Passion for letters draws chairperson of Gauteng Association of Scrabble Players to the boardgame
Scrabble player Ike Obidike talk to us about the game, his 26-year journey in it, and his journey to becoming ranked 6th in South Africa.
President of Scrabble South Africa and chairperson of the Gauteng Association of Scrabble Players Ike Obidike detailed how his 26-year board game journey has led him to being ranked 6th in South Africa.
Obidike explained that he was drawn to the game by the lure of forming words. “I love writing, and words stimulate me. When I realised that Scrabble was not only about forming words, but encompasses other attributes and skills, like strategy and decision making, my engineering mind was excited and I was hooked.”
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He added that he began playing the board game competitively in 2000, and has been competing in monthly tournaments since. “I represented SA in the World Scrabble Championship in Las Vegas, USA in July 2023, also in the Africa Games in Accra, Ghana in March 2024. I have also won a few local competitions.”
Obidike noted that he was ranked 6th Scrabble player in the country last month, during the Gauteng Summer Tournament, explaining that the positions were determined by the national rating points, which players acquire based on their performance in each competition they participate in.
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He highlighted that, apart from learning new words and their usage, he learned how to make decisions. “Scrabble is about making decisions, and you are confronted with that task each time you make your move. You will always have many options of play, but certain factors will determine what you finally put down.” Another skill Obidike learned is patience.
He noted that the basic instinct of players is to use their highest scoring letters: Z, Q, J, and X. “As you mature in the game, you learn to use the letters and play for high scores. This might entail waiting for a move, or for the right opportunity.”
The Scrabble player advised keen and upcoming players to learn the basics: 2, 3, and 4-letter words, their front and back hooks, anagrams, and those that cannot be pluralised with an S. “Also learn the common ‘Bingos’, which are words you make with all the 7 tiles on your rack. Once you have learned these words, you will be difficult to beat, and it gives you a strong foundation to become a good Scrabble player.”
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