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Scrabbler Bhandarkar is a ‘store of words’

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DUBAI — When Akshay Bhandarkar was taught by her mother to play Scrabble at an early age, little did he know that it would become a passion for him. Bhandarkar has just returned victorious from the Gulf Scrabble Tournament (GST), which was held in Bahrain last weekend.

Published: Wed 27 Jun 2007, 9:05 AM

Updated: Sun 5 Apr 2015, 3:50 AM

  • By
  • Anchit Nair

Representing the UAE in this year’s GST, Bhandarkar won the Gulf Cup and by doing so he ensured a place among eight players from the Gulf who will participate in the World Scrabble Championship (WSC) in Mumbai, this November.

His highest game score so far has been 589 and has placed down the most seven-letter words — 28 in 11 games. A five-time WSC participant, Bhandarkar said, “It is undoubtedly a great feeling to have qualified for the championship again.”

UAE emerged the best of the six teams that participated in the event, with Saudi Arabia at second place and Bahrain third.

The 27-year-old investment adviser in an asset management company in Dubai was mentored by his mother, who helped form the Bahrain Scrabble League in 1985, and he began to play the board game professionally at the age of nine.



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