Former African Champion and current national title holder Enoch Nwali has raced into the lead on the opening day with an 8-5 score as George Ezinore and Tega Okeimute kept close tab on his progress while John Aiyedun struggled for survival in one of the most exciting engagements in Africa tagged Scrabble In The Jungle.
The top four scrabble juggernauts are locked in a boot camp somewhere in Lagos, the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria, where they would compete over 23 rounds of games for prize, prestige and power.
Enoch Nwali
Nwali began the day with a slim 472-471 defeat to Okeimute in an intense encounter as Ezinore bested John Aiyedun 552-414 in a clear sign of intent in the contest.
In third round, Aiyedun who is one of the fans’ favourite struggled to find a grip as he failed to record a win while the other trio marked a 2-1 results on the table.
The games continued as players aimed for more crucial points.
George Ezinore
After round eight, both Ezinore and Nwali maintained an identical score of 5-3 while Okeimute had 4-4 as Aiyedun slipped further down the ladder with just two wins.
As the tournament wore on, Nwali the former Emmanuel Egbele Annual Scrabble Tournament (EEAST) winner built on his lead in Round 10 after he found the right word combination to lead the rest with 7-3 score while Ezinore had 6-4, Okeimute’s 4-6 and Aiyedun 3-7.
John Aiyedun
In the following round, Nwali plucked another win 390-379 from his game against Ezinore while Aiyedun fell 387-427 to Okeimute.
Tega Okeimute
With weariness setting in, the ‘Drummer Boy’s would lose in Round 12 and 13 to Aiyedun and calculative Okeimute respectively to finish Day One as the leader with 8 wins and 5 losses with +79 cumulative points.
Ezinore and Okeimute would complete the day with 7 wins and 6 defeats each while Aiyedun headed back to his tent a 4-9 result.
The tournament which was designed by Scrabble Las Vegas to test the endurance limit of contestants has so far enjoyed a good rating according to subscribers following the blow-by-blow account through dedicated Whatsapp channels across the world.
Day Two resumes on Saturday with 10 rounds of games.
BINGOS RECORDED ON DAY ONE
BOONGAS*LINEALLY, SEARCHED, MANURERS, TREADING, FIREPIT, ERINITE,TORMENTA,IRONIEST ,AUTEURS,ENTERER, VERITAS,PORTOISE, NARDOOS,LIVIDER,RESIANCE
LINKROT
CANNELON
TIMIDER
NAILERS
SIMNELS
UNWEAVE
KALIANS
ARTSIER
STRICTER
AGREEING
GESNERIA
ACRIDINE
TERTIAL
ANURIAS
BEASTIE
GOADSMEN
VERSANT
ORLEANS
HORDEIN
GAUDIER
NATTERS
NILGHAU
GLAMOURS
TRAPEZIA
LOBBIED
PROSIEST
NOILING*
TELLENS
CHARRIER
ANTIQUEY
BIFOCAL
LONGIES
GENETTES
SLURRIED
KEMBLES*
RECITES,CANTORIS,FINIALED,SAUTERE
SENARII
NERINES
WOLVERS
TRENTAL
POLENTA
VASTIEST
RIANCIES
VECTORED
LINEBRED
REANOINT
CAVINGS
SLACKEST
HAEREMAI
BATTENED
KLISTER
GAMIEST
SALARIED
ANTERIOR
COTQUEAN
ENCLISIS
WHINNIED
DIALLIST
ORARION
ADOPTER
SAPELES
ENVIERS
MEGADOSE
OSTINATI
SEPTLEVA
REIGNING
REOUTFIT
INNUENDO
TRIACTOR
EANLING
ALBEDOS
EYESOME
OCHERED
FUSAINS
ATONIES
MENTION DOUCEUR PORTANCE LANOSITY
ENVYINGS TOUSLED REGINAE BATONED FLEECILY
MOURNING
PERVIEST
ALLIANCE
DIAZINES
REHASHED SYRINGE
