Date:13/01/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/01/13/stories/2006011319710200.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

It's time for scrabble

Special Correspondent

International tournament in Bangalore from January 13 to 15

Bangalore: The ultimate word-building game that tests one's vocabulary and spelling skills has gone the competitive way. IGATE Global Solutions, in association with Karnataka State Scrabble Association, is organising the second IGATE International Scrabble Tournament in Bangalore from January 13 to 15.

The three-day tournament will be held at the company's corporate headquarters in Whitefield. As many as 50 players from various countries and those from India will participate. 0The winners will get prize money totalling over Rs. 2 lakhs. Leading scrabblers from the U.K., Thailand, Sri Lanka and other countries have confirmed their participation and some have already arrived, the organisers said.

Twenty-four games, each with a duration of 50 minutes, will be played over three days. The tournament will follow the King of the Hill (KOTH) format. The word source will be the Official Scrabble Words International, the approved dictionary reference source for world championships.

Non-profit organisation

The Karnataka State Scrabble Association is a non-profit forum of scrabble enthusiasts in Bangalore.

It organises clinics for children, periodic competitions for the public and works towards promoting competitive scrabble in this region. IGATE Chief Officer Srinjay Sengupta said: "The tournament will witness participation of leading players. We are promoting scrabble as it is a knowledge-intensive mind sport, which fits in well with our culture of employing professionals with an analytical bent of mind and high domain knowledge."