"I knew that if you play with too much Aussie fire you will eventually get burned. Edie Mueller swept into my life on a chariot of invincibility. Lightning bolts erupted from her hands, her eyes blazed sulphur, the superheated Outback sun glowed around her feet and volcanic lava oozed from her mouth." Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oy Oye! And the rest... Hi folks My die hard fans who expected me to sweep the WSC will have realised that what occurred there was a blip, an anomaly. The Causeway Challenge, a marathon of Scrabble being cooked up by the human dynamo Michael Tang, was going to be the gladiatorial arena of amends, where the Eagle would rise and dominate. The moment of destiny. The setting: the emerald green country of Malaysia, specifically the wondrous jewel of Johor Bahru. The venue: the sparkling Zon Regency by the sea. The hero: moi, of course. Day 1 GAME 1 NUPUR SUUD (India) In this player the mighty subcontinent has a spectacular advertisement of personality, warmth and substance.However, the Phenomenon, coming out of the WSC bruised and battered was in an uncompromising mood. NAIADES for 79 set me up nicely then REBOTTLE (77) and ARSENAL (61) wrapped things up. One down, 44 victims to go. EDWIN-MUGISHA 466 NUPUR SUUD 281 GAME 2 THEODORE MARTUS (Phillipines) This is a solid looking fellow with a decent record behind him. He started off well enough but "well enough" just won't do against the most potent player in the game! I grabbed the lead with HALIDOM for 82. The guy thought about it for a while and wisely decided not to challenge. Then he retook the lead with MELANIST (79). Totally unperturbed I came back with WATCHES (83) and ARAISED (75). I knew Theodore's goose was cooked when he challenged this one and at the end I cruised home with TINNERS (69). Things would have been even more ugly for him if he hadn't squeaked in REWARDING for 86 at the end. EDWIN-MUGISHA 504 THEODORE MARTUS 400 GAME 3 CHIM WAI MAIN (Malaysia) I suffer heavily, as the entire planetary Scrabble community knows, from the Burden of Brilliance. This is why there isn't much to tell here. My first move was VARIETY (82). Second one was ANDESINE (77). Although the valiant Chim did land RANDIES for 68 I maintained my pace with PRIMATES (70). GAME 4 MARK KENAS (USA) 3 out of 3. A perfect record. Have you, dear reader, ever began an International tournament like that? Oops, pondering the mathematical probabilities, I apologise and withdraw the stupid question. Ahem. My next victim was the affable Mark who sports a not insubstantial beard reminiscent of Chalton Heston as Moses. He began by changing and I opted to play RUDERY for 28. Then he came with HALITES for 67. I played SAZ (52). The chap then came with zaCATON for 36 and that's when I made my first booboo by trying to block what appeared to be an oncoming bingo plague with ROLLUP.* Bad word. His bingo came, AYENBITE for 73 + 5. (Like the Pharaoh, I foolishly challenged his word.) Then I blazed with TROLLIES (77) and NEURONS (64). I really should have had this game in hand but Kenas, despite no further bingoes, strategically parted the Red Sea by skillfully blocking my attempts to open up the board. My chariot of honour, unfortunately, drowned in in this affair. MARK KENAS 451 EDWIN-MUGISHA 396 GAME 5 MELVIN DALANGIN (Phillipines) This was the first part of a series of battles with the earnest looking, thoroughly dedicated Melvin. We shall call this, The Thriller Not In Manila. I worried early on when I took forever to spot INSEAMS, SAMISEN being unplayable. These were not issues which should plague a giant of my capabilities! Melvin jabbed back with GNOSTIC (81) and ERGATOID (68). Indeed, it took some lively end game thinking to plot my playing out with INS for 11 and catch him out with a crucial L tile. EDWIN-MUGISHA 385 MELVIN DALANGIN 384 GAME 6 BOB JACKMAN (Australia) Ah, the legendary Bob Jackman. I wondered, if I thumped him terribly would he depress my ratings? In any case matters