Revision as of 15:32, 16 August 2013

This page lists various official sanctioned records achieved in competitive SCRABBLE® play in North America and overseas.

The records in each category are classified further based on the environment(tournament or club) and by the dictionary used (OTCWL or SOWPODS, ignoring the specific edition).

In the words listed, lowercase letters stand for blanks and paranthesised letters stand for tiles already on the board. An asterisk (*) means that the word is a phoney or that the score is known to include phoneys. An octothorp (#) means that the word is acceptable in SOWPODS but not in OTCWL.

A question mark means that some detail of the record is unknown or questionable. All records are subject to revision as appropriate. Any scoring and score reporting errors are corrected before considering a play or game for a record, regardless of whether such errors were corrected in tournament standings or not.

To submit a new record, please provide all available documentation for the record to the Ratings and Recognition Committee's record admin.

Highest winning game score

Tournament, OTCWL

1. 803: Joel Sherman, December 9, 2011, Stamford CT
2. 771: Edward De Guzman, July 1, 2010, Reno NV
3. 770: Mark Landsberg, June 13, 1993, Eagle Rock CA (ref)
4. 744: Tim Wilkinson, June 9, 2007, Dover NH
5. 724: Robin Pollock Daniel, October 22, 2006, Lake George NY
6. 719*: Chris Reslock, February 1981, Xenia OH
7. 716*: Ken Lambe, June 27, 1981, New York Game Room Tourney Preliminary

Tournament, SOWPODS

1. 850: Toh Weibin, January 21, 2012, Northern Ireland Scrabble Championship, Belfast, Northern Ireland
2. 789: Nicholas Mbugua (Kenya), June 3, 2007, WSC Qualifier, Machakos, Kenya
3. 785: Jackie McLeod, 2002, UK
4. 764: Russell Honeybun (West Australia), August 26, 2007, Australia.
5. 727: John O'Laughlin, 2008 Texas Challenge
6. 723: Craig Beevers (England), May 10, 2010, European Open Scrabble Championship, Malta.
7. 720: Craig Beevers (England), December 4, 2010, Causeway Challenge, Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
8. 680: Max Panitch, September 13, 2009, Toronto ON

Club, OTCWL

1. 830: Michael Cresta, October 12, 2006, Club #108, Lexington MA (ref)
2. 801: Robert Kahn, March 3, 2010, Club #276, Lauderhill FL
3. 792*: Nick Ballard, 1980, Chicago IL (not reported until much later)
4. 768: Sam Kantimathi, August 2002, Club #433, Sacramento CA
5. 756: Judy Levitt, February 23 2005, Los Angeles CA
6. 731: Vince Van Dover, November 30 2010, Club #42, Minneapolis MN

Highest combined game score

Tournament, OTCWL

1. 1134*: Keith Smith 582 vs. Stefan Rau 552*, Dallas Open, March 2008
2. 1127: Laurie Cohen 725 vs. Nigel Peltier 402, February 16, 2009, Phoenix AZ
3. 1108: Mark Landsberg 770 vs. Alan Stern 338, June 13, 1993, Eagle Rock CA
4. 1105: John Luebkemann 580 vs. Rose Kreiswirth 525, 2007, The Players Championship
5. 1103: Mark Milan 558 vs. Kevin Rickhoff 545, 2006 National SCRABBLE Championship

Tournament, SOWPODS

1. 1157: Phillip Edwin-Mugisha (Uganda) 627 vs. Vannitha Balasingam (Malaysia) 530, 2009 World SCRABBLE Championship, Malaysia (ref)
2. 1156: Nathan Benedict (United States) 653 vs. Oscar Rivera (Phillipines) 503, 2010 Manila Progressive Round Robin, Phillipines
3. 1144: John O'Laughlin 727 vs. Mike Early 417, 2008 Texas Challenge
4. 1110: M. Nicholson 570 vs. O. Oduwole 540, English Open 2008
5. 1109: Toh Weibin 850 vs. Rik Kennedy 259, January 21, 2012, Northern Ireland Scrabble Championship, Belfast, Northern Ireland
6. 1105: Mark Nyman 680 vs. Rogelio Talosig 525, 2005 World SCRABBLE Championship
7. 1099: Carmel Dodd 582 vs. Karen Richards 517, January 25, 2009, Australia
8. 1097: Ron Hoekstra 618 vs. Estelle Matthews 479, October 3. 2010, Victoria, BC

