Scrabble Masters showdown heads to Kisumu

Players make moves during national scrabble tournament at Trojan hotel in Kisumu on November 11,2018.The two day tournament ends today with the winner being unveiled.(Photo: Denish Ochieng/ Standard)

East Africa number one Allan Oyende hopes to make it two wins in a row when more than 70 national and international scrabble masters converge at Jumia Hotel for the second National Scrabble Circuit in Kisumu tomorrow.

Oyende won Nairobi Open 2019, the first circuit, at Kasarani Sportsview in Nairobi and prepares to reclaim the Kisumu crown from defending champion Philip Mugisha of Uganda.

Tonu Ochola, the Scrabble Kenya Organizing Secretary, said the circuit involves three divisions and will attract players from Nairobi, Siaya, Kisii, Eldoret, Busia, Mombasa, Nakuru, Kisumu and Uganda.

“The Kisumu circuit will for the second time feature participants from Uganda led by defending champion Philip Edwin Mugisha, Edgar Odonkara, Geria Richard, Chris Ntege, Sentogo Ivan and Onyoin Lawrence,” said Ochola, who is also Kisumu Scrabble Club chairman.

“The circuit will involve three divisions which include premier (1300 points and above), intermediate (700 to 1299 points) and beginner section (700 and below) where champions of the intermediate will be promoted to the premier level for the next circuit next month.”

Oyende, a two-time national winner and who is fresh from winning the Nairobi circuit last month, stands out as a favourite in the Kisumu circuit alongside Nderitu Gitonga from Kirinyaga.

He faces stiff competition from Kisumu’s Metric Mukhalasie, Tony Ochola, Simeon Omolo, Joash Manyasa and George Nyakundi and others.