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The Toronto SCRABBLE® Club (NASPA Club #3)
Est. 1975
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The Toronto SCRABBLE® Club (NASPA Club #3)Est. 1975 |
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The Toronto SCRABBLE Club (originally constituted as National SCRABBLE Association Club #3, now North American SCRABBLE Players Association Club #3) is the longest-running NASPA club. It was founded in 1975 by Harold Klesmer and Mike Wise, and directed by Mike from 1976 until he passed away in 1998; John Chew has directed from then onward, joined 2001-2024 by codirector Lisa Kessler; starting in 2023 the lead director has been Eric Peters. The club attracts 10–20 players a week and about 100 over the course its September–June season.
Many regular members of our club have represented Canada in international competition at events such as the Can-Am SCRABBLE Challenge and the World SCRABBLE Championship. In 2023, club member Ruth Li won the North American School SCRABBLE Championship’s high school division in Washington, D.C. In 2011, Jackson Smylie and Alex Li won $10,000, placing first at the (U.S.) National School SCRABBLE Championship in Orlando, FL. During the club's June tournament in 1997, John Chew and Zev Kaufman set a world record for the highest-scoring tied game at 502-502; their score has since been eclipsed overseas but is still the North American record.
Our club’s activities outside of our regular meetings and tournaments include helping to organize the Canadian National SCRABBLE Championship and Toronto School SCRABBLE Championship (including a Scrabble-expert-in-the-school outreach programme), and charity fundraisers such as SCRABBLE With The Stars and the SCRABBLE Corporate Challenge. Many of our members also serve on committees at every level of the North American SCRABBLE Players Association, including its Executive Committee and Advisory Board.
We have regular players from throughout the greater Metropolitan Toronto region and as far away as Brantford and Hamilton, and have visitors from overseas each year. Newcomers are always welcome, and we have players of all ages and playing abilities.
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For information about past seasons or to see how people are doing this season, see the club archive.
The club will remain open for in-person play as long as it is permitted to do so under all applicable rules and recommendations from NASPA and all municipal levels of government, and as long as staff are available to operate it.
You must not attend the club in person if you are exhibiting symptoms of an upper respiratory infection such as a runny nose, cough, fever, diarrhea, or just feeling unwell. You must not attend the club in person if you have had recent contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19, or if you have recently tested positive yourself for COVID-19.
As of 2023-04-25, we recommend masks, but no longer require them. Players who prefer masks will be seated in a separate room from those that do not, with doors kept closed betwen the rooms. In the masked room, masks must be kept on at all times; food and drink is not permitted. A small number of masks is available for those who forget to bring them.
Also as of 2023-04-25, we no longer require proof of vaccination.
If you contravene these rules, you will be banned from the club indefinitely, and a disciplinary incident report will be filed with NASPA.
None of these conditions apply to our online play option.
We meet in person every Wednesday throughout the year usually beginning our season on the first Wednesday after Labour Day (September 4th in 2024), a little before our annual open tournament, usually with a hiatus when our venue is unavailable around Christmas, and ending with a club tournament held on three Wednesdays in June.
See our page about playing online at Woogles.io for information about our online play option.
We meet in person at the Seniors Clubhouse at the northwest end of Earl Bales Park near Bathurst and Sheppard in Toronto. (If you haven’t been to the club since we moved in 1988, we no longer meet at Don Mills Collegiate Institute. In 2023, we moved across the parking lot from the community centre to the seniors clubhouse.)