Club, OTCWL

1. 1320: Michael Cresta 830 vs. Wayne Yorra 490, October 12, 2006, Club #108, Lexington MA
   • bingos: JOUSTED, LADYLIK(E), F(L)ATFISH 239, (S)CAMsTER, UNDERD(O)G, QUIXOT(R)Y 365
2. 1143: Mark Edelson 617 vs. Tony Leah 526, January 23, 2013, Club #3, Toronto ON
   • bingos: OVERLAIN 63, PIGNOLIA 72, TRIBUNES 63, GESTURE 71, CODEBTOR 72, TICKLERS 221, ZEMINDAR 92
3. 1119(?): John Luebkemann 728 vs. Bob DeTore 391, September 1998, Cincinnati OH (not reported until much later)
4. 1113: Craig Rowland 714 vs. Steve Ozorio 399, July 22 2011, Club #422, Mississauga ON [1]
5. 1111: Ira Cohen 653 vs. Bruce D'Ambrosio 458, July 18 2001, Club #44, Los Angeles CA (ref)
6. 1110: Ray Smith 664 vs. Ron Tiekert 446, Atlanta

Highest tie game score

Tournament, OTCWL

1. 502–502: John Chew vs. Zev Kaufman, June 15, 1997, Toronto club tourney (ref)
2. 499–499(?): Joe Edley vs. Jerry Lerman, 1980

Tournament, SOWPODS

1. 522–522: Alec Webb vs. Nick Deller, March 7, 2009, Peterborough, UK (ref)
2. 510–510: Michael Gongolo (Kenya) vs. Patrick Mpundu (Zambia), 2007, East and Central Africa Scrabble Championships, Kampala, Uganda

Club, OTCWL

1. 496–496: Shaun Goatcher vs. Craig Rowland, 1998, Club #3, Toronto ON
2. 491–491: Ira Cohen vs. Joel Elkins, February 8, 2012, Club #44, Los Angeles CA
3. 456–456: Bryan Pepper vs. Mike Early, November 23 2010, Club #248, Mid-Cities TX

Highest winning game spread

Tournament, OTCWL

1. 569*: Ken Lambe 714 vs. 147, June 27 1981, New York City Game Room Tourney Preliminary
2. 546: Richard Ross 702 vs. 156, December 1990, Florida State Championship
3. 518: Joel Sherman 803 vs. Bradley Robbins 285, December 9 2011, Stamford, CT
4. 515: Susan Beard 700 vs. 185 (initially reported as 700–170), July 2008, National Scrabble Championship

Tournament, SOWPODS

1. 543: J. McLeod, NSCT Regional 2002, UK (OSW?)
2. 521: Russell Honeybun 764 vs. 243, August 26, 2007, Australia.
3. 429: Max Panitch 680 vs. 251, September 12, 2009, Toronto ON

Club, OTCWL

1. 570: Robert Kahn 801 vs. 231, March 3, 2010, Club #276, Lauderhill, FL

Highest losing game score

Tournament, OTCWL

1. 552*: Stefan Rau vs. Keith Smith 582, March 2008, Dallas Open
2. 545: Kevin Rickhoff vs. Mark Milan 558, August 2006, National SCRABBLE Championship
3. 539: Joel Sherman vs. David Poder 541, May 2001, Campbell CA
4. 533: Cheryl Cadieux vs. Chuck Armstrong 539, 1993
5. 531: Jason Ubeika vs. Albert Hahn 566, 2005, Western Canadian Championship, Calgary AB

Tournament, SOWPODS

1. 540: O. Oduwole vs. M. Nicholson 570, English Open 2008
2. 532: Ron Hoekstra vs. John O’Laughlin 542, September 12, 2009, Toronto ON

Club, OTCWL

Lowest winning game score

This category excludes games where either player received a time penalty.

