Bahraini word-whiz Mohammed Irfan Siddiqui has secured second place at the KSSA Indian Open 2026, one of the world’s premier Scrabble tournaments, propelling him to World No 29.
World English-Speaking Players Association (WESPA) released the ranking, leading to a rating of 2005 for the player – only 32 players in the world have a rating more than 2000.
The 46-year-old doctor-turned-investment professional beat more than 100 contenders from around 13 countries at the tournament held in Bangalore, India, last month, to reach the finals. He narrowly lost to World No 3 Hubert Wee from Singapore and bagged the runners-up title, winning BD285 and marking his achievement as one of the most significant feats by a Bahraini player to date.
“Scrabble at the highest level is not just about words,” the Janabiya resident told the GDN. “It requires probability analysis, board strategy, risk management and mental endurance. Reaching the world top 30 is a proud moment, but my journey is far from over,” he added, highlighting that he now aspires to break into the global top 10.
The professional player, who attended the Indian School Bahrain, has represented the kingdom in several World Scrabble Championships and international tournaments across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
While his journey spans 20 years, he earliest memories of the game are that of playing with his mother. “She was my first sparring partner and my parents continue to actively follow my tournaments. I also have fond memories of playing socially at the former Hilton Hotel, now the Golden Tulip. The property sponsored the now defunct Bahrain Scrabble League by providing a weekly venue,” he recounted.
In 1994, the Bahraini of Indian origin, moved back home to pursue his higher education and took a break from competitive Scrabble for a decade. However, his love for the game did not diminish.
As of today, he has completed nearly 50 international competitions, including representing Bahrain at five world championships. In addition to the kingdom, he has played in the UAE, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, the UK, Poland and Czechoslovakia.
“Scrabble is one of my biggest passions because competitive Scrabble has a complex mathematical element to it compared to recreational Scrabble, which is purely vocabulary or word power. I must also admit that I love travelling and was able to combine both by playing international tournaments,” said the professional Scrabble coach, who hopes to collaborate with the relevant local Bahraini body to promote the game across schools in Bahrain.
While the game has opened up exciting opportunities for the player, there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes in terms of practice and preparations for tournaments.
“Serious Scrabble preparation requires a lot of time and effort. It involves learning new words and revising old ones, as well as improving one’s anagramming capability along with the mathematical element of the game,” he explained.
“When I started playing, the only tool available was the printed word list, however, now we have word applications and websites designed for professional Scrabble study. There are also sites and apps on which one can play against players across the world. Unfortunately, I do not have any active Scrabble player in Bahrain to play live against and I usually play against myself on a board ahead of a tournament to simulate live play.”
The father-of-three noted that it is difficult to manage work and family along with study as well as breaks for tournament travels. However, his love for Scrabble has kept him going.
“I try my best to limit my study to before the children wake up or after they sleep. You will also find me on a study app on my phone in the elevator, on flights, while I am walking, or even in the theatre when I take my kids for a movie,” he admitted.
Mr Siddiqui is already preparing for his next big game, set to be staged in Thailand in May.
“Michael Tang, a Singaporean entrepreneur and Scrabble player is organising the biggest ever Scrabble tournament, which will bring together 500 of the top Scrabble players across the world. I have signed up for this elite event and am seeking sponsorship for the tournament.
“Additionally, I would like to achieve grand master status by the end of this year – I have achieved one level of the three-level recognition process,” he added.
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