RENO, Nev.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--After five days of competitive SCRABBLE play and Triple World Scores Matthew Tunnicliffe of Ottawa, ON, surpassed more than 350 top SCRABBLE wordsmiths to be crowned the Champion at the 2015 North American SCRABBLE Championship! Tunnicliffe, a 28-year-old technical writer defeated several top competitive SCRABBLE players including last year’s Champion Conrad Bassett-Bouchard and earned the Champion title, trophy and cash prize of $10,000.
In the final round Matthew Tunnicliffe, the third Canadian player in history to win the title, defeated runner-up Jesse Day, a 27-year-old PhD student from Berkeley, Calif., by more than 150 points with a final score of 495-344. More than 45 words were played including HUIPIL, BIGHEAD, NONELITE, LEUCOMAS and KIVA.
“For more than 65 years, the SCRABBLE game has captivated both casual and competitive players of all ages and the North American SCRABBLE Championship is just one of many exciting opportunities that bring the dedicated SCRABBLE community together,” said Jonathan Berkowitz, senior vice president of marketing, Hasbro Gaming. “We’re proud of all the players who displayed tremendous talent and congratulations to Matthew on his extraordinary achievement!”
This year’s event at the Reno Ballroom consisted of 31 head-to-head rounds. New for this year, the 2015 Championship also allowed players who finished among the top eight from each of the five SCRABBLE divisions to move on to elimination play-offs which determined who competed in the final rounds. The event also introduced the SCRABBLE community to the new SCRABBLE TWIST game, a hand-held digital unit that brings SCRABBLE fun off the table and into players’ hands.
The SCRABBLE game, invented by Alfred Mosher Butts in 1933, is available in several digital and physical formats such as a JUNIOR edition for young players, and digital versions for mobile fun including SCRABBLE for iPad, iPhone and Android from Electronic Arts. The SCRABBLE brand also invites kids in grades 4 through 8 to participate in competitive play at the annual North American School SCRABBLE Championship. This year’s Championship, held in May at Hasbro headquarters in Pawtucket, R.I., welcomed more than 55 School SCRABBLE teams. Players can find more information on the North American School SCRABBLE Championship at schoolscrabble.us and Hasbro.com/SCRABBLE.
The 2015 North American SCRABBLE Championship (NASC) is organized by the North American SCRABBLE Players Association (NASPA), the nonprofit organization licensed by Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAS) to administer competitive play in the United States and Canada. For additional information about the NASC, visit the NASPA website at scrabbleplayers.org.
About Hasbro
Hasbro (NASDAQ:HAS) is a global company committed to Creating the World's Best Play Experiences, by leveraging its beloved brands, including LITTLEST PET SHOP, MAGIC: THE GATHERING, MONOPOLY, MY LITTLE PONY, NERF, PLAY-DOH and TRANSFORMERS, and premier partner brands. From toys and games, television programming, motion pictures, digital gaming and lifestyle licensing, Hasbro fulfills the fundamental need for play and connection with children and families around the world. The Company's Hasbro Studios and its film label, ALLSPARK PICTURES, create entertainment brand-driven storytelling across mediums, including television, film, digital and more. Through the company's commitment to corporate social responsibility, including philanthropy, Hasbro is helping to build a safe and sustainable world and to positively impact the lives of millions of children and families. Learn more at www.hasbro.com, and follow us on Twitter (@Hasbro & @HasbroNews) and Instagram (@Hasbro).
SCRABBLE, the associated logo, the design of the distinctive SCRABBLE brand game board, and the distinctive letter tile designs are trademarks of Hasbro in the United States and Canada. © 2015 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved.
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