Corrales Scrabble tournament draws players, former Rio Rancho resident wins

Corrales’ long-running SWILLLNS Scrabble tournament again turned a niche competition into a community gathering, drawing 24 players for 18 games in the village and showing why the event has lasted for 42 years. The tournament carried a subdued start before shifting into the familiar energy of word-game competition, a pattern that fit an event rooted as much in connection and routine as in wins and losses.

Carl Johnson finished first, posting a 15-3 record with a plus-1161 spread. Seth Lipkin placed second and Joey Mallick took third, underscoring the strength of a field that brought serious players to Corrales from beyond Sandoval County. Johnson’s win also gave the tournament a local twist of its own: he is a former Rio Rancho resident, adding another regional name to a competition with strong local ties.

WGPO listed the 2026 tournament as the SWILLLNS 42nd Anniversary event, held June 6-7 in Corrales, with Cornelia Guest, John Karris and Mike Baron serving as directors. Cross-tables also recorded the Corrales tournament as a 24-player, 18-game open-rated event, matching the field size and game count. That kind of consistency matters in Scrabble circles, where longevity, structure and competitive depth help separate a casual weekend meetup from a destination tournament.

The event’s staying power says as much about Corrales as it does about Scrabble. A tournament that began more than four decades ago has become part of the village’s annual rhythm, bringing players, organizers and spectators into a setting where a specialized pastime can still feel local and personal. For a community that values tradition, SWILLLNS has become proof that even a board game can anchor memory, competition and a few hours of shared joy.