Veteran Scrabble Kenya player Patrick Nderitu has singled out Richard Oketch as the next big thing in the Scrabble fraternity.
Nderitu was the Team Kenya captain in the just concluded East, Central and Southern Africa Scrabble Association (ECASA) Championships in Gaborone, Botswana.
“We have a great future in Oketch. Allan Oyende could dominate for some time but Oketch is the next big thing. Watch this space,” he said.
Nderitu won the Botswana event for the sixth time last weekend and immediately announced that he would be taking a break from the regional show. He defeated Oyende in the three-day tournament which ran over the Easter Holidays.
“It was a tight game after Oyende led in all areas but bungled things up with his last move. I earned a 15 marks bonus but he was subtracted 14 points, giving me the victory. I have won six titles at the regional show and I feel I should take a break. I have won twice in Kenya and once each in Uganda, Tanzania, Botswana and Zambia,” said Nderitu.
He noted: “As I watched Oyende play during the tournament, I was going to give up, but my instinct told me to soldier on. Things then happened with his last move and I was declared winner,” he added.
Nderitu won 19 games, losing eight to garner 1975 points ahead of Oyende’s 18 wins and 9 losses for 1271 points. David Kimani completed the podium with 967 points.
“All the Kenyan players were in the top 20 and this means we have a very solid team,” said the captain.
He said despite taking a break from the ECASA, which has always been held over Easter Holidays, he will continue featuring in other events like all the national championships and World championships.
“This event is only held during the Easter Holiday and going forward, I want to use the period to spend time with my family,” he said.
The champion lost the opening two games to Zambian Chipika Simanwe and Davis Apuuli from Uganda before recording the first win against Mulenga Chitundu of Zambia.
He lost game 8 and 10 to Botswana’s Jared Omolo and South African Steven Gruzd respectively before going down to Oketch in game 18. Gruzd defeated Gitong again in games 20 and 21 and Oyende in games 22 and 25
