Introduction
My journey with Scrabble began in 1990 when I discovered the game as an undergraduate electrical and electronics engineering student at Imperial College London. It was love at first sight as it combined memory and strategic skill.
Causeway Challenge was conceived in 2002 as an annual tournament featuring the top 10 players in Singapore and Malaysia. The event was named after the Johor - Singapore Causeway - a major thoroughfare that represents the ethos of the game: a bridge that connects people of all ages, races and religions. I went on to organise the Causeway Challenge for the next 15 years in Johor Baru, Malaysia. I challenged myself to single-handedly make Causeway a bigger and better tournament every year but eventually reached my limit. I had to step away after the 2016 edition as it took a massive toll on my physical and mental health.
My decision to bring the Causeway Challenge back as an International Scrabble tournament in Kuala Lumpur on 1 September, 2026 was completely unforeseen and unplanned. But the time feels right to return to organising a tournament for the game I love. I have decided to give my ALL to ensure next year's edition provides a unique experience to my fellow Scrabblers from around the globe.
I have booked out all 270 rooms at the Miracle Grand Convention hotel in Bangkok for a week. I am confident the venue will provide the ideal environment for my worldwide Scrabble friends to enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I am flying in 10 production and commentary crews to provide world class streaming of the top 3 tables of the Causeway 2026 Premier Divisions. In addition, I am hiring 47 Thai students to provide live annotation of Tables 4 to 50 in collaboration with the Woogles team for 36 rounds. A total of 1,800 fully annotated games will be generated at the end of Causeway 2026. It is my conviction that Scrabble deserves a spot as a celebrated mind sport in the mass media, and I hope to get it there.
My 33-years worth of experience in the media industry as a people leader and connecter has also developed my ability to create an efficient business model that I believe will allow Causeway to stand the test of time.
I owe a debt of gratitude to the game and to the Causeway Challenge, as it has been a pathway through which I have grown, discovered who I am, and tested my personal limits.
Thank you for being part of my journey.
Looking forward to welcoming you all to 2026 Causeway Challenge in Bangkok!
In 2006, the tournament had expanded to include teams from multiple countries, including India, Thailand, the Philippines, and Australia. And in 2008, countries like the USA, the UK, New Zealand, and Nigeria were added.
Signature Causeway Challenge has unique format which 250 players from 10 countries to play 45 games over 5 days.
A significant highlight was the Causeway Challenge 2010, which featured a remarkable lineup of nine former world champions, including 2 world Scrabble champions from Thailand.
And it was Panupol Sujjayakorn from Thailand, Former World Scrabble Champion who won the tournament which was the highest cash prize awarded for Scrabble tournament in the World.
From 2006-2016, Causeway Challenge Finale, a long journey International Scrabble event had come to the end. Michael Tang admitted that he would like to spend more times with family and playing Scrabble around the World.
Then 2017, Causeway Challenge format went back to a friendly, exclusive bilateral team event between Singapore and Malaysia.