Against All Odds: The Non-Spanish Speaker Who Became a Spanish Scrabble Champion

New Zealander Nigel Richards, renowned Scrabble master, won the Spanish Scrabble World Championship despite not speaking the language. Known for his unconventional memorization strategy, Richards added another title to his extensive collection, becoming a cross-lingual Scrabble powerhouse without speaking Spanish or French.

Nigel Richards, a New Zealander noted for his Scrabble prowess, has added another accomplishment to his illustrious career by clinching the Spanish-language world title. Remarkably, Richards does not speak Spanish but outperformed competitors through sheer memorization of the permissible word list.

Richards, who already holds five English-language world titles, managed to win in Granada, Spain, losing just one out of 24 games. His remarkable feat involves memorizing extensive word lists in foreign languages—which he previously demonstrated by winning the French Scrabble championship in 2015 and again in 2018.

Despite having no Spanish language skills, Richards adapted to the variability of game strategy between the languages. His ability to sidestep language barriers solidifies his status as the greatest Scrabble player of all time, with his games studied and revered by enthusiasts worldwide.

(With inputs from agencies.)