took a different turn. It wasn't that the Aussie milked 44 from ZOEAE or that AVIONICS yielded him a comfortable 68 because my TAJ (51) kept me in contention. Its that after he played MICKLER (71) I had one of those brain explosions and tried VRACK*. He later kindly told me the word was VRAIC. But I guess he could afford to be magnanimous after I showed I was a Scrabble Emperor with no clothes by playing PARRIGAL*. Yep, the word is WARRIGAL. Pathetic. Bob managed to further compound the face of the game's misery with DEGAMES for a hefty 91. BOB JACKMAN 520 EDWIN-MUGISHA 310 GAME 7 DYLAN SHARMA (Singapore) I guess after such a nightmare one needs a soft landing and I found it in the form of Dylan. I let loose with UNSLINGS (71), run with ABLATED (69) and despite my opponent's INTERIOR for 70 points, well and truly buried him with TEENIEST (59). EDWIN-MUGISHA 424 DYLAN SHARMA 405 GAME 8 PATRICIA OKOYE (Nigeria) Patricia, of the doe-like eyes, a package of beauty and brains, is the diamond jewel of Nigeria but she will seriously have to stop playing words like NEEDIES* especially when her opponent is on the ropes. I was allowed to scramble to safety after I put down NEROLIS (73). When she finally balanced for OARIEST (79) I skipped further away with LETTERED (77) and GURLETS (75). I should really have taken this game by the scruff of the neck but I imploded like a dummy with LEVATED* instead of VALETED. And you know what will make you cry? This is not the first time I made the LEVATED* cockup! EDWIN-MUGISHA 453 PATRICIA OKOYE 385 GAME 9 MPAKABOARI JACK (Nigeria) Towards the end of this day I was hit by waves of fatigue. I just wanted to get it over with with a minimum of damage. It was the wrong time to run into Mpaka Jack, a tall, smooth operator from West Africa. It was also the wrong time to play RELAON*, then REDUELS*. Man! Having surrendered initiative to Jack he didn't look back as he placed RATTLERS (64) then blocked off the board. MPAKABOARI JACK 370 EDWIN-MUGISHA 248 DAY 2 GAME 10 GOH JIANG PERN A fresh day for the Eagle to soar towards the sun. Goh Jiang Pern is a bespectacled, focused Singaporean with an air of self control about him. That self control would be tested to the limit. My first move was NEROLIS (66). No problem for him, he responded with INSNARES (70).Then I UNCOCKED (84) next move and my third play was FADEOUT for 68. Its about this time I ask my opponents' whether they want to put up the white flag of surrender and cry Mummy. Goh did neither so I pressed on with SHORTIA (83) and LASTAGE (85). EDWIN-MUGISHA 557 GOH JIANG PERN 377 GAME 11 WANCHANA JIRAPITIKUL (Thailand) I was cruising in this tournament (as I had prophesied, hallooo) and I ran into Sam Kantimathi in his typical blazing maroon/red? shirt.Slightly put out by my WSC report he informed me I shouldn't be focusing on his fishing/utility? belt.No, I should instead tell my public he spent a fortune on technologically making his boards glare proof, whatever angle of light falls upon them. There, I have done it. I have just given some free publicity to the nutt- I mean eccentric entrepneur but only because he is one of my legion of die hard fans. Sam must have distracted me because I struggled against Wanchana. Despite my MERSION for 81 and SHOEING (81) his BAINITES (80) and GASTRIC (82) ensured I was perenially lagging. WANCHANA JIRAPITIKUL 443 EDWIN-MUGISHA 405 GAME 12 CHARNRIT KHONGTHANARAT (Thailand) Charnrit is another of those fresh faced young Scrabblers I have talked about. You know, the Sam Rosin type, who are cropping up like weeds with no respect for their elders and betters as they deliberately choose to spend their youthful time shocking the false teeth out of our mouths with incredible plays on the board. Though I will have to admit to self inflicted wounds in this contest. I began with COOIE*. Terrible. The upstart ran with MEALIES (70) and JURIES (44) snuffing out my SOUTANE (77). &%$&# ! Heaven help us! There should be a new Scrabble rule stating