Latest update January 14th, 2026 12:06 AM
Wayne ‘Caves’ in Gafoor’s ambition to claim prize in Scrabble Open Championship
Kaieteur Sports – Legal Clerk at Camilla Edwards Law Firm, Wayne Cave, proved that determination and grit are winning factors when he rebounded from a defeat by top seed, James Krakowsky (43), to amass 5 straight victories, the most decisive against Moen Gafoor (51), to cart off the spoils when the Guyana Association of Scrabble Players (GASP) launched its 2026 programme with a tournament at the GCC Ground, Bourda, last Sunday afternoon, which attracted most of the nation’s top players.
Clearly, it was the most competitive meet in recent times where most of the highly ranked players competed for honours, paving the way for surprises and/or upsets. Indeed, Moen Gafoor’s past dominance saw him consistently clinching the top spoils in most tournaments, and from all indications, he seemed set to replicate his earlier feats. Only this time, he had amassed 4 ½ points before he was stopped by a rampaging Wayne Cave, who emerged victorious in their 5th round clash. The latter player finished with a solid 5 points, relegating his nemesis to the 2nd place.
Wayne Cave, flanked by Krakowsky and Gafoor (immediate R and L respectively), proudly displays his hard-won accolade. Also in the photo is Jasmine Assanah and Delon Moffat.
James Krakowsky’s game against Gafoor ended in a stalemate, and the former player, eventually finished the tournament on 4 ½ points but a lower positive spread than Gafoor. He sealed off the podium positions but must consider himself lucky after losing decisively to Michael Benjamin in their 5th round clash despite the latter player having amassed 4 points and a positive spread of more than 200. Krakowsky’s tied game against Gafoor earned him a ½ point, just enough to edge Benjamin from a podium spot.
Jasmine Assanah, considered a budding player, defeated top seed Winslow Jacobs to register the biggest upset in recent tournaments. She was unsurprisingly voted as the Best Female Player. Two other players, Wayne Cave and Michael Benjamin, were singled out for special mention after what the organizers dubbed ‘two distinct upsets;’ Cave for his victory over Gafoor and Benjamin, after defeating Krakowsky. Gafoor then returned to claim the prize for the most bingos (14), while Mofatt secured the prize for the highest non-bingo score (61).
Meanwhile, Rai Sharma collaborated with Waveney Johnson in the capacity of tournament director and complimented the players for their discipline. He also lauded the competitiveness of the tournament. Sharma was high in praise of Cave’s victory, pointing out that his diligence and determination saw him clinching the prime prize, even overcoming Gafoor, who seemed virtually invincible after clinching the top prize in most of the previous tournaments. This tournament was sponsored by the Guyana Association of Scrabble Players.
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