Tournament, OTCWL

1. −12: Dan Horowitz vs. Carolann Atene −25, June 3, 2012, Philadelphia, PA
2. −10: Denise Mahnken vs. Marie Gier −16, May 29, 2010, Atlanta, GA
3. −9: Helena Gauthier vs. Gerianne Abriano −11, June 19, 2010, Nashua, NH (game ended after five exchanges and a phoney)
4. −8: Rod Nivison vs. −10, July 1990, Midwest Invitational Tournament (game ended after six consecutive zero scores)
5. −7: Chris Lipe vs. Leesa Berahovich −18, August 8, 2011, National SCRABBLE Championship, Dallas, TX (game ended after a phoney, two single-tile exchanges and three passes)
6. −6: Marlon Hill vs. Ben Schoenbrun −16, July 3, 2010, Albany, NY
7. −6: Bradley Whitmarsh vs. Jeremiah Mead −7, September 4, 2010, Portland, ME (JM: ANOOSTU -O +0 0; BW: CEEMNNR -EMN +0 0; JM: AINOSTU - +0 0; BW: ?CELNOR -C +0 0; JM: AINOSTU - +0 0; BW: ?AELNOR - +0 0)

Tournament, SOWPODS

1. 329: Jean McArthur vs. Stuart Goldman 319, August 16, 2010, 2010 World Players Championship, Addison TX

Club, OTCWL

Lowest combined game score

This category excludes games where either player received a time penalty.

Tournament, OTCWL

1. −37: Dan Horowitz −12 vs. Carolann Atene −25, June 3, 2012, Philadelphia, PA
2. −26: Denise Mahnken −10 vs. Marie Gier −16, May 29, 2010, Atlanta, GA
3. −25: Chris Lipe −7 vs. Leesa Berahovich −18, August 8, 2011, National SCRABBLE Championship, Dallas, TX (game ended after a phoney, two single-tile exchanges and three passes)
4. −22: Marlon Hill −6 vs. Ben Schoenbrun −16, July 3, 2010, Albany, NY (game ended after two phoneys and four exchanges)
5. −20: Helena Gauthier −9 vs. Gerianne Abriano −11, June 19, 2010, Nashua, NH
6. −18: Rod Nivison −8 vs. −10, July 1990, Midwest Invitational Tournament

Tournament, SOWPODS

Club, OTCWL

Highest average score per turn

Tournament, OTCWL

Tournament, SOWPODS

Club, OTCWL

1. Greg Edwards 68.4 (684 / 10) vs. Steve Pellinen, Club #42, December 13 2011, Minneapolis, MN

Highest word score, no phoneys

Tournament, OTCWL

1. 311: BRAZIERS, T. A. Sanders, January 1997, Tyler TX

Tournament, SOWPODS

1. 392: CAZIQUES, Karl Khoshaw, April 1982?, Magri Demajo, Malta (OSW) (ref)

Club, OTCWL

1. 365: QUIXOT(R)Y, Michael Cresta, October 12, 2006, Club #108, Lexington MA
2. 338: DEFUZING, Jeff Widergren
3. 329: FREEZING, Carl Twickler, 2002, Huntington NY
4. 321: CONQUERS, Rhonda Harvey, 1985, Club #188, Gonzales LA
5. 311: CRAZIEST, Joe Koczan, May 28 1996, Milwaukee

Highest opening word score, no phoneys

The theoretical maximum (using either OTCWL or SOWPODS) is 128 for MUZJIKS without blanks.

Tournament, OTCWL

1. 126: MuZJIKS, Jesse Inman, July 2008, National SCRABBLE Championship, Orlando FL
2. 124: BEZIQUE, Sam Kantimathi, September 1993, Portland OR

Tournament, SOWPODS

1. 124: BEZIQUE, Joan Rosenthal, 1997 (OSW?)
2. 124: BEZIQUE, Sally Martin

Club, OTCWL

1. 114: QWERTYS, Yvonne Lobo, February 2010, Mississauga ON Club #422

Highest non-bingo word score, no phoneys

Tournament, OTCWL

1. 243: R(OR)QUALS, Karen Merrill, 1997, Portland Club Tourney
2. 180: GH(ER)KiNS, Robert Kahn, 1985 National SCRABBLE Championship, Boston MA

Tournament, SOWPODS

Club, OTCWL

1. 261: B(RE)EZIER, Jim Kille, April 14, 1993, Club #333, Exon PA

Highest non-triple-triple word score, no phoneys

Records in this category have not been kept systematically, so there could be many higher scores.

