Records

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 (OWL or CSW, 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.

See also our more general article about SCRABBLE History.

Highest winning game score

Tournament, OWL
Score	Name	Date	Location	Notes
803	Joel Sherman	December 9, 2011	Stamford, CT
771	Edward de Guzman	July 1, 2010	Reno, NV
770	Mark Landsberg	June 13, 1993	Eagle Rock, CA	(ref)
Tournament, CSW
Score	Name	Date	Location	Notes
850	Toh Weibin	January 21, 2012	Belfast, Northern Ireland	Northern Ireland Scrabble Championship
789	Nicholas Mbugua (KEN)	June 3, 2007	Machakos, Kenya	WSC Qualifier
785	Jackie McLeod	2002	United Kingdom
Club, OWL
Score	Name	Date	Location	Notes
830	Michael Cresta	October 12, 2006	#108, Lexington, MA	(ref)
801	Robert Kahn	March 3, 2010	#276, Lauderhill, FL
792*	Nick Ballard	1980	Chicago IL	(not reported until much later)

Highest combined game score

Tournament, OWL
Total	Name	Score	Name	Score	Date	Location	Notes
1134	Keith Smith	582	Stefan Rau	552	March 7, 2008	Dallas, TX	Dallas Open
1127	Laurie Cohen	725	Nigel Peltier	402	February 16, 2009	Phoenix, AZ
1108	Mark Landsberg	770	Alan Stern	338	June 13, 1993	Eagle Rock, CA	(ref)
Tournament, CSW
Total	Name	Score	Name	Score	Date	Location	Notes
1157	Phillip Edwin-Mugisha (UGA)	627	Vannitha Balasingam (MYS)	530	2009	Malaysia	WSC
1156	Nathan Benedict	653	Oscar Rivera (PHL)	503	2010	Phillipines	Manila Prog. Round Robin
1144	John O'Laughlin	727	Mike Early	417	2008	TX	Texas Challenge
Club, OWL
Total	Name	Score	Name	Score	Date	Location	Notes
1320	Michael Cresta	830	Wayne Yorra	490	October 12, 2006	#108, Lexington, MA	(ref)
1143	Mark Edelson	617	Tony Leah	526	January 23, 2013	#276, Toronto, ON
1119	John Luebkemann	728	Bob DeTore	391	September, 1998	Cincinatti, OH	(not reported until much later)

Highest tie game score

Tournament, OWL
Score	Name	Name	Date	Location	Notes
502	John Chew	Zev Kaufman	June 15, 1997	Toronto, ON	(ref)
499	Joe Edley	Jerry Lerman	1980
Tournament, CSW
Score	Name	Name	Date	Location	Notes
522	Alec Webb	Nick Deller	March 7, 2009	Peterborough, UK	(ref)
510	Michael Gongolo (KEN)	Patrick Mpundu (ZMB)	2007	Kampala, Uganda	East and Central Africa Championships
Club, OWL
Score	Name	Name	Date	Location	Notes
496	Shaun Goatcher	Craig Rowland	1998	#3, Toronto, ON
491	Ira Cohen	Joel Elkins	February 8, 2012	#44, Los Angeles, CA
456	Bryan Pepper	Mike Early	November 23, 2010	#248, Mid-Cities TX

Highest winning game spread

Tournament, OWL
Spread	Name	Score	Name	Score	Date	Location	Notes
569	Ken Lambe	714		147	June 27, 1981	New York, NY	NYC Game Room Tourney Preliminary
546	Richard Ross	702		156	December 29, 1990	FL	Florida State Champs.
518	Joel Sherman	803	Bradley Robbins	285	December 9, 2011	Stamford, CT
Tournament, CSW
Spread	Name	Score	Name	Score	Date	Location	Notes
765	Helen Gipson	717	Okey Okoro	-48	May 22, 2014	Malta	European Open Scrabble Championship, Round 1
543	Jackie McLeod				2002	UK	NSCT Regional
521	Russell Honeybun	764		243	August 26, 2007	Australia
429	Max Panitch	680	Sam Kantimathi	251	September 12, 2009	Toronto, ON
Club, OWL
Spread	Name	Score	Name	Score	Date	Location	Notes
570	Robert Kahn	801		231	March 3, 2010	#276, Lauderhill, FL

