Scrabble champ returns from International duty with a wealth of experience

Dec 20, 2009 Sports

---

By Michael Benjamin
After a three weeks sojourn in Malaysia to compete for international accolades at the World Scrabble Championships, national scrabble champion, Abigail McDonald return to Guyana with a wealth of experience and the resolute belief that she could transform her fortunes on the world stage at the next forum of this nature.
McDonald earned the right to represent Guyana at the championships, after defeating former national champion, Fred Collins in a best of five duel at the Ocean View International Hotel, Lilliendaal ECD, earlier this year. Several business entities answered the call for corporate help and coupled with the fund raising activities organized by the executives of the Guyana Association of Scrabble Players (GASP), McDonald was able to accrue the required funding to facilitate the trip.
She admits that the journey to her final destination was an arduous and taxing one. After departing the Cheddi Jagan International Airport Timerhi, McDonald arrived at the JFK Airport USA and spent the night in that country. The following day she traveled to China and then onto Singapore and finally on towards her final destination, Malaysia. “It was a tough journey and I arrived in Malaysia a mere twenty four hours before competition,” McDonald revealed.
She said that she was further affected by the twelve-hour time difference and the change of cuisine.  Nevertheless, the local scrabble champion said that she battled the vicissitudes in readiness for the grueling championships. “The atmosphere was charged and the Zon Regency Hotel (where most of the contestants stayed) was a hive of scrabble activity,” she disclosed.
McDonald admitted that she began to feel nervous as the competition time approached but being a devout catholic, gathered spiritual strength while reciting the Hail Mary. “I also received strength from one of the elders in the church who sent me an e-mail to let me know that I was in their prayers,” McDonald intimated.
She said that such support kept her in high spirits. She received a further boost to her morale when she won her first game against Swedish player Marc Roddis 369-288, a spread of 81. On the first day also, she defeated Herve Bohbot of France (395-385) and Malaysian Michael Tang (485-365) to finish on three wins from eight matches.
She added a further 21/2 points to her tally on day two with two wins and a draw. She then chalked up four games on the final day, her best performance in the tournament. “After winning two games on the first day I resolved to play harder the following day,” McDonald said she said that she could not utilize her vast vocabulary reserve since she was not drawing good tiles. “Scrabble is like a game of cricket-replete with glorious uncertainties. She further explained that the ‘bag was against her.’
This meant that she was not buying favourable tiles. She said that her poor luck made her feel dejected. To make matters worse McDonald said that she contracted the flu on the semifinal day and was forced to compete on the final day with the sniffles. Nevertheless, she resolved to ignore her discomfort and apply herself to the task. That day she turned in her best performance and managed to win four games. “I played Trinidadian, Leslie Stewart in the first game of the final day,” McDonald disclosed. She said that she remembered the ferocious battles between local word formers and those from the Twin Island Republic. These two groups are constantly engaged in fierce rivalry at the yearly Tri-nation tournament that also involves Barbados. Last year Trinidad and Tobago dominated the tournament with Barbados finishing second and Guyana occupying the cellar position.
McDonald said that she regarded the Leslie Stewart victory as a personal accomplishment. “I thought to myself that my colleagues back home would feel happy to know that I have defeated Stewart so I played with great intensity,” McDonald disclosed. She won that encounter 457-379, a spread of 78.
Now back home, McDonald professes to have acquired a wealth of valuable tips, something she feels would stand her in good stead in the future.
She said that she was able to engage some of the world’s best players and procured valuable tips towards the improvement of her techniques.
“I am now equipped to challenge the best locally and at the Caribbean level after engaging some of the world’s best players,” she boasted.
Local scrabble players are currently engaged in fierce practice sessions in preparation for the Tri-nation tournament early next year in either Trinidad or Barbados. Her participation in the just concluded world games has served to boost her morale to the extent that McDonald exudes a high degree of confidence.
“The next national championship is slated for 2011 and already I am anticipating the keen rivalry,” she intimated.  Quizzed of her plans for this tournament McDonald brashly stated, “Based on my newly acquired knowledge, they will have to literally wrestle this title from my grasp.”

---

---