For Scrabble Champ, What Really Matters Is How You Play the Game

The plates on Mark Landsberg’s black Mercedes read “MR. 770.” And his name appears in the Guinness Book of World Records next to 770--the most points ever scored in a single Scrabble tournament game.

Yet the man who will go down in history for his ability to scramble tiles into winning combinations shuns competitions held around the country, even if they offer him a chance to break his record. The man they call Mr. 770 dislikes traveling, but most of all he hates what winning and losing do to people.

“I’m not all that crazy about competing. Being competitive doesn’t make me feel all that good. At these tournaments, you see people turn the board over and stomp away,” said the 59-year-old Landsberg. “I avoid stress, and these tournaments are loaded with stress.”

*

Landsberg’s life still revolves around the game in which players randomly choose lettered tiles and strategically map out words, earning points depending on placement.

He spends countless hours studying the Scrabble Player’s Dictionary for obscure words such as “uvea” (a part of the eye) and “bani” (Romanian monetary unit). Tiny words that can be tucked inside a Scrabble maze are also pivotal, which is why Landsberg can rattle off the dictionary’s 97 two-letter words, such as “aa” (solidified lava).

In his spare time at his Leisure World home, Landsberg is writing a guide for Scrabble fans and on Monday afternoons can usually be found at the community’s Scrabble club meeting, where he offers friendly advice and buries most of his opponents.

The average score among expert players is 375-400 points, said Joe Edley, National Scrabble Assn. tournaments director, adding that Landsberg’s 1993 record total still stands. “Nobody has come close,” Edley said.

A recognized Scrabble expert, Landsberg spent nearly 12 years fighting a publishing company he accused of plagiarizing his Scrabble strategy book. He won nearly $800,000.

The retired game inventor’s view of the world is decidedly whimsical, which is apparent from the first step into his home. A mural spans the wall, depicting a breezy beach scene complete with curling waves, striped chairs and a Scrabble game sitting on the sand, with Landsberg’s winning 770 game mapped out.

*

His house is a virtual shrine to board games. The dining room table converts to both a poker and bumper-pool table. Sitting on the coffee table is a traditional Japanese game.

Slim and animated, Landsberg bounds up the stairs to introduce the only competitor that consistently gives him a Scrabble challenge: his computer.

There he displays his strategy. While most players put a priority on finding a word that can be built off their opponents’ tiles, Landsberg strives for “bingos”--Scrabble lingo for the rare chance to use all of a player’s tiles in a single round.

When Landsberg does participate in a tournament, he bucks the intensity with playful banter. It annoys some opponents, but delights more friendly and familiar competitors. One of them, Alan Stern of Los Angeles, holds the dubious distinction of losing the record-setting game that has made Landsberg famous.

“He’s a lot of fun to play against,” Stern said.

*

When Landsberg wants to play with a friend--instead of a computer--he calls Mark Milan, an expert Scrabbler from Dana Point. During a recent set of games, the pair showed off their dictionary prowess.

Landsberg offered a bingo with the word “mahuang” (an Asian plant) and hoped to draw a challenge. But Milan, who could have lost a turn if he questioned the validity of the word and turned out to be wrong, didn’t bite.

Milan wound up winning two games from Mr. 770, but there were no hard feelings. Landsberg sees the game as an opportunity to learn new words--and have fun. Stern vouches for Landsberg’s goodwill and his pure love of the game.

“I know that he likes to play the game for the enjoyment of it, and play interesting words,” Stern said.

Some things do irk Landsberg, though. The misspelling of his name in the record book, for example. (Guinness spelled it “Lansberg”). The lack of “thinking” games on the market and a culture that glorifies winning above all else also irritate him.

He said he won’t be traveling to the World Scrabble Championship Tournament in Washington, D.C., this year.

“I like to sleep in my own bed,” he said, before stopping to reflect on his decision.

“In this country, people put too much emphasis on winning and losing. In China, after the revolution, they played basketball but didn’t keep score,” Landsberg said. “The philosophy is that everyone helps everyone else improve their game. I like that.”