Tournament, OTCWL

1. 161: (C)AZIQuES, Marlene Milkent, August 7, 2010, 2010 National SCRABBLE Championship, Addison TX (story, picture)
2. 143: TRAPEZO(ID), Shan Abbasi, September 23, 2012, Toronto ON
3. 136: EQUInOX, Tapani Lindgren, July 2, 2010, Reno NV

Tournament, SOWPODS

1. 164: BEZIQUES, Jason Stockdale, December 28, 2006, Australia
2. 157: QUIZzES, F. Madeley, Twixmas 2007, UK

Club, OTCWL

1. 173: SQUAREd, Rachel Knapp, July 1, 2010, Club #350, Costa Mesa CA (ref)
2. 146: LEXICOn, Supriya Nagpal Devnani, July 1, 2013, Club #438, Casselberry FL
3. 145: BEZIQuE, Tapani Lindgren, July 23, 2009, Club #628, Roseville CA (ref)
4. 121: SQUEeZE, Linn Wheeler, May 3, 2010, Club #438, Casselberry FL (TLW May 2010, p. 69).

Longest word, no phoneys

Tournament, OTCWL

1. 15: RE(CONSIDERATION), Ken Clark, September 1990, Portland OR
2. 15: DIS(CONTENTMENTS), Ed Liebfried, March 2005, Exeter NH Club Tourney

Tournament, SOWPODS

1. 15: RE(CAPITULA)TIONS, Mark Nyman (OSW?)

Club, OTCWL

1. 15: (INFORMATIVE)NESS, Eric Chaikin, 2001, Club #44, Los

Angeles CA

1. 15: DISENFRANCHISES, (Bob Violet or Edelle Crane?)

Most bingos by one player in a game

Tournament, OTCWL

1. 7: Nigel Peltier, July 2, 2010, Reno NV
   • PINTOES, ACONITE, RAPIDLY, INFOLDED, EMIRATE, SHEARING, DAtABLE
2. 7: Joel Sherman, December 9, 2011, Stamford CT
   • CRUMPɭED, OUTRATED, COTHURNI, TRAVOISE, SHAKING, aVENGED, AIRLINE

Tournament, SOWPODS

Club, OTCWL

1. 7: Chuck Armstrong, January 1993, Club #115, Livonia MI
   • MUCILAGE, LANGSYNE, OGREISMS, BANNERS, METAPHOR, AWAITER, REOBJECT
2. 7: Robert Kahn, March 3, 2010, Club #276, Lauderhill, FL
   • HAEMOID, sTARTLE, INSERTS, ENVIOUS, BEPAINT, RE(E)CHOEd 185, TEARIES(T).

Most bingos by both players in a game

Tournament, OTCWL

1. 8: Nigel Peltier and Jeff Martin, July 2 2010, Reno NV (no phoneys)
   • PINTOES, ACONITE, RAPIDLY, INFOLDED, EMIRATE, SHEARING, DAtABLE; CORNIEsT
2. 8: Joel Sherman and Bradley Robbins, December 9 2011, Stamford CT
   • ISOLATES, CRUMPɭED, OUTRATED, COTHURNI, TRAVOISE, SHAKING, aVENGED, AIRLINE
3. 8*: Winter and Rob Robinsky, January 17 2009, Twin Cities Redeye (one phoney)
   • AMNESTIC, ORIGINAL, NORTHERS, FAVORITE; EXUVIAL, ISOGAMIC*, REPARTEE, SPINDLES

Tournament, SOWPODS

Club, OTCWL

1. 8: Steven Saul and Joel Horn, October 7 2004, Club #108, Lexington MA (also most consecutive bingos by both players, most consecutive opening bingos by both players)
   • HObNAIL, (A)ZURITEs, OUTPRAY(S), VETE(R)ANS, FLAGONS, DOC(T)RINE, ELUTION, F(L)EABITE
2. 8: Robert Kahn and Ian Weinstein, October 26 2011, Club #276, Lauderhill FL
   • TAKEOUTS, LAVENDER, OPUNTIAS, RUINABLE, MAULERS, WATERLOG, TRACHLE, MIDLINES
3. 8: Greg Edwards and Steve Pellinen, December 13 2011, Club #42, Minneapolis, MN
   • TENACES, FABULIST, SHAGGIEST, TABOOED, sOUVENIR, FRIGHTED, AREOLAE, MODERNER
4. 8: Robert Kahn and Ian Weinstein, August 22 2012, Club #276, Lauderhill FL
   • HIDEABLE, FASTENER, OATcAKE, OuSTING, FLAXIER, OVERLEND, ORALISM, DITHERS

Most consecutive bingos by one player

Tournament, OTCWL

1. 6: Kevin Fraley, July 2006, Reno NV (also most consecutive opening bingos by one player)
   • REOILI(N)G, MARINER(S), cO(N)TRITE, (O)UTMODED, DUN(E)LIKE, GARDEN(E)R

