Adheesha – a prodigy in the making
Adeesha Dissanayake aims for the World title - Pic by Indika Handuwala
At just 16, Adheesha Dissanayake isn’t simply climbing the ranks of the global scrabble stage, but defining the narrative of a prodigy in the making. His journey is more than a tale of trophies and titles; it’s a story of resilience, rivalries, and the brilliance of a mind captivated by words.
Adheesha’s passion for scrabble began at home, inspired by his older sister Radhinka—a national-level scrabble player. In 2015, at just six years old, he entered his first tournament; the Under-13 All-Island Scrabble Championship, and finished 10th.
For Adheesha, this was just the beginning. By 2018 and 2019, he wasn’t just participating—he was dominating the boards, winning back-to-back Under-13 All-Island Championships and becoming the youngest player to join Sri Lanka’s National Youth Team. However, the Covid-19 pandemic brought an unexpected pause, halting tournaments.
“Even though I still played the World Youth Championships during that time, I didn’t really do all that well,” Adheesha said.
But rather than letting setbacks define him, he emerged stronger. In 2022 and 2023, he claimed consecutive victories at the World Under-16 Scrabble Championship. Though the World Youth Championship title slipped through his fingers, finishing fifth in 2022, second in 2023, and third in 2024, his resilience outshone any trophy.
“So far, I have played in eight World Youth Championships, even though three of them were held online during Covid. Besides that, I played the Asian Youth Championship twice, and won it last time. I also played the Adult World Championship, but that was online as well in 2021,” Adheesha said.
Last month, Adheesha took on the Indian Open Scrabble Championship — South Asia’s most competitive scrabble battleground. Entering the tournament, he hoped for victory but knew the odds were steep.
“I was hoping to win. But given the strength of the tournament, I didn’t feel that it was a very realistic goal,” he explained.
His opponents included Hubert Wee from Singapore (ranked third in the world), along with several other Top-50 ranked players. Despite the formidable competition, Adheesha performed exceptionally well, staying in the top three for most of the 33-game tournament. Heading into the final day, he was leading by two points—just one win away from securing the title. Then, a single unexpected loss shifted the momentum.
“I had a feeling I might be on the receiving end of a comeback,” he recalled of the nerve-wracking finale.
Though he narrowly missed the championship, his second-place finish set a record—the best-ever performance by a youth player at the Indian Open. Interestingly, the previous record-holder was also Adheesha.
Among the 33 games he played, one stood out — his first-ever victory against Hubert Wee. Having lost to him multiple times before, this match was more than just a game—it was a mental battle against one of scrabble’s elite.
“Personally, I find that playing in a very aggressive style, taking a lot of risks is what works for me. So, that’s what I tried to follow during the whole tournament. The games I lost were mostly where I didn’t play to my strengths and instead ended up falling into situations where the opponent was more comfortable,” Adheesha said.
Every great competitor has a rival who pushes them to their limits. For Adheesha, that rival is India’s Madhav Kamath.
“He’s been my biggest rival for the past seven to eight years,” he admitted.
Their rivalry began in 2017 when they both competed for the World Under-10 title, and over the years, they have emerged as two of the world’s most dominant youth players. Today, they aren’t just rivals—they share mutual respect. Both are ranked among the Top 100 adult scrabble players globally (Adheesha at No. 6 as at 2024), making them the only two youth players with that among the top 100.
“Madhav was very encouraging at the Indian Open,” Adheesha noted, showing that true sportsmanship extends beyond competition.
When asked about his inspirations, Adheesha doesn’t hesitate to mention Nigel Richards, the six-time World Champion.
“He’s been the world’s number one for about 20 years. That’s something I want to emulate,” said Adheesha, who considered facing Nigel at the 2024 Indian Open was a milestone.
“I was leading for a long time, but he made a comeback, and I lost by just eight points,” he recalled.
Despite his numerous achievements, Adheesha yearns for more.
“I don’t think I’ve achieved as much as I wanted,” he said.
His immediate goal is to win the World Youth Championship in Malaysia this August — his final opportunity before aging out of the category. Beyond that, the World Championships in Ghana later this year looms large, with his sights set on a Top-10 finish.
Long-term, he’s determined to secure a World Championship title. For those who look up to him, Adheesha offered his advice — “Find out why you enjoy playing in the first place and focus on that. Improvement comes from identifying your weaknesses and working on them consistently.”