Top-level players gather in Aylmer for an international scrabble tournament

Drazen Seslija and Jude Osmond

For two days, Aylmer became a gathering place for top-level Scrabble enthusiasts, hosting an English-language tournament that brought together 46 competitors, mostly from Canada and the United States.

Divided into four divisions, the participants were among the continent’s best players, with some seeking to improve their official rankings by competing in a series of highly competitive games.

Greg Golding, a Scrabble enthusiast, organized the event. After retiring and starting to play at a club in Ottawa, he quickly became involved in organizing competitions and eventually earned his certification as a tournament director. “I wanted to put the region on the map,” he explains.

With that in mind, he founded a Scrabble club in the Outaouais region, in collaboration with Entre Nous, before launching a tournament that has grown steadily over the years. “At first, the tournament took place in my backyard. Today, we welcome players from all over North America,” he says.

He hosted the first edition of the tournament last year in his backyard, and now he's hosting it at proper venues. The competition's growth has been a bright spot in the Aylmer Scrabble community.

Players from all corners of the continent

Competitors included players from Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Illinois, and other regions across Canada and the United States.

Even though no prize money was offered, the level of competition remained exceptionally high. According to Golding, many participants regularly take part in major tournaments where significant prize money is up for grabs and where official rankings are a major source of motivation. One participant has already won $60,000 by winning a tournament, which speaks volumes about the competitive players at the event.

“Player’s study words. They spend a lot of time studying. That’s what sets competitive players apart from amateurs,” he pointed out. During the tournament, some participants even analyzed their games on video to improve their strategy.

The Ottawa-Gatineau region also has its own renowned representative in Adam Logan, the 2005 English-language Scrabble World Champion, whose career continues to inspire many players in the region.

Showcasing Aylmer

Beyond the competition, Greg Golding also wanted to introduce visitors to Aylmer and raise the profile of local businesses.

The organizer worked with several local businesses to encourage participants to patronize the area’s restaurants and shops during their stay. The British Hotel also helped host the players throughout the event. “We wanted to create a warm atmosphere for those coming from far away,” he explained.

This effort to showcase the Aylmer community was also praised by Greg Fergus, the Member of Parliament for Hull–Aylmer, who met with the participants.

In particular, he congratulated the players and thanked Greg Golding “for this wonderful initiative that puts Aylmer and its local businesses in the spotlight.”

More Than Just a Game

For Greg Golding, Scrabble is much more than just a board game.

In his view, it helps build vocabulary, sharpens memory, and encourages strategic thinking—in both young people and adults. “What I love is the love of words, memorization, and strategy. Anyone can play with anyone,” he sums up.

Golding noted that the game's competitiveness is greater than anyone can imagine, that Scrabble is one of the most popular games in the world, and that it's a good way to bring families together.

At the conclusion of this latest edition, the organizer said he is particularly pleased with the turnout and how the tournament went. What began with just a few tables set up in his backyard has now become an event that attracts world-class players and helps raise Aylmer’s profile within the competitive Scrabble community. Golding added that players are already planning to book hotels in Aylmer for next year's International Scrabble Tournament.