Tournament, SOWPODS

1. 5: Jeremy Hildebrand, November 2012, Kingston Cup, Gananoque, ON
   • sPONDEE 78, CONCERTO 76, AMBEROID 85, OLEFINS 92, SECURITY 67

Club, OTCWL

1. 5: Craig Rowland, October 2010, Club #422, Mississauga ON
   • ADIPOSE, RATIONED, HOGTIES, FROGGIER, TITIVATE

Most consecutive bingos by both players

Tournament, OTCWL

Tournament, SOWPODS

1. 7(?): Russell Byers and Shiela Spate, Nottingham, England
   • SHINIER, ANEARING, HAPTERON#, BATEMENT, OVERUSE,

SCREAMED, CLOSURES (OSW?)

1. 5(?): Travis Chaney and Iffy Onyeonwu

Club, OTCWL

1. 5: Steven Saul and Joel Horn, October 7 2004, Club #108, Lexington MA (also most bingos by both players, most consecutive opening bingos by both players)
   • HObNAIL, (A)ZURITEs, OUTPRAY(S), VETE(R)ANS, FLAGONS

Most consecutive games won

Tournament, OTCWL

1. 31: Tom Adams, 1993 (lower divisions)
2. 28: Dan Pratt, 1986 (division 1)

Tournament, SOWPODS

Club, OTCWL

1. 34: Tim Adamson, 1992, Club #42, Minneapolis, MN
2. 31: Ian Weinstein, 2009–2010, Club #276, Lauderhill, FL

Highest cumulative spread

Tournament, OTCWL

1. +3611: Jason Bednarz, July 1999, Reno, (35–4, 1st place division 3)
2. +3061: Jon Rumzis, 2004 National SCRABBLE Championship, (28–2, 1st place division 7)
3. +2758: Bradley Robbins, 2008 National SCRABBLE Championship, (24–4, 1st place division 6)
4. +2691: Joey Krafchick, 2001, The Players Championship, (25.5–5.5, 1st place division 5)

Tournament, SOWPODS

1. +3814: Ganesh Asirvatham, December 2006, 5th Causeway Challenge (22–3, 1st place)
2. +3191: Nigel Richards, August 12–16, 2010, 2010 World Players Championship, Addison TX (24.5;–7.5, 1st place)
3. +3110: Nigel Richards, January 2008, UK Open (31–7, 1st place)
4. +3014: Nigel Richards, December 2008, 7th Causeway Challenge (30–15, 4th place)
5. (?) +2812: Richard Geria, July 31–August 1, 2010, 7th African Championships and Causeway Qualifier, Uganda (1st place)
6. +2738: Ganesh Asirvatham, December 2004, 3rd Causeway Challenge (23.5–5.5, 1st place)

Club session, OTCWL

Highest average game score

Tournament, OTCWL

1. 500+(?): Jim Geary (one-day)
2. 495.33(?): Kenji Matsumoto, June 30 2007, Reno NV Late Bird (one-day 6 rounds)
3. 485.29(?): Christopher Sykes, November 2007, Brantford ON (one-day 7 rounds)
4. 484.18: Doug Brockmeier, July 2011, Elmhurst IL, (11 rounds)
5. 470.11: Chris Cree, May 2007, Houston TX (18 rounds)
6. 467.36: Joel Sherman, October 1992, Wisconsin Dells WI (11 rounds)

Tournament, SOWPODS

1. 487.43: Dave Wiegand, September 11, 2010, Portland OR (one-day)
2. 473.07: Ron Hoekstra, October 2–3, Victoria BC (multiday)
3. 470.33: Max Panitch, September 12–13, 2009, Toronto ON (multiday)

Club session, OTCWL

Most consecutive tournament wins

1. 10: Brian Williams, May 2003 – November 2007
2. 7: Dan Pratt, June 2007 – January 2009
3. 6: Chuck Armstrong, December 2000 – September 2001

Sources

Scrabble FAQ: records: Steven Alexander: Scrabble Frequently Asked Questions

Total SCRABBLE: Keith W. Smith: The (Un)Official SCRABBLE® Record Book, Jan 2009

Scrabble records: Wikipedia article

Australian Records: Australian Scrabble Players Association (ASPA)

ABSP all-time records: Association of British Scrabble Players (ABSP)