| Maps | Public Transit (TTC) | Car |
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PDF, GIF or Google. In the Google satellite image, the community centre is between the large rectangular parking lot and the amphitheatre, and Raoul Wallenberg Road is the name of the park access road. (Raoul Wallenberg Road, with no street number, is a good address to search for in electronic maps.) |
Subway to Sheppard or Downsview station, then Sheppard West bus to Bathurst and Sheppard. If the subway is not running (e.g. before 9:00 A.M. on a Sunday for one of our tournaments), you can take the Bathurst bus all the way up from downtown or ask one of our many club members for a ride. From the corner of Bathurst and Sheppard, walk south along Bathurst until you see a small access road leading into Earl Bales Park. Just before the parking lot at the end of the road is the seniors clubhouse on the left (north); on the far side of the parking lot is a community centre where we sometimes play. If you walk too far south, you'll reach the stoplight at Raoul Wallenberg Road, which is the main public road into the park; if so, follow the road into the park, bearing left until you get to the community centre, parking lot, and seniors clubhouse. |
The Earl Bales Park entrance is at 4169 Bathurst Street (at the stoplight one block south of Sheppard). Enter and bear left all the way into the park until you see the community centre. Parking is free in the lot past the centre, and forbidden in the driveway in front of it. The seniors clubhouse is at the far end of the parking lot. If you're approaching from the east on Highway 401, take the Bathurst Street exit (kilometre 366), which somewhat counterintuitively leaves you on Wilson Avenue. Turn right (east) from the ramp onto Wilson, then turn left (north) immediately at the first stoplight onto Bathurst Street. Drive several blocks until you see the park on your right. If you're approaching from the west on Highway 401, the situation is almost as complicated. Take the Avenue Road (Highway 11A) exit (kilometre 367). Turn right (south) at the light onto Avenue Road, turn right (west) again at the next light onto Wilson Avenue, drive through the first stoplight, through the tunnel under the 401, then turn right (north) at the next stoplight at Bathurst Street. Drive several blocks (1.5 km) until you see the park on your right. If you are driving from Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), allow thirty minutes unless highway traffic is unusually heavy. Follow signs for Highway 401 East (usually via Highway 409 East), then continue with the instructions above on approaching from the west. If you are driving from Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF), allow at least 2.5 hours. Take Route 33 W 1.6 miles to I-90W (New York State Thruway toward Erie). Take I-90W 4.8 miles to exit 53: I-190N (NYS Thruway toward Downtown Buffalo/Canada). Leave I-190N at Exit 9 (Fort Erie Canada/Peace Bridge), follow signs over the Peace Bridge, go through the border checkpoint. Continue straight on Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) 85.6 miles to Highway 427 (toward Pearson Airport and Highway 401). Take Highway 427 (north) 4.2 miles to Highway 401 East. Continue with instructions above on approaching from the west. |
If you get lost, try calling club director John Chew at 416–876–7675; if he is out of town, his voice mail message should give further instructions.
Our schedule changed effective April 25th, 2022, due to the availability of space open a little later into the evening. Registration is from 6:30 (P.M.) to 6:45. If it’s your first time at a NASPA club, please arrive at 6:30, so that our newcomer orientation person has a chance to talk with you.
We strongly encourage you to message or call ahead before 6:30 to reserve a seat. You can call, text or email John Chew at 416-876-7675, but check the weekly announcements first to make sure someone isn’t substituting for him. If you call ahead and don’t arrive by 6:45, your clock will be started; if you don’t arrive at all, you will no longer be able to call ahead to reserve a seat.
Players who arrive after 6:45 without calling ahead will be paired more or less at random with whomever else arrives late; players who arrive after 6:45 may have to sit out the first round of play.
We play three rounds, beginning at :45 past each hour, and finish just around 9:30. If you can’t arrive in time for the first round but want to play anyway, then make sure that we are aware that you are playing no later than fifteen minutes before the start of the round that you want to play (6:30 is fifteen minutes before the 6:45 start of round 2; 7:30 is fifteen minutes before the 7:45 start of round 3).
The club prefers INTERAC e-transfer payments, but will accept cash for in-person play. The weekly fee is $5, payable to naspaclub3@gmail.com.
In lieu of the previous discount structure for various categories of players, and to reduce the hassle of making frequent cashless payments, payments of multiples of $20 will be credited as the same multiples of $25. For example, if you send an INTERAC payment of $40, your account will show a $50 credit suitable for playing 10 weekly sessions at $5.
