Montrealer Michael Fagen is the King of Scrabble

Virtually 300 worldwide Scrabble devotees gathered in Baltimore on July 23 for the 2022 Scrabble Gamers Championship—North America’s largest Scrabble competitors—desirous to earn triple phrase scores and the winner’s title. However just one participant got here away with the championship trophy: Montrealer Michael Fagen.

Regardless of being the twenty eighth seed in his 42-person division, Fagen arrived again in Canada the thirty first winner of the celebrated match. His successful phrase? “LEVIRATES,” which describes the customized of a person having to marry his brother’s widow. It was a tense second for Fagen. “I really noticed the phrase fairly shortly,” he says. “However I hoped my opponent wouldn’t block it.”

We not too long ago sat down with the King of Scrabble to learn the way he started taking part in the sport competitively, who taught him to play within the first place, and what’s subsequent—together with whether or not he’s planning on defending his title subsequent 12 months. This dialog has been edited and condensed for size and readability.

Initially, how does it really feel to be the 2022 North American Scrabble champion? 

Superb, thrilling… but additionally unbelievable. I’m an excellent participant, however I additionally knew that my division was stuffed with excellent gamers. I by no means thought I used to be going to even come near successful. I’d have been blissful to get tenth place or so. However to win? I simply by no means thought it was going to occur. So I used to be very stunned. 

Take us again to the start. When did you begin taking part in Scrabble?

After I was about three years previous, I began taking part in with these lettered fridge magnets. My mother and father observed that I wasn’t simply placing the letters up in a random order, however that it was really the identical order each time. That urged to them that I had some sort of capacity or ardour. Across the identical time, I began utilizing the Scrabble board and tiles to make the names of my classmates, normally after my mother and father had performed a recreation and left the board out. 

A number of years after that, I began taking part in for actual. My mom would assist me as we performed casually, and as I acquired higher, I used to be in a position to play in opposition to her with out assist.

When did you flip aggressive? 

I began taking part in on the Montreal Scrabble Membership in Côte Saint-Luc after I was 14. That was a giant turning level for me as a result of by taking part in virtually each week, I shortly and constantly acquired higher, plus I used to be in a position to face gamers of all ranges. I used to be hooked.

About two years later, I began taking part in tournaments. My first was a neighborhood one in Montreal, and there have been 14 video games over the weekend. I additionally did another native tournaments in Kingston and Cornwall. When I used to be 20, I performed my first worldwide match in Albany. It was a fairly large one, about 100 individuals. I used to be one of many lowest-rated gamers there, twenty fourth out of 26 I consider, and I ended up ending proper close to the center. From there, my ranking went up nationally. 

Let’s speak concerning the North American Scrabble match. How did you put together for the large occasion? 

It’s the most important match in all of North America, with 300 to 500 individuals from throughout Canada, america and abroad. Prior to now few years, it’s normally been 31 video games over 5 days (seven video games on every of the primary 4 days, and three extra on the ultimate day).

To arrange, I most likely spent a mean of 45 minutes a day finding out phrases and video games, and analyzing positions. It was additionally vital for me to be well-focused, so earlier than I left for the match I made positive all the pieces at residence was executed. I completed all my chores, cleaned all the pieces up and acquired caught up on work and job functions so I might focus fully on Scrabble and never have to fret about what was happening again residence. I really feel that actually helped me. 

Heading into the match, you have been seeded within the backside half of your division. Do you assume your opponents underestimated you? 

It’s undoubtedly doable. However we’re all actually good gamers, so despite the fact that our rankings have been a bit of bit completely different, I don’t understand how a lot that will have impacted what my opponents considered me. Additionally, I hadn’t performed numerous the gamers earlier than, in order that they didn’t know my taking part in model. They most likely simply assumed I used to be actually good on the recreation and went with that. I’m undoubtedly not a psychologist by any stretch, however there’s additionally numerous psychology concerned in Scrabble, which might typically have a giant impact on the way you play. 

What do you imply by that?

There’s loads to consider if you solely have perhaps a couple of minutes per flip. After I’m taking part in a recreation, for instance, I’m desirous about what I’m leaving on the rack for the following flip, the place on the board my opponent may play subsequent, and what spots they’re prone to go away alone. I’m additionally desirous about what tiles are left to attract, the chance of drawing sure tiles, like vowels, and how a lot time I’ve left. 

I’m additionally taking a look at form of the board and if it’s straightforward to play a bingo, which is if you use all seven tiles in your rack in a single flip. It may be very irritating when you’ve gotten a bingo in your rack however nowhere on the board to play it. For instance, I had the phrase “FAINTER” in my first recreation of the finals however couldn’t play it.

You secured the win by forming the phrase “LEVIRATES.” Take me by that second. 

Initially, it’s 9 letters, and also you solely have seven letters in your rack at a time. It’s very laborious to make a nine-letter phrase as a result of it’s a must to play by two letters which might be already on the board.

I really noticed the phrase fairly shortly after I picked my substitute tiles on the earlier flip, however I hoped my opponent wouldn’t block it. After a couple of minutes of pondering, they made a play that seemed like they have been going to. Fortunately the phrase nonetheless match, so I knew I’d received the sport so long as the phrase was legitimate.

That was a flashy play because it’s uncommon to play a nine-letter phrase. It felt good to win the sport in model. I additionally really feel like gamers may assume I’m extra deserving of the win since I made , “hard-to-see” play versus one which was extra apparent.

Do you’ve gotten your sights set on some other upcoming competitions? 

Sure. My subsequent match might be going to be in October at an annual match in Lake George, New York, which is able to most likely get about 100 individuals. I additionally wish to thrive subsequent 12 months on the North American Scrabble match once more, the place I’ll defend my title. I consider it’s going to be held in Las Vegas. I really feel like now that I’m well-known, individuals are going to need me to be there. Possibly they’ll even be upset if I’m not. Who is aware of?

Do you’ve gotten Scrabble suggestions for individuals getting began with Scrabble, or for the common participant? 

I believe crucial factor is to get pleasure from it. There’s definitely no obligation to change into a prime participant. You don’t should spend hours memorizing 1000’s of phrases, simply have enjoyable.

If you wish to get higher on the recreation, studying phrases is a good way to do it. Two- and three-letter phrases are crucial, significantly these which might be excessive chance, which means those which might be comparatively prone to come up in your rack, like “QI.” It’s additionally good to study some seven- and eight-letter phrases. 

I don’t wish to steer new gamers away, however to start with you’ll make errors. Each scenario is new, each recreation is completely different. So it’s virtually inconceivable to not make a mistake. And even should you don’t assume you made the error, it’s the character of the sport.