Andy Kurnia vs. Ronald Credo, Round 21 at the 5th Causeway Scrabble Challenge 2006

The Slugfest at the Causeway: Ronald Credo Out-Guns Andy Kurnia in a 500-Point Thriller!

When you sit across from Singaporean powerhouse Andy Kurnia in the late rounds of the Causeway Scrabble Challenge, you don't expect an easy ride. But in Round 21 of the 2006 tournament, what unfolded wasn't just a game—it was a high-scoring, back-and-forth heavyweight slugfest.

The early turns felt like a tense chess match. Both players drew awkward, clunky racks, leading to a rare double-reload on Turn 4 where Andy dumped two tiles and I exchanged four. It was the calm before an absolute storm.

Once the racks reset, the board exploded. Andy struck the first major blow on Turn 5, dropping the massive (PE)JORATES for a staggering 104 points. In many games, a 104-point bomb chokes out the opponent's morale. Not here. Ronald peered at his rack, spotted the opening, and immediately fired back with CROSSED for an even 100 points. The crowd watching the live boards knew they were witnessing something special.

From that moment on, Ronald took complete control of the pacing. Armed with premium tiles and surgical tile management, he weaponized his blanks. First came a heavy-hitting ZEBU at H12 for 75 points, turning a minor deficit into a commanding lead. Next came the structural beauty of ORATORIA* for 59 points, systematically locking Andy out of easy counter-lanes while keeping the score ticking upward.

With KAOLIN for 56 points and a crisp endgame finish of WAITS for 58, I didn't just cross the finish line—he smashed right through it, securing a spectacular 500–440 victory. Andy’s late-game exit bingo with EUGENIA (69 points) was a brilliant effort, but it was far too late to stop the Filipino master's offensive clinic.

(Post Note: The original link of this game is no longer accessible, so I just recreated it.)