Friendship & Community

Ever since its first edition in 2008, the aims of MISO have been to enable Malta' s Scrabble players to mix competitively and socially with their counterparts from overseas, who in turn have an opportunity and an incentive to visit Malta. 

Bil Rose (Australia) holds the Guiness World Record for oldest tournament player. Most of us also hope to enjoy competing until well into our 90's.  However, with smart young players coming through the ranks, it becomes a tougher challenge to take out the top prizes.  Hence we created the Seniors World Championship - to allow those of us who are a little older, to prove that we still have what it takes (at 70, 80, or even 90).  

This is the only tournament in the world where players can have a "seniors moment", and the other players will laugh with you, not *at* you.

Scrabble is the secret to a long life.

This bold statement contains more truth than hyperbole. The benefits of playing Scrabble on mental health and fitness are well known and documented. The demands of the game on both literacy and numeracy, not to mention the social engagement with opponents and fellow participants on and off the board, together make for a very holistic cerebral workout that keeps the brain active and alert. 

But just as you can move Scrabble tiles around on the rack to form different words, switching the words in this statement produces another equally meaningful statement:

A long life is the secret to Scrabble.

The longevity of Scrabble players is another very interesting and positive aspect of the game. While old age can preclude the pursuit of many activities, playing Scrabble even competitively survives the limitations that tend to come with the passage of years. 

In sum, you can say that Scrabble adds years to life and life to years. 

So what better way is there to celebrate such a marvelous fact than to combine two popular and established events like the Malta International Scrabble Open (MISO) and the Seniors World Championship in the same week and place, thus defying that cruel fate that caused such a great combo to be cancelled at the eleventh hour in 2020 due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Players of all ages will thoroughly enjoy playing this event in Malta, in such a scenic, historically interesting location, with balmy weather and friendly locals...and don't forget the wonderful Mediterranean food.