You’ll be paired against opponents of similar ability, and if you win all three of your games, you will be credited with a ten-dollar prize at the end of the evening. We also credit three different types of two-dollar prizes each week: for the highest-scoring bingo (seven-tile play) that uses the week’s designated “bingo letters”, for the winner of a “weekly challenge”, and for the highest-scoring game by a player who does not earn a $10 prize. The number of prizes awarded depends on attendance.
If you are directed to sit out a game (based on a formula the director uses, which depends on how many times you have sat out and how many games that you have played), we will credit you $2 per game sat out.
Player club cash balances are nonrefundable but do not expire.
If it’s your first time coming to a Scrabble club, here’s what you need to know. We play tournament-style Scrabble: one-on-one, with chess-style timers set to 25 minutes per person per game, following NASPA rules (you don’t have to memorize them) and using the most recent copy of the TWL lexicon (similar to the Official SCRABBLE® Players Dictionary). To help you get used to the game until you have won at least three games at our club, we give you the following handicaps: you can look at a list of the two- and three-letter words (which we will provide), you may challenge any word that you’re unsure of without risking the customary loss-of-turn penalty, and you do not have to deduct a time penalty if you run overtime. You should bring your entry fee ($5.00, see above) and a pen or pencil. If you’re particular about equipment, you may want to bring a deluxe board, tiles, scoresheets, timer, etc., but there are generally enough to go around. You can also download and print our newcomers' guide which goes over club procedures and includes the list of short words.
The Toronto SCRABBLE Club offers equal treatment to every person without discrimination because of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age (except in providing discounts to seniors and students), marital status, family status or disability. Our community centre is fully wheelchair-accessible.
If you have other questions about coming to the club for the first time, please call club director John Chew at 416-876-7675. You could also read the book Word Freak, by Stefan Fatsis, to see what you may be getting yourself into.
As of 2022-09-07, the club will not be providing the use of a shared word judge laptop. Players should bring and use a NASPA-certified word judge app (or Ulu, which is still listed there as licensed but not certified), and be careful to make sure that it is set to the correct lexicon.
Anyone who plays at our club is given a club rating, based on a system similar to the NASPA rating system. Every year, the player who finishes the club season with the highest championship rating (subject to a minimum games criterion) is awarded a trophy designed by Ron Manson.
Beginning in 1999-2000, the name of the club championship year will be abbreviated to the year in which the championship ends (2000).
Season Champion(s) 2023-2024 Mark Edelson (4th title) 2022-2023 Zev Kaufman (14th title) 2019-2022 Tony Leah (4th title) 2019 Tony Leah (3rd title) 2018 Mark Edelson (3rd title) 2017 Mark Edelson (2nd title) 2016 Tony Leah (2nd title) 2015 Tony Leah 2014 Jackson Smylie (3rd title) 2013 Evan Berofsky (10th title) 2012 Evan Berofsky (9th title) 2011 Evan Berofsky (8th title) 2010 Evan Berofsky (7th title) 2009 Evan Berofsky (6th title) 2008 Evan Berofsky (5th title) 2007 Evan Berofsky (4th title) 2006 Evan Berofsky (3rd title) 2005 Zev Kaufman (13th title) 2004 Evan Berofsky (2nd title) 2003 Evan Berofsky 2002 Lloyd Mills 2001 Zev Kaufman (12th title) 2000 Zev Kaufman (11th title) 1998-99 Zev Kaufman (10th title) 1997-98 Libero Paolella (2nd title) 1996-97 Zev Kaufman (9th title) 1995-96 Zev Kaufman (8th title) 1994-95 Mike Wise (11th title) & Zev Kaufman (7th title), tied 1993-94 Zev Kaufman (6th title) 1992-93 Zev Kaufman (5th title) 1991-92 Zev Kaufman (4th title) 1990-91 Libero Paolella 1989-90 Zev Kaufman (3rd title) 1988-89 Mike Wise (10th title) 1987-88 Zev Kaufman (2nd title) 1986-87 Peter Morris (2nd title) 1985-86 Peter Morris 1984-85 Zev Kaufman & Mike Wise (9th title), tied 1983-84 Mike Wise (8th title) 1982-83 Mike Wise (7th title) 1981-82 Mike Wise (6th title) 1980-81 Mike Wise (5th title) 1979-80 Mike Wise (4th title) 1978-79 Mike Wise (3rd title) 1977-78 Mike Wise (2nd title) 1976-77 Ron Manson* & Mike Schulman** (2nd title) 1975-76 Mike Wise* & Mike Schulman** * Awarded based on high won-lost percentage ** Awarded based on high average game score
Beginning in 1998-99, we have honoured B and C divisional champions. To be eligible for these titles, a player must have played at least one third of the possible games in the previous season, 55% of the games in the current season, and all of the games in the end-of-season club tournament. (These restrictions apply to the overall champion as well.) Players are assigned divisions according to annually updated club rating cutoffs. Players within fifty points of a divisional boundary may play up or down if they so state at their first evening of the new club season.
