Nigel Richards, a Scrabble legend from New Zealand, has achieved the extraordinary by winning the Spanish-language Scrabble world championship despite not speaking the language. Competing in Granada, Spain, in November, Richards claimed the title after losing just one of 24 games. His remarkable feat has astonished the Scrabble community worldwide.
Richards, already a five-time English-language Scrabble world champion, began preparing for the Spanish championship only a year ago. His preparation involved memorising the entire Spanish Scrabble word list. Liz Fagerlund, a New Zealand Scrabble official and Richards’ friend, explained his unique approach:
“He can’t understand why others can’t just do the same. He processes words as visual patterns, enabling him to recall them effortlessly.”
Richards’ victory came at the expense of defending champion Benjamín Olaizola from Argentina, who placed second after winning 18 games. Alejandro Terenzani, an event organiser, praised Richards’ achievement:
“It was impossible to react negatively. His performance exceeded all expectations.”
This isn’t Richards’ first linguistic leap. In 2015, he won the French-language Scrabble world championship, repeating the feat in 2018, despite not speaking French. Known as the greatest Scrabble player of all time, Richards’ accomplishments include being the first player to simultaneously hold the world, U.S., and British titles in 2008.
His preparation for international tournaments often involves adjusting to varying rules and word lists. For the Spanish championship, he had to contend with a more complex tile value system and thousands of longer words, demanding a unique strategy.
Richards’ success is attributed to his mathematical approach rather than linguistic expertise. His mother once noted that he never excelled in English at school and primarily relied on dictionaries for reading material. His modesty and aversion to media attention add to his mystique.
“Richards doesn’t understand the fuss,” Fagerlund shared. “He simply loves the challenge and the game.”
At the Spanish event, Richards remained reserved but graciously interacted with fans, speaking in English, of course. His motivation for mastering Scrabble across languages remains a mystery, but his unparalleled skills continue to inspire awe.
