In a remarkable turn of events at the North American Scrabble Championship, Nigel Peltier of Portland emerged victorious, securing his first championship title by spelling the word “kolo”. This stunning win unfolded in a nearly silent ballroom filled with cameras and jumbotrons displaying leaderboards, where Peltier topped over 300 competitors from across the United States and Canada in Hanover, Maryland, last week.
The 35-year-old underdog claimed the $10,000 prize after defeating the reigning champion, 25-year-old Mack Meller of Kentucky, in the best-of-five finals round, as reported by the North American Scrabble Players Association, which oversees the annual event.
Peltier reflected on his finals performance, stating, “In the final game, I basically was on autopilot. All of the tiles were just going my way.”
Having competed in the national championship at least ten times previously, this victory marks a significant achievement for Peltier, who had consistently placed in the top 10 but had never before advanced to the winner’s circle. His previous best finish was sixth place.
“It was a little bit out of nowhere,” he said. “I definitely tried to … focus in on just making my best play and giving all my attention to one play at a time and one game at a time.”
During his acceptance speech, shared on Facebook, Peltier expressed that it felt “unreal” to land multiple bingos—using all seven tiles in a single turn for a rewarding 50-point boost—while a thunderstorm rumbled outside the venue.
Known for his expertise in bingos, Peltier holds the record for the most bingos played in a tournament game (seven). He achieved an impressive six bingos during the final game, a feat he described as still leaving him “shell-shocked.”
“In my brief speech, I wore a grin and a Nike T-shirt, saying ‘I appreciate this community; it really has vibes of being a big family,’” Peltier noted.
The championship brought together players from 47 states and seven Canadian provinces, according to Judy Cole, the chief operating officer of the North American Scrabble Players Association, which manages over 20,000 competitive players. The tournament showcased a diverse age range as well, with participants as young as 13 and as old as 91.
Peltier’s journey to the final round included victories against top-ranked players, including Nigel Richards, whom Cole referred to as “the G.O.A.T. of Scrabble.” Richards, a five-time national champion, still holds the title of top-ranked player in North America. Despite losing, Peltier’s success propelled him into seventh place in the association’s rankings, which he described as a personal peak.
In the final match, Peltier played an array of intriguing words, including “olingos,” a term for small nocturnal mammals found in Central and South America, and “soutane,” which refers to a garment worn by Catholic priests, all contributing to his final victory.
Interestingly, Peltier admitted that many of the words he used are not part of his everyday vocabulary. With 20 years of experience in Scrabble, he has developed a mental library of letter combinations. While he may not know all the definitions, he confidently recalls the existence of words like “zosters” and “qi.”
Balancing his competitive Scrabble pursuits with a job at Grand + Benedicts, a warehouse company, Peltier dedicates time almost daily to studying, aiming to memorize as many words as he can. A common strategy involves unscrambling groups of seven letters, and he utilizes online platforms like Aerolith and Zyzzyva to practice.
Peltier strives to “get a grasp of as much of the dictionary as possible,” fully aware that achieving such knowledge is a never-ending endeavor. He also regularly practices with members of the Portland Scrabble Club, which convenes every Tuesday at 6:15 p.m.
The Oregon representation at the championship was strong this year, with Alec Sjoholm of Lynwood, Washington, winning the international division championship and receiving a $4,000 prize.
Peltier’s victory places him among a select group of Oregon winners in the 34-year history of the association’s championships. Only two other players from Oregon have previously won: Conrad Bassett-Bouchard in 2014, and Dave Wiegand, who claimed titles in both 2005 and 2009.
image source from：oregonlive
