament will start on Saturday, the 4th of May and end on Monday, the 6th, 2024, it’s a 25 rounds of games competition, that is in three divisions.

On Saturday, 9 rounds of games will be played and the same number will be decided on Sunday, while 7 will be played on Monday, the final day of the International Classics, in each category.

Very experienced Tournament Director, James Burley will oversee the competition and will be assisted by Nigeria’s Khaleel Adedeji, fondly called Dynamite.

The Mayor of Milton Keynes, Mick Legg, will declare the tournament open. This development has received lots of praises and commendations from scrabble stakeholders across the globe.

Over 11,000 pounds have been set aside as prize money for the three divisions, with the winner of Division A getting 2,000 pounds, in a prize pool of 5,500 pounds. The top prize in Division B is 1,000 pounds, while 7 other players in that division will share 2,100 pounds. 2,400 pounds is the total prize money for Division C.

We understand that there will be 15 spot prizes, 5 on each day of the grueling 25 rounds of games event, with lots of souvenirs to go with it.

Ghana base security outfit, Ojeyz Security Management Company managed by Haruna Adamu and the famous fashion designer Frontpage Couture, are backing the MGI International Scrabble Classics.