Scrabble: Players resort to use internet in absence of matches

Daniel Machanje of Strathmore University and Ayub Zande in action during the second National Scrabble Circuit held in Kisumu on February 9, 2019. (Washington Onyango/Standard)

Scrabble players are taking advantage of working at home to equip their skills as coronavirus pandemic has brought the world to a near standstill.

With no matches and championships across the world, the players have resorted to Internet Scrabble Club (ISC) as the rest of the world awaits for the crisis to end.

Scrabble Kenya (SK), which was preparing Kenyan players for the East, Central and Southern Africa Scrabble Association (ECASA) set for Jinja, Uganda, later this year expects that the pandemic will be put to rest soon.

SK chairman Bernard Amuken was optimistic that players who are working at home have found the best time to train, read much and cram as many words as possible to ensure they sharpen their skills.

“Right now everything is quiet. We were to go for the ECASA but we may not go because of the pandemic. But I am happy that the majority of the players including me are seriously reading in their respective houses,” said Amuke.

He said their dream was to return to ECASA to defend their title for the fourth time after conquering the region.

Top players led by Allan Oyende, Patrick Nderitu Gitonga, Patrick Koyyoko and others led the country at the world English Scrabble Players Association Championships in Goa, India, last year. “This is the right time to prepare for the forthcoming events because sometimes work can be a hindrance for any scrabble player,” said Amuke.

Amuke said they are sharpening skills against the rest of the world with big players saying majority of Kenyan players are playing against each other and post results.

Scrabble players are taking advantage of working at home to equip their skills as coronavirus pandemic has brought the world to a near standstill.

With no matches and championships across the world, the players have resorted to Internet Scrabble Club (ISC) as the rest of the world awaits for the crisis to end.

Scrabble Kenya (SK), which was preparing Kenyan players for the East, Central and Southern Africa Scrabble Association (ECASA) set for Jinja, Uganda, later this year expects that the pandemic will be put to rest soon.

SK chairman Bernard Amuken was optimistic that players who are working at home have found the best time to train, read much and cram as many words as possible to ensure they sharpen their skills.

“Right now everything is quiet. We were to go for the ECASA but we may not go because of the pandemic. But I am happy that the majority of the players including me are seriously reading in their respective houses,” said Amuke.

He said their dream was to return to ECASA to defend their title for the fourth time after conquering the region.

Top players led by Allan Oyende, Patrick Nderitu Gitonga, Patrick Koyyoko and others led the country at the world English Scrabble Players Association Championships in Goa, India, last year. “This is the right time to prepare for the forthcoming events because sometimes work can be a hindrance for any scrabble player,” said Amuke.

Amuke said they are sharpening skills against the rest of the world with big players saying majority of Kenyan players are playing against each other and post results.