you are not allowed to beat anyone 10 years your senior. You hear that Dangoor? Pass this law or else! CHARNRIT KHONGTHANARAT 385 EDWIN-MUGISHA 367 GAME 13 PATRICK MPUNDU (Zambia) I will confess I never rated Patrick at all and will admit his prediction that I wouldn't make the WSC top 90 didn't improve my opinion of him. Thus in this game I was taking the jolly, fun loving Zambian to the cleaners. I began by blasting him with TRIPODS for 69 and at one stage finding myself holding two blanks, opted to tighten the game with MASTERED down the triple for 80 instead of the more open DELETERS for 6 points more. It was a fateful decision.The man held steady but the game really turned on its head when to block a nasty looking triple, I played PUGGRI.* I had stupidly thought it was the third version of this word alongside PUGGREE and PUGGRY. Encouraged, my nemesis started to pick up steam. Like Muhammad Ali between jabs, Mpundu was talking to me. "I am coming for you." After he made a good score, "You looked shocked Mugisha!" He scored freely as I was battling to score with funny racks like NIHoNGA (26). Then in a tense endgame affair the guy played ODIC. I snapped "hold" and was about let it pass when the wily fox that is Mpundu shook his head doubtfully in an Oscar-winning scene muttering, "Oh man, isn't it only IODIC?" I dashed to the computer to challenge and the screen flashed the sickest green I have ever clapped my optical orbs on as Mpundu laughed his head off! "Do you think I write bad words when the game is in the balance?" he hooted. He pulled off a hell of an upset through these amateurish missteps of mine. Of course he was delighted. "Zambia is sitting on Uganda," he crowed, cock-a-hoop at beating the Phenomenon."Even if I lose the remaining five games today it doesn't matter, you have made my day!" PATRICK MPUNDU 401 EDWIN-MUGISHA 396 GAME 14 OYELEKE OLUWASEUN (Nigeria) This dedicated young turk playerd an absolute blinder of a tactical game. Its true that I kicked early on with SERAFIN (82) and ORIENTAL (70) but the loose limbed teenager, in between tying me up in knots, stroked GENISTA (68) and ONETIME (86) through the covers. The good news is a new Nigerian star was born. The bad news is it was at my expense. OYELEKE OLUWASEUN 450 EDWIN=MUGISHA 354 GAME 15 MARTIN HARRISON (England) I hit the front with DENIALS but aggrieved at my WSC report where he was described as a gentleman who couldn't hurt a fly, Martin hit back. He fired off PATTENS (76) and despite my SUBFILE (70) proceeded to push me against the wall. The Englishman was merciless in capitalizing on my errors. So Martin, you are not a "gentleman who couldn't hurt a fly." No, you are a big bad, bad man who almost broke the Phenomenon! EDWIN-MUGISHA 414 MARTIN HARRISON 356 GAME 16 THAVACHAI TRIVANVON (Malaysia) I should have been warned by Thavachai's methodical manner and grandmaster poker face. He commenced with TAUTAUG for 71 and my troubles took root when in trying to throw I played DVARNVA*, missing my target DVANDVA by a million miles. (Frustration: when the heck am I going to master the 267,649 Collins words!) I played OFTENEST (74) and he smacked back with WINERIES for 83. Perhaps the less said about this game the better. THAVACHAI TRIVANVON 464 EDWIN-MUGISHA 317 GAME 17 DYLAN SHARMA (Singapore) Sometimes our beloved pasttime can be kind in that after a nightmare match there can be a soft landing. Yes, Dylan Sharma again. The dashing, swashbuckling candidate for Mr.Singapore 2010 found himself a century of points behind even before I thumped down AQUIFER for 77. Despite his POETISE (79) I ran with STALLING (72) and the match. EDWIN-MUGISHA 471 DYLAN SHARMA 338 GAME 18 CHRISTIAN MENSAH (GHANA) Christian is an interesting player who was a bit woebegone at the vagaries, the ups and down of our beautiful sport. I had scant comfort for him as I ROASTED the young man for 75 and cancelled out his STANNEL (68) with JEUNE (38), KANGA (29) and MIZ (34). EDWIN-MUGISHA 415 CHRISTIAN