14-year-old becomes youngest national champion in Pakistan scrabble history

By
M. Waqar Bhatti
|
Photo: Reporter 

Syed Imaad Ali on Sunday defeated eight-time former national champion Waseem Khatri and became the national scrabble champion in Gladiators 32nd Pakistan Scrabble Championship (Masters).

The 14-year-old is the youngest national champion in Pakistan scrabble history.

The championship, which was played at the guesthouse of pharmaceutical firm PharmEvo in Karachi, saw the young scrabble enthusiast stage the most astonishing comeback ever witnessed in the national scrabble championship history.

Imaad seemed nowhere in contention at the end of round 20 - four wins behind Khatri but he regained his composure and launched a spectacular ascend to the top, winning all of the remaining seven matches, including the last two against Khatri in the king-of-the-hill format.

Imaad and Waseem both won 19 of their 27 games but the teen won on a better spread: 1469 compared with 1210 of Waseem.

Hammad Hadi Khan finished 3rd with 18 wins and a spread of 1333 just edging out his younger brother and defending champion Hasham Hadi Khan who also won 18 games but had a lower spread, 967.

Basil Khan, Ahad Riaz, Taha Mirza, Monis Khan, Sohaib Sanaullah and Hassan Hadi Khan made up the rest of the top ten.

Managing Director PharmEvo Haroon Qasim along with company’s CEO Syed Jamshaid Ahmed and Director Youth Programme of Pakistan Scrabble Association (PSA) Tariq Pervez distributed cash prizes and trophies among the winner, the runner up and the top 10 players.

Speaking on the occasion, Jamshaid said it was heartening to see a young player clinching the national championship while players as young as nine years of age playing against former national champions in the event.

He said researches have proved that scrabble helps in boosting immunity and mental well-being of players and vowed to continue supporting scrabble and other sporting activities.