New Zealand man takes top Scrabble honors

DALLAS, Aug. 12 (UPI) -- A New Zealand man with a photographic memory took top honors at the 2010 National Scrabble Championship in Dallas, organizers said.

John Williams Jr., head of the tournament at the Hotel InterContinental, said Nigel Richards, 43, of New Zealand, was named the winner at the close of the tournament Wednesday ahead of more than 400 competitors, CNN Radio reported Thursday.

Williams said Richards, who currently lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, has a photographic memory.

"He is probably the best Scrabble player in the world at this point," Williams said. "He's got the entire dictionary memorized. He's pretty much a Scrabble machine, if such a thing exists."

Richards was awarded $10,000 for his victory.