National School SCRABBLE Championship

The National School SCRABBLE Championship is the annual highlight of the School SCRABBLE Program. In 2015, it was renamed the North American School SCRABBLE Championship.

The tournament typically draws over 50 teams of two players each, representing schools and certain other youth organizations, as well as high school students who compete as individuals. Competitors must be 18 years or younger, enrolled in school, and resident in the United States or Canada.

2020

The 2020 Hasbro Gaming Championships will take place on April 18–19 in Baltimore.

2017

Date	April 22–23
Place	Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA
Championship Division Winners	Zach Ansell & Jem Burch
Championship Division Runners-Up	Knox Daniel & Logan Strzepek
High School Division Winner	Kevin Bowerman
Challenge Division Winner	Audrey Benford & Dina Lacugna
Championship Division Winner’s Prize	$10,000
Prize Pool	$20,500
Teams	92
Format	8 rounds for Championship and Challenge	9 rounds for High School
Organizer	MSI
Director	Jason Keller

• Divisions were added this year:
  • High School - Students in Grades 9 to 12. Compete as individuals.
  • Challenge - Newcomers and novice competitors.

2016

See our unofficial page about the 2016 North American School SCRABBLE Championship.

Date	April 9–10
Place	Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA
Winners	Cooper Komatsu & Jem Burch
Runners-Up	Matias Shundi & Javier Conteras
Winner’s Prize	$10,000
Prize Pool	$20,500
Teams	85
Format	7 rounds followed by 1-round final
Organizer	MSI
Director	John Chew

• This was the last year in which NASPA, as an organization, helped to run the event.

2015

See our unofficial page about the 2015 North American School SCRABBLE Championship.

Date	May 16–17
Place	Pawtucket, RI
Winners	Noah Kalus & Zach Ansell
Runners-Up	Matias Shundi & Javier Conteras
Winner’s Prize	$10,000
Prize Pool	$20,500
On Jimmy Kimmel Live	May 23, 2015
Teams	58
Format	7 rounds followed by 1-round final
Organizer	MSI
Director	John Chew

2014

See our unofficial page about the 2014 National School SCRABBLE Championship.

Date	April 26–27
Place	One Hasbro Place, Providence, RI
Winners	Thomas Draper (NJ) and Jacob Sass (TX)
Runners-Up	Jack and Nicholas Miklaucic
Winner’s Prize	$10,000
Prize Pool	$20,000
On Jimmy Kimmel Live	May 23, 2014
Teams	69
Format	7 rounds followed by 1-round final
Organizer	MSI
Director	John Chew

• This was the first NSSC organized by MSI.
• Thomas Draper appeared in his third finals

2013

Date	May 3–4
Place	Washington Marriott Wardman Park, Washington, DC
Winners	Kevin Bowerman and Raymond Gao (NC)
Runners-Up	Thomas Draper (NJ) and Sam Masling (DC)
Winner’s Prize	$10,000
Prize Pool	$20,000
On Jimmy Kimmel Live	May 23
Teams	89
Format	7 rounds followed by 1-round final
Organizer	NSA
Director	John Chew

• This was the last NSSC organized by the NSA prior to their dissolution.
• With this event, North Carolina became the first state to have winning

students in three Nationals, in 2009, 2012 and 2013.

• This was the first event since 2009 in which no previous champions were competing.
• Thomas Draper became the third person known to have been a runner-up twice.

2012

Date	April 13–14
Place	Royal Pacific Resort, Orlando, FL
Winners	Andy Hoang and Erik Salgado (NC)
Runners-Up	Thomas Draper and Nicholas Vasquez (NJ)
Winner’s Prize	$10,000
Prize Pool	$20,000
On Jimmy Kimmel Live	April 23
Teams	72
Format	7 rounds followed by 1-round final
Organizer	NSA
Director	John Chew

• Andy Hoang and Erik Salgado became the first team to win two NSSC titles.
• Beginning with this event, rules were normalized to more closely match NASPA rules, including the use of a 25- rather than 22-minute clock, and an explicit reference to NASPA rules for situations not covered in the event rules.
• This was the first year in which fourth-graders were permitted to compete.

2011

Date	April 15–16
Place	Royal Pacific Resort, Orlando, FL
Winners	Alex Li and Jackson Smylie (ON)
Runners-Up	Evan McCarthy and Bradley Robbins (NH)
Winner’s Prize	$10,000
Prize Pool	$20,000
On Jimmy Kimmel Live	May 4
Teams	98
Format	7 rounds followed by 1-round final
Organizer	NSA
Director	John Chew

• Alex Li and Jackson Smylie were the first Canadians to win the title.
• The event expanded from 6+1 to 7+1 rounds this year.

2010

Date	April 15–16
Place	Royal Pacific Resort, Orlando, FL
Winners	Evan McCarthy and Bradley Robbins (NH)
Runners-Up	Timothy Bryant and Kevin Rosenberg (NY)
Winner’s Prize	$10,000
Prize Pool	$20,000
On Jimmy Kimmel Live	April 26
Teams	95
Format	6 rounds followed by 1-round final
Organizer	NSA
Director	Ben Greenwood

• McCarthy and Robbins were the first NSSC winners to beat Jimmy Kimmel on his show.

2009

Date	April 24–25
Place	Rhode Island Convention Center, Providence, RI
Winners	Andy Hoang and Erik Salgado (NC)
Runners-Up	Paolo Federico O'Murchu and Nicholas Vasquez (NJ)
Winner’s Prize	$10,000
Prize Pool	$20,000
On Jimmy Kimmel Live	May 5
Teams	102
Format	6 rounds followed by 1-round final
Organizer	NSA
Director	Ben Greenwood

• Hoang and Salgado were the first fifth-graders to win the NSSC.

2008

Date	May 9–10
Place	Rhode Island Convention Center, Providence, RI
Winners	Logan Rosen and Matthew Silver (CT)
Runners-Up	Dorian Hill and Joey Krafchick (GA)
Winner’s Prize	$5,000
Prize Pool	$10,000
Teams	104
Format	6 rounds followed by 1-round final
Organizer	NSA
Director	Ben Greenwood

2007

Date	May 4–5
Place	Rhode Island Convention Center, Providence, RI
Winners	Aune Mitchell and Matthew Silver (CT)
Runners-Up	Dorian Hill and Joey Krafchick (GA)
Winner’s Prize	$5,000
Teams	100
Format	6 rounds followed by 1-round final
Organizer	NSA
Director	Ben Greenwood

2006

Date	April 21–22
Place	Boston, MA
Winners	Aaron Jacobs and Nathan Mendelsohn (MA)
Runners-Up	Quentin Babb and Matt Canik (TX)
Winner’s Prize	$5,000
Prize Pool	$9,250
Teams	98
Organizer	NSA
Director	Ben Greenwood

2005

Place	Boston, MA
Winners	Scott Cardone and Asif Rahman (OH)
Winner’s Prize	$5,000
Organizer	NSA
Director	Ben (Loiterstein) Greenwood

2004

Place	Boston, MA
Winners	Thomas Bao and Eric Johnston (CA)
Winner’s Prize	$5,000
Organizer	NSA
Director	Ben Greenwood and Joe Edley

2003

Date	April 26
Place	Boston, MA
Winners	Nick Amphlett and John Ezekowitz
Winner’s Prize	$5,000
Organizer	NSA
Director	Ben Greenwood and Joe Edley