MENSAH 335 DAY 3 GAME 19 VICTOR CHUA (Singapore) This crisp morning found me lurking behind the leaderboard like a shark. Victor Chua is a sensational prospect but he ran into a man on a mission. This is the contest in which I wrote the triple triple HELIASTS for a staggering 179! (The World will bow down to my greatness!) Let's put my achievement into perspective. Not only was this the highest word out of HUNDREDS of Causeway games but it follows my imperious ninetimer AERIFIES which the highest word out of HUNDREDS of WSC games. In fact I can speculate that my 637 was the high game of the WSC global showpiece and I was probably the unsung bingo merchant! (In case that last statement is off kilter we won't let the facts get in the way of a good story!) Why, all this must leave you, the dear reader shaking your head in disbelief and thinking its...its... PHENOMENAL! Yeah, who's your Daddy! Well, Victor displayed fighting spirit with PARTIER (78) and FEARING for 98. 98 points is an okay score. Its not 179 but its okay. I came with BRUNETS (87) and pounded down TAXINGS for a humongous 119 (which is also more than an okay 98). EDWIN-MUGISHA 614 VICTOR CHUA 424 GAME 20 PREDEE KHONGTHANARAT (Thailand) Predee Khongthanarat it turns out, is the younger bro of Charnrit. He harassed me early on but blew it when with a blank he played around with MEATLIKE* and TEARLIKE*. Aah, the inexperience and fresh innocence of youth. I balanced with OARIEST for 91 (for goodness sake must every move I make be 90+: is there no end to this man's talents!). Afterwards I scrambled to frustrate Predee from unleashing the fire I could track on his racks. I succeeded despite his ENTRAIN (68) and GADGETS (72). EDWIN-MUGISHA 407 PREDEE KHONGTHANARAT 400 GAME 21 LAKSHAN WANNARACHCHI (Sri Lanka) Tragedy, tragedy, stop the presses! I lost games 21 to 26. As far as these 6 games are concerned, you my dear reader will have to be satisfied with the recollection of my tattered, motheaten, amnesiac memory. Lakshan with the lilting, harmonic Sri Lankan name is a cagey, crafty customer who must be treated with respect. I recall this as a closed off strategic game which when it finally opened I should have taken comfortably with PITIERS. Instead I played TIPSIER for 75, to which Lakshan was able to hook FOXIEST for 91! It took a thoughtful endgame to clinch it. EDWIN-MUGISHA 443 LAKSHAN WANNIARACHCHI 376 GAME 22 TONY SIM (Singapore) Tony struck me instantly as a Wild West cowboy. With the lean, lanky gunslinger frame and the piercing eyes he must have skin as tough as saddle leather and drink coffee so thick, a teaspoon could stand upright in it. But what I recall about this game is I totally controlled it and was rarely troubled. You will be happy to know that after this noonday showdown I was not buried at sundown with my boots on. EDWIN-MUGISHA 483 TONY SIM 328 GAME 23 GOH JIANG PERN (Singapore) The good thing about losing some of the games is that it makes my report less longwinded. This leaves you, dear reader with more time in your day to bask in your multi million dollar Scrabble existances, whether its managing your 8 figure stock portfolios, texting your supermodel sweethearts or planning to splash out on that space station ride in order to make the Guinness Book of Records as the first Scrabbler in space. EDWIN-MUGISHA won GOH JIANG PERN lost What else did you expect? Please, come on. GAME 24 MELVIN DALANGIN (Phillipines) I took this game by a whopping 160 points. The interesting issue here was when Melvin wrote JURAS*. I challenged it off as the Scrabble board is too sacred to hold such an unholy word. But on my return I accidentally punched Melvin's clock. He immediately called over Michael Tang and I thought I would miss a turn as I would be judged to have played and finished my move. Melvin probably thought so too. What a breath of fresh air to see that I was allowed to play my move. I am not saying this because the decision went my way, but I find the Causeway rules