This Week in the DMV: Scrabble Showdown in Anne Arundel County
Word nerds unite! The North American Scrabble Players Association (NASPA) will host the 34th annual Scrabble Championship this week, August 8–14, at the Maryland Live! Casino & Hotel in Hanover, according to a press release.
Hosted by Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County (VAAAC), the international tournament will feature more than 300 logophiles ranging in age from 14 to 91, who hail from 47 states and provinces and seven countries. Among them are 30 players from Maryland, with additional players from Canada, the UK, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Malaysia.
Maryland will host the championship for the second time — the last time was in Baltimore in 2022. “Our players had such a great time in Maryland three years ago, we’ve been working hard ever since to find our way back,” said NASPA CEO John Chew in a press release. “And as a seafood and word game lover, I know Scrabble is best enjoyed when full of crab.”
Players will be vying for a top prize of $10,000 and the tournament will be played in six divisions, including four North American and two international divisions. Notable players include:
- Nigel Richards – widely considered the G.O.A.T. of Scrabble, Richards is a five-time North American champ, five-time world champ, and current French and Spanish world champ—even though he doesn’t speak either language.
- Mack Meller – defending champion is the youngest grandmaster at 25 years old and has played tournament Scrabble since the age of 10.
- Will Anderson – 2017 champion with more than 50,000 followers on YouTube.
- Joe Edley – three-time champion.
- Joel Wapnick – Past winner of this championship, a world champion, and a two-time Canadian champion.
Maryland Senator Cheryl Kagan, who represents District 17, which includes Rockville and Gaithersburg, is a nationally ranked Scrabble player and will also compete in this year’s championship. She has been integral in bringing this competition to Maryland.
“I’m a bit of a policy wonk, but I’m also a huge word nerd,” said Senator Kagan in a press release. “It’s exciting to host the Scrabble Championships in Maryland again this year!”
The full schedule and more information can be found here. The tournament is open to the public and available via livestream on YouTube, which will be available to view on the North American Scrabble Players Association (NASPA) website.
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