World Scrabble Championship 2009

The winner was Pakorn Nemitrmansuk of Thailand who defeated the reigning champion Nigel Richards of New Zealand with three games to one in the best-of-five finals.[4] The two finalists earned their spots by each winning 18 games in the first 24 rounds. Dave Wiegand of United States won 17 games and placed third.[3]

Pakorn set two additional WSC records at this event, by winning 14 consecutive games in the preliminaries[5] and by scoring 670 points in a final game,[4] which included a triple-triple of the word PALUDINE scoring 167 points.[6]

The first game was close, Pakorn winning 425-419.[7] Bingos from Pakorn included HOMEWARE, DELEtING and DRENCHING. Bingos from Nigel were STAMINAS and REDEPLOY.

The second game was a record 670-303[8] win for Pakorn, during which he had a personal best 5:04 remaining on the clock. Pakorn started with the bingo UNRuLES and continued with OORIEST, EBRIATE and the triple-triple PALUDINE. He also had luck with the Z and Q. Nigel chipped in with bingo REAcTOR.

Nigel pulled one back in the third game, 443-394.[9] He had two bingos JINKERS and LICHTED compared to Pakorn's three: REpTANT, STAINED and RAMPAUGE, but Nigel scored more with his (100+ per bingo).

The fourth game saw Pakorn take the title of World Champion at last, after two runner-up positions, in a high scoring and close game 499-480.[10] It was a bingo-bingo start, with Pakorn getting ADVENES and Nigel GRIFTERS. Nigel had a further FrEEHOLD and BOHEMIAN. Pakorn followed up with GENETRIX on the triple and a game winning BOTANICA and BOWATS.

• FINALS:
• Game 1: Pakorn 425 – Nigel 419
• Game 2: Pakorn 670 – Nigel 303
• Game 3: Nigel 443 – Pakorn 394
• Game 4: Pakorn 499 – Nigel 480

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