Montréaler Wins $10,000 Top Prize in Scrabble Championship

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Jul 19, 2023, 21:45 ET

LAS VEGAS, July 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Joshua Sokol, a 29-year-old Scrabble influencer from Montréal, Canada, has just won $10,000 playing in NASPA's annual Scrabble Players Championship, held this year at the Westgate Hotel in Las Vegas. He defeated Joey Mallick, a 43-year-old health information technician from South Portland, ME, three games to two, in a best-of-5 finals.

Sokol played such unusual words as PATINAED (having a green film on bronze), FODGEL (plump), and LIGULA (a strap-shaped organ or part) on the way to winning his title. Mallick played words such as VERATRIN (a poisonous mixture of alkaloids), CROSTINO (a small piece of toast topped with a spread), and ALEXIA (a cerebral disorder marked by the loss of the ability to read) in his title attempt. 295 other players scored over 7 million points while trying to qualify for the finals.

Sokol said "I played in my first Nationals right here in Las Vegas ten years ago, and finished in fourth place in the second division. Joey, my finals opponent this year, played a ferocious game, and I'm elated that I've finally vanquished my personal demons and won the Championship."

In the International division, Wellington Jighere, a 40-year-old professional Scrabble player and 2015 World Champion from Nigeria, claimed a $4,000 top prize, also with a 3-2 record in a best-of-5 finals.

Competition resumes for 200 players from 32 countries on Friday with a one-day qualification event for the WESPA (World) Championship, which runs July 21-26, also featuring a $10,000 top prize.

Since 2009, NASPA has been the governing body for over 19,000 competitive Scrabble players in the United States and Canada.

SCRABBLE is a trademark of Hasbro, Inc. in the USA and Canada, and of Mattel, Inc. elsewhere. NASPA and its activities are neither endorsed by nor affiliated with Hasbro or Mattel.

Downloadable photos: https://bit.ly/naspamedia Event details: https://bit.ly/DD2023LV

Contact: John Chew
Phone: 214-810-2439, 416-876-7675
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.scrabbleplayers.org

SOURCE NASPA GAMES