Highest losing game score

Tournament, OWL
Score	Name	Score	Name	Date	Location	Notes
552	Stefan Rau	582	Keith Smith	March 7, 2008	Dallas, TX	Dallas Open
545	Kevin Rickhoff	558	Mark Milan	August 7, 2006	Phoenix, AZ	National SCRABBLE Championship
539	Joel Sherman	541	David Poder	May 26, 2001	Campbell, CA
Tournament, CSW
Score	Name	Score	Name	Date	Location	Notes
540	O. Oduwole	570	M. Nicholson	January 8, 2008	Coventry, UK	English Open 2008
532	Ron Hoekstra	542	John O'Laughlin	September 12, 2009	Toronto, ON	Toronto International Open
Club, OWL
Score	Name	Score	Name	Date	Location	Notes

Lowest winning game score

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

Tournament, OWL
Score	Name	Score	Name	Date	Location	Notes
-12	Dan Horowitz	-25	Carolann Atene	June 3, 2012	Philadelphia, PA
-10	Denise Mahnken	-16	Marie Gier	May 29, 2010	Phoenix, AZ	National SCRABBLE Championship
-9	Helena Gauthier	-11	Gerianne Abriano	June 19, 2010	Nashua, NH	five exchanges and phony
Tournament, CSW
Score	Name	Score	Name	Date	Location	Notes
329	Jean McArthur	319	Stuart Goldman	August 16, 2010	Addison, TX	2010 World Players Championship
Club, OWL
Score	Name	Score	Name	Date	Location	Notes

Lowest combined game score

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

Tournament, OWL
Total	Score	Name	Score	Name	Date	Location	Notes
-37	-12	Dan Horowitz	-25	Carolann Atene	June 3, 2012	Philadelphia, PA
-26	-10	Denise Mahnken	-16	Marie Gier	May 29, 2010	Phoenix, AZ	National SCRABBLE Championship
-25	-7	Chris Lipe	-18	Leesa Berahovich	August 8, 2011	Dallas, TX	NSC (phony-x1-x1-p-p-p)
Tournament, CSW
Total	Score	Name	Score	Name	Date	Location	Notes
Club, OWL
Total	Score	Name	Score	Name	Date	Location	Notes

Highest average score per turn

Tournament, OWL
Average	Score	Turns	Name	Date	Location	Notes
Tournament, CSW
Average	Score	Turns	Name	Date	Location	Notes
Club, OWL
Average	Score	Turns	Name	Date	Location	Notes
68.4	684	10	Greg Edwards	December 13, 2011	Minneapolis, MN	Club #42

Highest word score

Phonies are not permitted.

Tournament, OWL
Score	Word	Name	Date	Location	Notes
311	BRAZIERS	T.A. Sanders	January, 1997	Tyler, TX
Tournament, CSW
Score	Word	Name	Date	Location	Notes
392	CAZIQUES	Karl Khoshaw	April, 1982	Magri Damajo, Malta	OSW
Club, OWL
Score	Word	Name	Date	Location	Notes
365	QUIXOTRY	Michael Cresta	October 12, 2006	Lexington, MA	Club #108
332	DEFUZING	Jeff Widergren
329	FREEZING	Carl Twickler	2002	Huntington, NY

Highest opening word score, no phoneys

Phonies are not permitted.

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

Tournament, OWL
Score	Word	Name	Date	Location	Notes
126	MuZJIKS	Jesse Inman	July, 2008	Orlando, FL	NSC
124	BEZIQUE	Sam Kantimathi	September, 1993	Portland, OR
Tournament, CSW
Score	Word	Name	Date	Location	Notes
124	BEZIQUE	Joan Rosenthal	1997		OSW?
124	BEZIQUE	Sally Martin
Club, OWL
Score	Word	Name	Date	Location	Notes
114	QWERTYS	Yvonne Lobo	February, 2010	Mississauga, ON	Club #422

Highest closing word score, no phoneys

In NASPA play, twice the value of leftover tiles is added to the score of the closing player. In international play, the value of leftover tiles is subtracted from the player's score and added to the closing player's score.