flexible and appealing to the spirit of the game. I am irritated by insanity in the form of decision making where the tide of games or even entire tournaments are turned not by the skill of the players but small minded, insignificant minutiae. So thumbs up to Causeway and to Michael Tang and this was a unanimous feeling amongst the players. EDWIN-MUGISHA landslide win MELVIN DALANGIN lost Yes, I know. In a paroxysm of admiration you want to hung my poster in your bedroom.Go ahead and do it, who's watching, eh? GAME 25 DYLAN SHARMA (Singapore) My soft landing. In this game I equalled my all time tournament record of NINE consecutive wins! In the process the Eagle rocketed onto the leaderboard! EDWIN-MUGISHA won DYLAN SHARMA lost Control yourself, this is just a game. I am flesh and blood just like you dear reader. GAME 26 NAWAPADOL SAYAVESA (Thailand) Nawapadol struck me with his immense brainpower. The guy has the capability of looking at his rack and the board and making instantaneous decisions.He started with a bingo and I kept pace but the turning point was when just like butter fingered Irving I missed INFOLDER and played FONDLIER* which was challenged off. Then he hit me upside the head with the double double DEBATERS for 94. Inspite my valiant efforts, he played NIMIOUS for 14 in a brilliant endgame that saw me lose this humdinger by 5 points. NAWAPADOL SAYAVESA won EDWIN-MUGISHA lost GAME 27 MICHAEL AKONOR (GHANA) Table 1. Despite my winning streak being cruelly snapped I was flying high and fulfilling the immense promise that the global Scrabble family has in the Chosen One. In my path was the intimidating, obsidian man mountain that is Michael Akonor. In the 17 century King Osei Tutu Opemsoo cut a swathe of destruction as he founded the Asante Kingdom. In the 2000s Michael was similarly wreaking havoc on his challengers on Table 1.He spent so much time there he said he should pay rent! The guy roared with MINKE (53) and JOBES (45). I played SORBATE (63) and OPERATIC (64) to hit the lead but he got himself out of trouble with REBAITS (90) and FOLEY (52). I still had this game in hand but with 30 seconds on the winding clock I had an unplayable TRAILED on my rack.There was a hanging T and Thacha Koowirat who was right behind me in this tournament-deciding game told me I had missed DETRITAL. Michael had pulled off the coup d'etat. MICHAEL AKONOR 442 EDWIN=MUGISHA 377 GAME 28 THACHA KOOWIRAT (Thailand) This was a classic against the deadly, highly talented Thacha. I struggled early on but as he played CITINGS* I was let off the hook. We were neck and neck until he balanced first for BORANES (72). BOBAC (38) kept young Thacha in the game before he karate kicked me with ANTISMUT for 88 (which I challenged in astonishment) and FOLIATES (76) back to back. My WADDLERS (87) was only to make the speread more respectable. I agree 100% with Albert Hahn. These upcoming young punks are too much. They don't know their place! THACHA KOOWIRRAT 502 EDWIN-MUGISHA 455 DAY 4 GAME 29 CHOLLAPAT ITHI-AREE (Thailand) This was the longest I had ever gone in a tournament. The Causeway marathon was living up to its reputation. On the morning of Day 4 I did not feel fresh at all. The energy levels felt off and something was wrong. Chollapat on the other hand appeared as fresh as a daisy and he stomped all over me. RIGADOUN (75), RERAILED (62) and FORMATES (86) put paid to me. CHOLLAPAT ITHI-AREE 541 EDWIN=MUGISHA 312 GAME 30 SIMON WALTON (Australia) This was a tough affair against Cool Sam, a real war of attrition. I played VEGGIES (67), he countered with SLEAZO (38) and RUINERS (69). I couldn't get traction in this game and when he came with SITULAE (76) I had no response. SIMON WALTON 394 EDWIN-MUGISHA 345 GAME 31 GOH JIANG PERN (Singapore) Another war of attrition. In my first two match ups with Goh I had wiped the floor clean with him but now I found myself with obcene rack after obscene rack. At the same time I was terrified of opening the game as he conversely