B Division Champions |
Season |
C Division Champions |
| Eli Shupak (4th title) | 2023-2024 | Not contested |
| Lisa Kessler (3rd title) | 2022-2023 | Lynda Wise (2nd title) & Eli Shupak (3rd title) |
| Dave Krook (2nd title) | 2019-2022 | Andrew Rosen |
| Lisa Kessler (2nd title) | 2019 | Ani Migirdicyan (3rd title) |
| Dave Krook & Eli Shupak (2nd title) | 2018 | Harry Gopaul |
| Marcela Kadanka | 2017 | Ani Migirdicyan (2nd title) |
| Denis Farbstein (3rd title) & Mad Palazzo (2nd title) | 2016 | Barry Muskovitch (2nd title) |
| Nicholas Schneider | 2015 | Peter Hopkins |
| Denis Farbstein (2nd title) & Mad Palazzo | 2014 | Josh Kattsir |
| Crayne Spanier | 2013 | Sharon Janssen |
| Jackson Smylie (2nd title) | 2012 | Josh Greenway |
| Denis Farbstein | 2011 | Jackson Smylie |
| Vera Bigall (2nd title) & Alex Rodriguez | 2010 | Eli Shupak |
| Lisa Kessler | 2009 | Barry Muskovitch |
| Lynda Wise | 2008 | Jillian Bathgate |
| Michael Lancashire | 2007 | Joseph Bowman |
| Roger Cullman (2nd title) & Mark Edelson | 2006 | Ani Migirdicyan |
| Gene Rawlins | 2005 | Vera Bigall |
| Trevor Sealy | 2004 | Elizabeth Spivak |
| Ron Manson (2nd title) | 2003 | Roger Cullman |
| Tony Leah | 2002 | Kristen Chew |
| Sal Desiato | 2001 | Betty Collins |
| Sinnadurai Vijayakumar | 2000 | Donna Wyonch |
| Vivienne Muhling | 1999 | Shirley Drucker |
In 2001, we began compiling on-line memorials for deceased club members.
We have an archive of the computer-generated word lists that our club members ask for from time to time.
Our club library was founded in 2000, and all of its books are available to club members on one-week loan.
Our member directory is accessible to members only.
The official organization governing club and tournament play in North America is the North American SCRABBLE® Players Association.
Members are encouraged to subscribe to our club’s electronic mailing list at club3@scrabbleplayers.org. As of 2021, Google no longer provides any easy way for them to do so however, so please email club director John Chew at poslfit@gmail.com to be added to the list.
Copyright © 2022 John J. Chew. All rights reserved. HASBRO is the owner of the registered SCRABBLE® trademark in the United States and Canada. The SCRABBLE trademark is owned by J.W. Spear and Sons, PLC, a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. outside of the United States and Canada. The Toronto Scrabble Club is an officially sanctioned club of the North American Scrabble Players Association.