Tournament, OWL
Score	Word	Name	Leftovers	Name	Date	Location	Notes
275	JaNI(Z)ARY	Conrad Bassett-Bouchard	8 (16)	Doug Brockmeier	October 27, 2013	Arcata, CA
Tournament, CSW
Score	Word	Name	Leftovers	Name	Date	Location	Notes
Club, OWL
Score	Word	Name	Leftovers	Name	Date	Location	Notes

Highest non-bingo word score, no phoneys

Tournament, OWL
Score	Word	Name	Date	Location	Notes
243	R(OR)QUALS	Karen Merrill	1997	Portland, OR	Portland Club Tourney
180	GH(ER)KiNS	Robert Khan	1985	Boston, MA	National SCRABBLE Championship
Tournament, CSW
Score	Word	Name	Date	Location	Notes
Club, OWL
Score	Word	Name	Date	Location	Notes
261	B(RE)EZIER	Jim Kille	April 14, 1993	Exon, PA	Club #333

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, OWL
Score	Word	Name	Date	Location	Notes
161	(C)AZIQuES	Marlene Milkent	August 7, 2010	Addison, TX	2010 National SCRABBLE Championship (story, picture)
143	TRAPEZO(ID)	Shan Abbasi	September 23, 2012	Toronto, ON
136	EQUInOX	Tapani Lindgren	July 2, 2010	Reno NV
Tournament, CSW
Score	Word	Name	Date	Location	Notes
164	BEZIQUES	Jason Stockdale	December 28, 2006	Australia
157	QUIZzES	F. Madeley	2007	United Kingdom	Twixmas
Club, OWL
Score	Word	Name	Date	Location	Notes
173	SQUAREd	Rachel Knapp	July 1, 2010	Costa Mesa, CA	Club #350
146	LEXICOn	Supriya Nagpal Devnani	July 1, 2013	Casselberry, FL	Club #438
145	BEZIQuE	Tapani Lindgren	July 23, 2009	Roseville, CA	Club #628 (ref)

Longest word, no phoneys

Ties in this category are broken by the number of tiles played.

Tournament, OWL
Length	Word	Name	Date	Location	Notes
15	DIS(CONTENTMENTS)	Ed Liebfried	March 2005	Exeter, NH	Exeter Club Tourney
15	RE(CONSIDERATION)	Ken Clark	September 1990	Portland, OR
Tournament, CSW
Length	Word	Name	Date	Location	Notes
15	RE(CAPITULA)TIONS	Mark Nyman
Club, OWL
Length	Word	Name	Date	Location	Notes
15	(INFORMATIVE)NESS	Eric Chaikin		Los Angeles, CA	Club #44

Most bingos by one player in a game

Tournament, OWL
Number	Words	Name	Date	Location	Notes
7	PINTOES ACONITE RAPIDLY INFOLDED EMIRATE SHEARING DAtABLE	Nigel Peltier	July 2, 2010	Reno, NV
7	CRUMPɭED OUTRATED COTHURNI TRAVOISE SHAKING aVENGED AIRLINE	Joel Sherman	December 9, 2011	Stamford, CT
Tournament, CSW
Length	Word	Name	Date	Location	Notes
Club, OWL
Number	Words	Name	Date	Location	Notes
7	MUCILAGE LANGSYNE OGREISMS BANNERS METAPHOR AWAITER REOBJECT	Chuck Armstrong	January, 1993	Livonia, MI	Club #115
7	HAEMOID sTARTLE INSERTS ENVIOUS BEPAINT RE(E)CHOEd TEARIES(T)	Robert Khan	March 3, 2010	Lauderhill, FL	Club #276
7	MEDICOS BATTLES DU(S)TBINS WIELDIER ZOO(G)LEA EAGERER PEACING	Judy Levitt	February 2, 2011	Los Angeles, CA	Club #44

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

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. 6: Jamie Ryan, February 27, 2014, Club #108, Lexington MA
   • OUTCATCH, EULOGIAS, PENNINES, HAIRLINE, WEIGHTY, BUTTONED
2. 5: Craig Rowland, October 2010, Club #422, Mississauga ON
   • ADIPOSE, RATIONED, HOGTIES, FROGGIER, TITIVATE

Most consecutive bingos by both players

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)

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)

Highest average game score

Tournament, OTCWL

1. 531.5: Jackson Smylie, 2013 National SCRABBLE Championship Early Bird, Las Vegas NV, (one-day 4 rounds)
2. 500+(?): Jim Geary (one-day)
3. 495.33(?): Kenji Matsumoto, June 30 2007, Reno NV Late Bird (one-day 6 rounds)
4. 485.29(?): Christopher Sykes, November 2007, Brantford ON (one-day 7 rounds)
5. 484.18: Doug Brockmeier, July 2011, Elmhurst IL, (11 rounds)
6. 470.11: Chris Cree, May 2007, Houston TX (18 rounds)
7. 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)

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)