held pure gold. Things were so bad I was challenging his AURAR and any word that looked like bursting matters open. When we finally had to cut loose I played OUTMANS for 76 but ended up getting outmanned by his ritzIEST (51) and WEIGELA (91). At last Goh had his revenge. GOH JIANG PERN 390 EDWIN-MUGISHA 363 GAME 32 ADRIAN TAMAS (ROMANIA) You will start noticing an alarming trend here. Having won 9 in a row to fly to Table 1, I had now crumbled like a drunken man in a whirlwind to 6 straight defeats! I had smirked when Mark Kenas gone limpimg about, narrating his tale of woe. He had moaned about losing 9 straight for the first time in years of playing Scrabble! Was I now to endure the same scenario? All this at a time when even the hardworking Chief Toke Aka was flying above me as well as the copper-bearded knight of Ireland Kevin McMahon. Unfortunately I ran into the soft-spoken Adrian Tamas, a man I simply cannot get to grips with. The guy just picked the flesh off my royal bones. I was pummelled as if my name is not Phillip Edwin-Mugisha, the Phenomenon from Uganda. Adrian was off like a man possessed with GRANTER for 67. I sported the double double THRIFTS for 52. Then he dazzled me with PERIDIA (76) and finished me off with RONDELS (71). Carmen, his impressive better half, had promised him no pancakes unless he had a decent Causeway showing. Her pancakes must be something else cause never in history has one man fought so hard for pancakes. ADRIAN TAMAS 450 EDWIN-MYUGISHA 324 GAME 33 DIANNE WARD (Australia) Goodness gracious, 7 defeats in a row! I was transforming into Mark Kenas! I was wondering why the danged computer couldn't pair me today with Dylan Sharma so that I could harvest my regular point. I had tumbled down like a lead balloon and Michael Tang asked in a tone a doctor reserves for a patient in Intensive Care, "What happened?" A train smash, that's what happened! I was about to descend into that mood that Chris Ntege calls status panicus. Enter Dianne Ward. She is a sophisticated, polished specimen from the land of Oz. We were neck and neck until affairs finally broke for me and I ran with LATENTS (66) and WANTERS (97). EDWIN-MUGISHA 491 DIANNE WARD 344 GAME 34 LIZ FAGERLUND (New Zealand) Phew! I had avoided doing a Mark Kenas. By the way, the amiable chap has an interesting description of me. "Put the coins in and he just keeps on talking!" Alas, it appeared that I had leaped out of the frying pan into the fire. Having handled Dianne from the land of Oz, it transpired that my next opponent, Liz Fagerlund from the land of the long white cloud, was not only her friend but was determined to avenge her! Eeeh! Liz is a slim lady with a smile that lights up a room and the most divine poetic eyes but what I noticed straight off the bat is that,as with Nawapadol Sayavesa , she has a mind like a steel trap. I had to rtread carefully and I ran with SPILLERS (77) and MENDIGOS (68). However Liz proved why she is called a GARDENFUL (anagram of Fagerlund) of bonuses as she wiped out 100 points of my spread with a devastating last move UNSTABLY which I just had to challenge. EDWIN-MUGISHA 420 LIZ FAGERLUND 363 GAME 35 VICTOR CHUA (Singapore) I had dealt with Victor comprehensibly earlier (recall HELIASTS for 179) and I was perturbed to have to play him again. My concerns turned out to be justified as nothing rolled for me in this affair. He bludgeoned a living legend with BLEACHES (66), DIOPTRE (78) and STAMENS (76). It didn't help that afterwards I ran into Sam Kantimathi of the Non Glare boards.Did he bend his knee and beg for an autogragh? Nay, he instead firmly assured me I wasn't a LEGEND, I was his LEG END. You know, the end of his leg. VICTOR CHUA 434 EDWIN-MUGISHA 282 GAME 36 ABDUL SUMA (Phillipines) This was an incredibly tight, strategic affair. My MANDIRS (77) cancelled out his ALSOONE (65) but the scandal of this show was I mistracked. in the endgame, with the win virtually sewn up I played my blocking C in the wrong place because