THE WORD GAME THAT REFUSES TO BE SMALL

From quiet co-working spaces in Delhi to world championship podiums, competitive Scrabble is making the right moves for getting our attention. Organised by a Delhi-NCR community, the Delhi Scrabble Association, one of its young players is among the highest-ranked Scrabble players in the world.

- S KEERTHIVAS

A co-working space in Vasant Vihar on a pleasant Sunday afternoon, the room is almost silent. Ten boards are laid out in neat rows. Clocks tick softly. Players lean forward, rearranging seven tiles over and over, testing possibilities in their heads. There are no commentators, no spectators, no sponsors’ banners. Yet every move here carries calculation, probability, defence, risk, and for the people in this room, it is anything but a pastime.

For decades, Scrabble in India has existed in the margins, serious and deeply competitive, but largely invisible. Now, a small but determined community in Delhi-NCR known as the Delhi Scrabble Association, under the Indian Scrabble Association, believes the game is ready for a wider audience.

Their argument is simple: in an age obsessed with quick thinking, strategy and online competition, Scrabble fits the moment better than ever. Their strongest evidence sits quietly at one of the boards.

Mentoring the young

Fifteen-year-old Madhav Gopal Kamath, who grew up playing in Delhi tournaments, is currently among the highest-ranked Scrabble players in the world. In August 2025, he won the World Youth Scrabble Championship in Kuala Lumpur, topping nearly 200 players from 30 countries. His WESPA (World English Language Players Association) rankingthe official international rating system for competitive English language Scrabble - now stands at 2170, placing him eighth globally.

Kamath's journey began at the age of five, when he would “just sit and watch” his father and uncle, both competitive players, play at home. By six, he started playing the game. By ten, he was competing seriously. His breakthrough came in 2020, when he finished fourth at a Vadodara tournament against experienced adult players.