Team Nigeria women win scrabble gold in African Games

Nigeria emerged champions at the maiden African Games Scrabble tournament in Ghana after finishing top in the women’s category.

Uganda claimed the ultimate prize in the men’s version with upsets against some of the continent’s powerhouses.

Scrabble is featuring at the Games for the first time but as one of the demonstration sports at Africa’s version of the Olympics.

The keenly contested mindgame saw hundreds of scrabble players showcase their word power in 27 rounds at the Alisa Hotel North Ridge in Accra, Ghana.

The encounters unpacked upsets and surprises as the eight English-speaking countries; Liberia, Zambia, Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana and Sierra Leone in the men’s category in Day One, battle to qualify into the knockout stage.

After thrilling games, Nigeria qualified to face Uganda while Kenya slugged it out against Liberia in the semi-finals.

The turn out of the semi-finals left scrabble enthusiasts in shock as Uganda defeated favourites Nigeria 5 1⁄2 games with a cumulative spread of +95 to get to the final.

Also, Liberia secured 4 wins against Kenya with a cumulative spread of -15 to set up a tantalizing  encounter with the Ugandans in the final.

In the third-place pairing, Kenya claimed the bronze medal after 5 wins and 4 losses with a cumulative spread of +152 while Nigeria didn’t make the podium having finished in the fourth position with 3 1⁄2 wins and 5 1⁄2 with a cumulative spread of -95.

However, Nigeria ruled the female category with 6 wins and 3 loses plus a cumulative spread of +325 while Kenya finished second after 3 wins and 6 loses with a cumulative spread of -325.

Zambia won the bronze medal after 9 wins with a cumulative spread of +1104 while Ghana ended in the fourth position losing all the nine matches with a cumulative spread of -1104.