I thought he was battling with vowels. I tracked EEONS and it turned out he had EENSW. He smashed ENEWS for 39 and buried me. This game should come with a guidance warning. Sigh. Do not PLAY LIKE THIS AT HOME! That is how Oquassa snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. ABDUL SUMA 377 EDWIN-MUGISHA 370 GAME 37 EDIE MULLER (Australia) I knew that if you play with too much Aussie fire you will eventually get burned. Edie Muller swept into my life on a chariot of invincibility. Lightning bolts erupted from her hands, her eyes blazed sulphur, the superheated Outback sun glowed around her feet and volcanic lava oozed from her mouth. I began this 'contest' with HOLIER (26) not knowing how unholy my tournament spread was about to become. Edie laid down STRATED (79) and DIETARY (91) and suddenly she was 160 apace. I confidentially cut this lead down with FONDLER (71). Her Z when she wrote SWIZ landed on the O of my FONDLER for a strupendous 104. She displayed no INERTIAE (68) as she further defeathered the Eagle with INSTEAD (85). EDIE MULLER 617 EDWIN-MUGISHA 312 GAME 38 WILLI MWANGI (Kenya) I would have just then been fully justified in packing my bags and going home just then but this would have denied Willi his ration of UGALI and sukumawiki. There was nothing I could do as once again I becamer his daily bread. He began with SODDING (87) and ETERNALS (70). I fought back to pull level with VITRINES (79) but OYEZ (88) and the last move UNSTAIR (79) shattered my resistance. Afterwards Michael Gongolo dared question my being the most potent player in the game. I was frank. If there is the most powerful bomb on earth buried under a field and you walk across the field, emerging unhurt do you question the potency of the bomb? No, you thank your lucky stars it didn't go off, that's what you do! WILLI MWANGI 505 EDWIN-MUGISHA 324 DAY 5 GAME 39 WIMAL FERNANDO (Oman) The great thing about Day 4, one of the worst in my 3-year Scrabble career in that I only took two games, is that it is over. It had cost the face of the game his chance of stamping his authority on the global scene with a historic International breakthrough victory. Invincibilty postponed. AGAIN!! I played DEUTONS (75) early on but the cultured, personable Wimal hit back with GREATER (78). This match up hinged on the fact that Wimal allowed me to get away with AXILES (42). He could have kicked himself. Sigh. I know the feeling. EDWIN-MUGISHA 428 WIMAL FERNANDO 365 GAME 40 AMNUAY PLOYSANGNGAM (Thailand) The charming, cosmopolitan Amnuay hit the ground running with STEERING (65). I kept the guy in check with INERTIAE (64), a word which brought painful recent memories. He then PRANKED (81) me and its only consistent scoring with JOW (48), OUIJA (36) , TANGY (53) and SHANTY (34) which kept me afloat. EDWIN-MUGISHA 459 AMNUAY PLOYSANGNGAM 376 GAME 41 MELVIN DALANGIN (Phillipines) The last of my battles with Melvin. We shall call this The Rumble In The Jungle. Melvin had a teriible time as he changed twice even as I balanced for ROADIES (73). He came with the excellent FELONOUS (91) but I had gone by then.He had to admit I was indeed the ANOINTED (74) one of Scrabble as I cruised home. EDWIN=MUGISHA 445 MELVIN DALANGIN 374 GAME 42 CARMEL DODD (Australia) Oh boy. Depite being a fan of my writing, the talented Carmel Dodd treated me very ungently indeed. The prim, spare, redheaded Carmel played QUINZE for 53 even as I wrote the very bad TOK*. I don't know, I guess I was losing my marbles. Her INSANER (69) was an apt description of me. She took further initiative with READIER (85). I responded with SIGMATE(91) and ALEURON (81) but her WOGGLES (75) cooked my goose rather nicely. Yet another painful Aussie shellacking! CARMEL DODD 524 EDWIN-MUGISHA 354 GAME 43 JOHN BARKER (Australia) John always had the lead in this game. He came with REDOING (81) early on and my MILIARE also for 81 was only to keep pace. I blew this game when I got scared of playing the basic 8-letter LEACHIER only for