Scrabble championship won by colourful Mikki Nicholson
31 October 2010 Last updated at 23:00

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11662754

Scrabble's sleepy reputation has been overturned as a transsexual in a pink wig and matching PVC dress was crowned UK national champion.

Mikki Nicholson, 32, from Cumbria, took the crown with the word "obeisant", which scored 86 points.

Transsexual Scrabble player crowned as British national champion

Transsexual Mikki Nicholson, who only began playing Scrabble five years ago, beats opponent Mark Nyman to take British national crown

    * Amy Fallon
    * guardian.co.uk, Sunday 31 October 2010 20.10 GMT
   
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/oct/31/scrabble-national-champion-crown-mikki

A Scrabble fan who only began playing five years ago after discovering it online was yesterday crowned as the game's British national champion after beating a four-time winner.

Mikki Nicholson, 32, won a nail-biting contest against Mark Nyman, who has claimed more than 20 major tournaments including the World Championship, with the 86-point word "obeisant" (respect), in the cliffhanger fifth game.

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"It was a big challenge but I wouldn't have entered if I didn't think I had a chance of winning," said the transsexual from Cumbria, who was wearing a pink wig, matching plastic pvc dress and lipstick during the final, held in London.