Scrabble enthusiasts from 42 states and nine countries recently descended on Baltimore for the board game’s North American championships. The two finalists competed in a best-of-five series for a $10,000 prize and bragging rights. Michael Fagen, 27, topped Orry Swift three games to one, winning the final game in an exceptional manner. Fagen played two nine-letter words, “coequates” and “levirates,” in the match to clinch the championship. “I never thought I’d make it to the finals,’Fagen said. “This is definitely the biggest event in.. period, period” he said. The rules are the same as the ones for a casual game
Scrabble was invented in 1938 and, by the late 1970s, competitive play picked up steam. Joe Edley won the North American championship in 1980 and again in 1992 and 2000. As Fagen and Swift battled in the finals, more than 100 players watched the match’s feed — complete with two commentators and five camera angles — and hung on every word. One top player whose name starts with J wore a T-shirt with the image of a J tile tattooed on his shoulder. The enjoyment lies in the satisfaction of the satisfaction, and there are numerous lessons to be learned, several players said. Although it's a word game, Swift said, Scrabbles is more mathematical than literary. It's such a beautiful microcosm of life, this game
As the nearly week-long event came to a close and the prizes were awarded, those gathered clapped to show their