the guy to come with STUDDING (68) on that very spot. LETTERS (65) couldn't salvage a stunningly woeful performance. JOHN BARKER 435 EDWIN=MUGISHA 406 GAME 44 GRAEME LOCK LEE (Australia) Graeme is a warm, intelligent, personable Scrabbler, a real credit to the game. We were seated two games per table and it mollified my battered pride that both Graeme and Mushtaq Ismael who sat in the next pairing agrred it was an honour to be in the Phenomenon's presence. I came with SHRINES (76) and HEMINAL (82) back to back. Graeme was doing okay with AEOLIAN (64) but he shouldn't have tried AEOLIANS*. He was cock-a-hoop though, when in another moment of madness I challenged FOHN. Cart me away and put me in the insane asylum already! Towards the twilight of this game Graeme took a shock lead with REAROSE (68) and its only some nifty, mental endgame acrobatics that ensured I pulled the fat out of the fire. EDWIN-MUGISHA 413 GRAEME LOCK LEE 399 GAME 45 KARL CHIN HON YEW (Malaysia) Karl, a youthful, cool, customer with a cap pulled down over his eyes like a million dollar casino big whale was in control of this final game from the beginning. He changed then came with REVISIT for 71. I scrambled for FLEECER (71) but he waiting with the double double PORNIEST for 86 to put me under all sorts of pressure. HEDGY (53) was a turning point for me I somehow strategically through. EDWIN-MUGISHA 404 KARL CHIN HON YEW 380 CONCLUSION Yeah, yeah, I know. I didn't win. It was Michael Akonor who got to take the money back home to his parents so that they could, in his words, "bless it." My excuse at the WSC was that I hadn't acclimatised. Elie Dangoor, at the mayoral reception quipped, "Perhaps you acclimatised too much?" There are no excuses, the facts are transparent. More work needs to be done before my era of global domination inevitably comes round.The number of games thrown away (TEN if you are counting), the stupefying, blood curdling errors, are just astonishing for a giant of my calibre. The Phenomenon seriously requires more technological tools, needs to develop mental toughness and stamina. After game 28 I was zonked. Above all more Interrnational competition is called urgently for. POSITIVES Too many to write down. Each and every asswhupping I justly received is experience, another brick on the foundations of my 2011 World Championship. Check out my meteoric rise in the ratings. I was a humble 1630 before WSC. Despite my WSC mess, (position number 1 with 100 in front as Geoff Cooper so succinctly put it), I climbed to 1680. After Causeway I explode further to 1817. For thse who may be unaware, 1817 is a historic, unprecedented rating never attained by any Ugandan in history. You, dear reader and die hard fan can see its an inevitable, upward march to the number one ranking in the entire planet! Like Diego Maradona in the 80s I am lifting an entire nation, an entire continent, an entire Sport on my shoulders onto a higher level, an undreamed of plateau! THE FUTURE The Phenomenon requires the cut and thrust of Internation competition. I am eyeing the iGate International in Mumbai India from the 15th to the 17th of January.Obviously if I play, with the lessons of Causeway and WSC behind me not to mention my naturat flair, I will win it. Then there are the East African Champs at Easter, hosted by Uganda. I will win that. Later we have the African Champs in Ghana. I will win those. Then there is the World Players Championship in North America and Godswill Akpabio in Nigeria. I will sweep those. These victories will come before the next Causeway where this time I will be competing in the Masters section where I rightfully belong. I will win it. This will be wonderful preparation for the WSC in 2011 which I will... I will let you, dear reader, fill in the blanks. You aren't a zoo inhabitant, you are a highly intelligent person so you can guess what will inevitably happen there. PHILLIP EDWIN-MUGISHA CAUSEWAY PREMIER DIVISION CHAMPION 2010 WORLD SCRABBLE CHJAMPION 2011