The seventh Malta International Scrabble Open, held on the 30th anniversary of the Malta Scrabble Club, attracted 62 players from 12 countries.

The three-day, 24-game tournament saw Scottish players dominate the Elite category and Maltese players excel in the B competition.

Scotland’s Allan Simmons quickly raced ahead of all his opponents to record 15 consecutive wins before conceding his first defeat.

Eventually, he only lost five games to finish as the tournament winner with two rounds to spare.

Simmons’s team-mates, Simon Gillam and Helen Gipson, fought it out for the runner-up spot.

In the end, Gillam won the decider to secure second place as Gipson had to settle for third.

Vincent Boyle, another player from Scotland, scored a 22-point win over Malta champion Theresa Brousson to finish in fourth place and complete the Scottish clean sweep.

David Delicata took advantage of Brousson’s upset to beat Ireland’s Jayne Mackenzie by a mere seven points and finish fifth overall.

Delicata earned the distinction of being the top Maltese player in the tournament thanks to a 15-9 record.

Brousson was sixth on 14.5-9.5 and second among the eight Maltese players who participated in the Elite section.

In the B category, Mario Seychell emerged winner ahead of Daniel Milton (United States) and Sammy Mangion.

The Malta Open was followed by the sixth European Championship which was played over 32 rounds.

Brousson did well to finish third behind the winner Howard Warner, of New Zealand, and second-placed Gipson.

Two other Maltese participants in the European Cham-pionship produced a fine display as Nicky Vella Laurenti was classified a creditable sixth on 21-11 and Cecil Muscat placed tenth.

Both tournaments were directed by Amy Byrne and John Chew.