Close fight

More money, more players and more competition – the Sixth Penang Open Scrabble Tournament held on Oct 1 and 2 has set a new standard for itself. The RM7,000 prize package (courtesy of Island College of Technology, Penang) drew 68 players from Australia, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia, including five representatives to the World Scrabble Championship.  

The tournament was again held at Penang’s City BayView Hotel. There was a free flow of refreshments; sunlight streamed in through the dome windows into the playing area (resulting in many players experiencing harsh glare or twilight darkness, depending on the time of day); and challenges and rulings were hard and furious.