Community Corner

Greenport-Based Scrabble Group Catches Cheater in National Tourney

A competitor was kicked out of the National Scrabble Asosciation's national tournament on Tuesday, held in Orlando, for hiding blank tiles.

Getting the occasional upper hand in a board game may not be foreign in family affairs, but Greenport's own made headlines on Tuesday as an infamous "first" made its way into the organization's annual championship tournament in Orlando - a player was booted from the tournament for cheating.

The player, who was not named on the National Scrabble Championship website, reportedly tried hiding the two blank tiles - which offer players the fortunate chance to use any letter they want.

According to the website: "Just as round 24 was starting, the tournament director was called over to division 3 and it was discovered that two blanks were not put into the tilebag as they should have been when the board was cleared off to start the game. The player was questioned and admitted to taking them. Dallas Johnson then ejected (a now ejected player) from the tournament. His opponents at this event will be retroactively given forfeit wins."

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John D. Williams Jr., the executive director of the National Scrabble Association, told the Associated Press that it isn't the first time he's heard of a player cheating in a tournament, but it was the first time on the national stage.

"It's the first time it's happened in a venue this big though," he said. "It's unfortunate. The Scrabble world is abuzz."

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The NSA has been located in Greenport for the past 25 years, with Williams serving at the helm throughout.

The tournament's winner is expected to be named on Wednesday.


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